Semi-hajimi with Yonkajo

We worked on yonkajo this morning. This is a technique I've learned to like. I had trouble understanding how it worked at the beginning, but now I find it fun to do, and it effectiveness is gradually increasing. Roland Sensei had us practice shomen uchi yonkajo osae I & II, finishing the class with a short hajime-like training. It wasn't a full-blown hajime, as he had us start slow and gradually picked up the pace.

A new student came to the dojo for his first class and ended up training with me. He's done Tomiki Aikido before, so he understood the idea behind the techniques, but the details were quite different. The class was pretty fast paced, but he walked off the mat with a big smile, so I think he had a good time.