From Sensei
by Sensei Fran Turner
From the suggestion box at the Y:
1. We should keep conversation to a mimimum and not laugh loudly nor comment about others' practice so that everyone in class hears.
Practice is usually most fruitful when attention focusses upon one's own training. While minimal conversation is something of an ideal, it is not necessarily always the best method to help out a partner, which I assume the conversationalist is trying to do. I ask that if a student feels compelled to comment to a partner that this is done in a manner not distracting to others. I also ask that students exercise their own concentration. The music in the gym during class and other noise can be used as a spur to deepen this.
2. Randori is a very good idea for all the advanced classes.
We have limited class time at the Y, especially time when senior students can practice together. There are many important elements in aikido that require class time to work on. Randori is just one of those and recently has not been a priority. Be patient, keep training and that will change.
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