Aikido Ukemi: Meeting the Mat

Donovan Waite Sensei started practicing Aikido in 1969, at a very young age. As a 14 year old, he received his 1st Degree Black Belt from Ralph Reynolds Sensei who was under the direction of T.K. Chiba Sensei in Birmingham, England. Since then Waite Sensei has spent the last 37 years persuing a deeper understanding of Aikido. Along that path, Waite Sensei has had the opportunity to train under many of Aikido's foremost instructors. In 1984 he apprenticed himself to Yoshimitsu Yamada Sensei, chairman of the United States Aikido Federation and chief instructor of the New York Aikikai. For over ten years he was Uchi Deshi, or live-in student, under Yamada Sensei and he still holds a weekly teaching position at the New York Aikikai. Since 1997 Donovan Waite Sensei has been the chief instructor of Aikido of Center City.

He currently holds the rank of 7th Dan and is a certified Shihan, or Master Instructor, with both the United States Aikido Federation and the Aikido World Headquearters in Tokyo, Japan. Waite Sensei is one of the few, and one of the youngest, Westerners to reach this milestone. He also serves on the USAF Technical Committee. In addition to his duties with the USAF and Aikido of Center City, Waite Sensei extensively travels the world teaching Aikido. He has conducted Aikido seminars in various cities of North, Central, & South America, Europe, Russia, the Middle East, & South East Asia. Waite Sensei is a full-time, professional martial artist who has dedicated his life to the practice and teaching of Aikido.

For more information : http://www.aiki.com/

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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Aikido
• Aikikai
• Donovan
• Waite
• Shihan
• 合気道
• Ukemi
• Tatami

[2Kortoso]

He looks like a good teacher.

[theowlspirit]

OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! I finally after 5 months of doing Aikido was able to do a forward roll without any pain in my shoulder arm and actually do it in a straight line! IN MY BEDROOM! I'm soooo stoked! Now I'm gonna show my sensei that I can do it now that I'm 7th Kyu and then maybe he will pick me to throw around. SOOOO EXCITED! I was positioning the hands incorrectly. Thank you so much!. I was sooo frustrated!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KnownTK]

This is very solid ukemi.

[Junjokar]

@Collete13 I had the same feeling: The one thing I did wrong was neglect touching my actual hand on the ground. I got close to the ground same way he said, positioned my hands. But then I would always skip touching my hands on the floor and put my forearms instantly. Made a huge difference.

[Collete13]

Don't know why, but I always hit a little bit with the shoulder in mae kaiten. If I do it from the floor is easly, but in uchi kaiten nage or soto kaiten nage... I just can't, I'm afraid from falling or something. I've done the 6th kyu... but I want to learn it for the 5th -.-'

[VVayVVard]

@99XM

And yeah, I'd say she's a woman lol. It's pretty obvious from her way of writing.

[VVayVVard]

@99XM

It's not the basis of any martial art---you never do ukemis in boxing, for example. It's still a vital move in falling situations in and out of fighting, though.

[sakura0jp0aikidodesu]

とてもわかりやすいです。ありがとうございます！ Donovan sensei's teaching is very helpful, thank you!! from Japan.

[99XM]

@theowlspirit Thanks i prefer japaneses.  English is shit.

[Sanyika750]

@theowlspirit waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[theowlspirit]

@99XM I think you need to take an english class.

[mickparly]

And he is also instrukting in such a good way, that you will understand very easy why it is good for your body to do the ukemi in the way he is instructing. And then he seems to be very good himself at what he is doing.