I went to the University of Manitoba kata practice, and had my 1st three sets of nage-no-kata reviewed by one the black belts there (Bill? I can't remember his name). Sensei Oye then walked me through, showing me little things to bear in mind, and then had one of the other black belts show me and another gent, Jeff Paar (sp?), the first set of ju-no-kata. I think I'm going to need to find out the narrative behind ju-no-kata before I can really learn it properly; it's a very slow, deliberate, methodical kata, more so even than nage-no-kata, I think.

But, as everyone points out, it's good to get in some face time.

I went to Carlos's class to see how it's going.

Present: Carlos, Will, Lucy, me.

We warmed up and did some uchi-komis (moving and static).  Carlos went over o-uchi-gari, and then an o-uchi -> tai-otoshi combination.  After that we did some ne-waza, including a turnover, an arm bar, and a strangle that seems to be partway to sode-guruma-jime.

It's a little weird, practicing judo while there's a basketball practice going on one level below you…

Present: Darcy, me, Herb, Kaya, Jian Jun, Jeff P (who wasn't feeling well enough to suit up).
After warmup and ukemi, Darcy showed us a cute exercise:  enter for ippon-seoi-nage or o-goshi, but don't complete the throw.  Then, with uke still on your back, walk the length of the mats.  This ensures that you have proper form — if you don't, you won't be able to do it.

After that, I worked with Herb on the gokyo throws that we had concerns about, while Darcy taught Kaya and Jian Jun.

We ended the night with some randori.  Kaya threw me, and we grappled on the ground for a bit.  Jian Jun threw me with a great tai-otoshi, which he'd learned that evening.

Present: Darcy, Will, Kaya, Jin Jiang, Jeff P, Mike F, moi.

Warmed up.  Mike demonstrated a cross-grip seoi-nage that looked to my eye a bit like a sode-tsurikomi-goshi (on account of the hip being sunk so deep that uke winds up across tori's back).  Since the white belts hadn't learned seoi-nage, we worked on ippon-seoi-nage and morote-seoi-nage.

Will showed a gripping exercise:  stand in a circle, take sleeve grips on either side, and try to sweep your neighbour's feet.  As people fall or release their grips, they leave the circle.  Cool game.
Randori followed.  I sat out due to a goose-egg on my leg, just above my ankle, from where someone's knee landed on my leg at the end of the aforementioned gripping game.

Present: me, Darcy, Kaya, Jin Jung, Jeff P, Will, Herb.

Worked on o-uchi-gari, ko-uchi-gari, and the o-uchi->ko-uchi combinations.  Also did some o-soto-gari work with Jin Jung.  (I really have to find out how to spell his name correctly.)

Ended the class with some randori.  So hard to not use sutemi-waza, but it's a habit I have to try and break.  (Or at least ameliorate.)

I have to get back in the habit of doing these.

Present: Me, Darcy, Herb, Will, Kaya, Jiang Jung, Vlad.

Warm-up, ukemi, throw->juji-gatame.

Herb took Vlad aside and they worked on breakfalls, as it was Vlad's first class. The rest of us worked on okuri-ashi-harai, then o-uchi-gari, then uki-goshi and o-goshi. After this we did some randori.

Present: Me, Thomas, Herb, Jungjing (I know that's not spelled right), Jeff P, and Jeff ?.

Warmup, throw->juji-gatame, moving uchikomis.

Thomas and I went over the throws he'll need for his eventual blue belt grading, all except the makikomis (though we did cover Craig's advice to Herb and myself, regarding getting in close, so that you hit the ground as one body). Then we did a couple of brown-belt throws (yoko-wakare and yoko-guruma).

Herb and I did the kata, without throws. Herb's getting better and better at lifting me for kata-guruma. At this point we're mainly working on the little details. Maybe soon we'll videotape it.

After that Thomas showed Jungjing kesa-gatame, using me as uke. I showed Thomas the backward-somersault escape from kesa-gatame, which then led to the leg-pick escape from juji-gatame.

Then I went home and showered. Man, it was hot in the dojo.

Present: Me, Herb, Alex, Marc, Carlos, Yan (first night).

Warmed up, did some standing uchikomis with Carlos. Herb got Yan working on breakfalls.

Herb and I did kata without throws (we only had half the mat area). Things are clicking into place. Things to concentrate on: sasae's kuzushi is upwards; when doing uchi-mata as uke, go onto my toes as I climb the hip.

Did ne-waza randori with Alex and Marc. Both of them are developing their skills, and I have to work to keep ahead of them. This is a Good Thing.

Present: Darcy, Mike F, Herb, Carlos, me.

Did: moving uchikomis, then Carlos demonstrated a couple of very slick techniques.

• Sasae-tsurikomi-ashi—If you're fighting for grips, and your opponent snags your lapel, you can reach around behind to take a grip on his far shoulder. This puts you in a cross-grip (ie, same-side lapel) position, and it will fold his arm and keep it tight. Feint as though you're trying to snag his free arm with your hand. If he pulls back (which he probably will), step across, facing him, hook his armpit with your elbow in a rising, lifting motion, pull his lapel-side arm across and around, and block his lapel-side foot with yours in a classic sasae move. It's really hard to describe it in words; you've got to see it—to do it—to understand.
• Uchi-mata / o-goshi—Take a normal grip, but then move the lapel hand to the back hip area (a little like Silvio's hip-throw grip). Take a short step to the side, turning your foot, and then pull with your hip hand to load uke onto your hip. This lends itself very nicely to o-goshi, uchi-mata, harai-goshi, hane-goshi, etc.

Herb and I did kata. Need practice.

Present: Mike, Marc, Herb, moi.

Did some randori — Mike pointed out that my sasae-tsurikomi-ashi would be much more effective if I came in deep, then pulled and blocked, rather than trying it at arms' length. Makes sense.

Did kata (as uke) with Herb. Things to remember:

• Don't let feet cross on ippon-seoi-nage breakfall. My knee's still hurting as I write this the morning after.
• Stiffen, keep legs together, and place back hand on belt (don't grab) for kata-guruma.
• On uchi-mata, don't rush it; let him pull, then go with it.