Aikikitty
Master Black Belt
Hello all,
I'm excited about going to my first Aikido seminar in over 3 years in January.
For those who have gone to martial art seminars, what are your best and worst experiances? No names need be mentioned for the worst, lest it possibly turn into a bash-fest.
I've only been able to go to 4 seminars so far, but every one was an overall wonderful experience.
My best- I remember that for my first seminar, I traveled with my sensei and a bunch of guys to Florida to our "head dojo". It was maybe 2002. The other guys had neat t-shirts from seminars they've gone to and I was hoping to get one that time too (to feel part of the group). There were no T-shirts to buy and I was a little disappointed, but my sensei mentioned it to the head of our organization (and his good friend). The next morning, he (head of our organization) presented me with one of his own t-shirts from the organization that none of the other guys in my dojo had. I felt like the kid in the old tv commercial when his favorite football player tossed him his jersey. The next year, the man passed away so the t-shirt is even more special. I've heard many stories of how kind our former leader was and I can now share that and remember him too. I'm thankful I had the chance to meet him.
My worst--Toss up between
1) Having to be partnered up with a bully who was purposefully being extra rough and I narrowly escaped injury. The guy seemed to keep making a point to continue to partner up with me.
or
2) At another seminar, I, my sensei, and a couple of others from my dojo got into the very over-chlorinated hotel hot tub at the end of the first evening. We didn't realized until our skin started to burn and our swim suits were suddenly faded with bleach spots, that something was wrong. Needless to say, it was a painful nights sleep and 1,000 times worse on the second day of the seminar when people would grab our arms and sweat got on our skin. Yeeouch!
Merry Christmas!
Robyn
I'm excited about going to my first Aikido seminar in over 3 years in January.
For those who have gone to martial art seminars, what are your best and worst experiances? No names need be mentioned for the worst, lest it possibly turn into a bash-fest.
I've only been able to go to 4 seminars so far, but every one was an overall wonderful experience.
My best- I remember that for my first seminar, I traveled with my sensei and a bunch of guys to Florida to our "head dojo". It was maybe 2002. The other guys had neat t-shirts from seminars they've gone to and I was hoping to get one that time too (to feel part of the group). There were no T-shirts to buy and I was a little disappointed, but my sensei mentioned it to the head of our organization (and his good friend). The next morning, he (head of our organization) presented me with one of his own t-shirts from the organization that none of the other guys in my dojo had. I felt like the kid in the old tv commercial when his favorite football player tossed him his jersey. The next year, the man passed away so the t-shirt is even more special. I've heard many stories of how kind our former leader was and I can now share that and remember him too. I'm thankful I had the chance to meet him.
My worst--Toss up between
1) Having to be partnered up with a bully who was purposefully being extra rough and I narrowly escaped injury. The guy seemed to keep making a point to continue to partner up with me.
or
2) At another seminar, I, my sensei, and a couple of others from my dojo got into the very over-chlorinated hotel hot tub at the end of the first evening. We didn't realized until our skin started to burn and our swim suits were suddenly faded with bleach spots, that something was wrong. Needless to say, it was a painful nights sleep and 1,000 times worse on the second day of the seminar when people would grab our arms and sweat got on our skin. Yeeouch!
Merry Christmas!
Robyn