my aikido journey in aikido

ad_adrian

Twitter: adadrian
First day

My thoughts of it after getting out of the class…wow…. there is so much to learn.
It’s a lot harder then I thought and its amazing some of the techniques they teach you.
Its all in Japanese and its very tough but everyone is very nice I just hope I get used to it quick. I have so much to do and so far to go. I was tired just after the warm up.
Looking forward to Thursday

How long did it take for u guys to get used to it? What did u guys think of ur first go…did u get used to it?

Adrian
 
Congratulations for taking the decisive step mate, now all you got to do is stick with it!

Here's a couple of hints given by the Founder himself with regards to the practice of the Art in general:

"Aikido decides life and death in a single strike, so students must carefully follow the instructor's teaching and not compete to see who is the strongest.

Aikido is the way that teaches how one can deal with several enemies. Students must train themselves to be alert not just to the front but to all sides and the back.

Training should always be conducted in a pleasant and joyful atmosphere.

The instructor teaches only one small aspect of the art. Its versatile applications must be discovered by each student through incessant practice and training.

In daily practice first begin by moving your body and then progress to more intensive practice. Never force anything unnaturally or unreasonably. If this rule is followed, then even elderly people will not hurt themselves and they can train in a pleasant and joyful atmosphere.

The purpose of aikido is to train mind and body and to produce sincere, earnest people. Since all techniques are to be transmitted person-to-person, do not randomly reveal them to others, for this might lead to their being used by hoodlums."

I hope that's useful for you to get you started (mind you, these should be carefully read and meditated upon, not just skimmed through superficially).

We'll talk again next year, see what's become of you! :D

Till then, good luck and take real good care.

(Cause if you won't, nobody else will.)

Cheers
 

Serena

Administrator
ad_adrian said:
First day

My thoughts of it after getting out of the class…wow…. there is so much to learn.
It’s a lot harder then I thought and its amazing some of the techniques they teach you.
Its all in Japanese and its very tough but everyone is very nice I just hope I get used to it quick. I have so much to do and so far to go. I was tired just after the warm up.
Looking forward to Thursday

How long did it take for u guys to get used to it? What did u guys think of ur first go…did u get used to it?

Adrian
Well done on taking that first big step. :) All in Japanese? Do you speak Japanese? I myself know nothing of martial arts, but from reading this forum for a couple of years and seeing you say it's a lot harder than you thought, I feel safe in saying: You ain't seen nothing yet. :D I wish you lots of luck on this new journey of yours. :) Keep us posted.
 

TDWoj

Administrator
Staff member
I'm still not used to it... it's very painful for me with my physical limitations (stiff joints, even stiffer muscles) and I'm still recovering from a torn muscle in my back (not caused by aikido, but by tripping over a carpet, stupid thing!), but it is the most enjoyment I've ever had (aside from writing).

What it's all about is practice, practice, practice... repitition, repitition, repitition. Right now, because of my injury, I'm doing everything in slow motion, and that's of benefit to my partners, some of whom want to do all the techniques as fast as they possibly can - and end up doing them wrong.

Some of those who partner with me, though, still aren't getting the message that they have to go at my pace for the time being, not me go at theirs. Last night I had a partner who completely disregarded my warning that I was still recovering from an injury, and I ended up injuring the other side of my back, which is going to set me back another six weeks' worth of ukemi practice.

The thing is, you go at your own pace. Don't be afraid to push yourself; but don't be afraid to say, "I need more time with this". It isn't a race; it isn't a competition (especially against yourself, which is one of my issues I need to address), and most of all, remember to have fun while you are doing it.
 

tenshinaikidoka

Martial Art Student
Congrats on starting Aikido and your in for a wonderful lifetime journey. Not only is it a wonderful art but it truly is a lifestyle. Just remember it takes a while to get the basics down, and once that occurs, everything else comes together.
 

ad_adrian

Twitter: adadrian
2nd day,,,

two people quit today...odviously could not hack it from the first lesson....
a couple got caught up in traffic and one of the girls (english babe) only could do tuesdays...so there was only 2 of us...(in the introductory course)...and of course like 30-50 in the main area..... so it suited me fine...more private teaching.
a lot easier then the first...although i am really sore and stiff from the first day which was two days ago...i found it easier and wasnt so scared of doing stuff....there is still heaps to learn and it is such a challenge mastering it...and i can not master it in one hour i wish i could do it all day under tuition...but thats im possible...as much as i can practice at home i am not 100% sure if i am doing it right.....

Adrian
 
You sound really confused... I guess you're on the right track! :D

Here's a wee tip for you (you'll thank me in the morning): before you go to the dojo just watch a few scenes from a good (mark my words: GOOD) Seagal movie and then go to the training hall and kick some bloody arse!

;)
 

TDWoj

Administrator
Staff member
scotch.on.the.rocks said:
You sound really confused... I guess you're on the right track! :D

Here's a wee tip for you (you'll thank me in the morning): before you go to the dojo just watch a few scenes from a good (mark my words: GOOD) Seagal movie and then go to the training hall and kick some bloody arse!

;)

Which, of course, goes completely against the teachings of O Sensei, and that aikido itself is written as "The way of spiritual harmony". No arse-kicking there, at all, that I can see.
 

TDWoj

Administrator
Staff member
ad_adrian said:
2nd day,,,

two people quit today...odviously could not hack it from the first lesson....
a couple got caught up in traffic and one of the girls (english babe) only could do tuesdays...so there was only 2 of us...(in the introductory course)...and of course like 30-50 in the main area..... so it suited me fine...more private teaching.
a lot easier then the first...although i am really sore and stiff from the first day which was two days ago...i found it easier and wasnt so scared of doing stuff....there is still heaps to learn and it is such a challenge mastering it...and i can not master it in one hour i wish i could do it all day under tuition...but thats im possible...as much as i can practice at home i am not 100% sure if i am doing it right.....

Adrian

Interesting to see how different dojos are run. In ours, for example, ALL students, experienced or newbie, work together in class. In fact, it's REQUIRED that senior students pair with beginners, and the more students in the class, the more variety there is when you switch partners. One student, for example, might be physically very strong, while another might be more flexible. One has to learn with all types. "Private teaching" isn't encouraged.

In my dojo, senior students are requested to attend introductory classes, to demonstrate and assist people interested in taking aikido.

We've got an introductory workshop coming up on Saturday. I went to the first one, in addition to the free introductory class, in January. I didn't last the three hours the first time round; I'm hoping now that I've had 50 classes, I can go the full three hours without collapsing!
 

Serena

Administrator
ad_adrian said:
2nd day,,,

two people quit today...odviously could not hack it from the first lesson....
a couple got caught up in traffic and one of the girls (english babe) only could do tuesdays...so there was only 2 of us...(in the introductory course)...and of course like 30-50 in the main area..... so it suited me fine...more private teaching.
a lot easier then the first...although i am really sore and stiff from the first day which was two days ago...i found it easier and wasnt so scared of doing stuff....there is still heaps to learn and it is such a challenge mastering it...and i can not master it in one hour i wish i could do it all day under tuition...but thats im possible...as much as i can practice at home i am not 100% sure if i am doing it right.....

Adrian
Hey, unlike two others, you had a second day! ;)
Sounds like progress to me. :D
Hang in there! :)
 
TDWoj said:
Which, of course, goes completely against the teachings of O Sensei, and that aikido itself is written as "The way of spiritual harmony". No arse-kicking there, at all, that I can see.

You're right, I was merely joking! ;)

I was just trying to give dear Adrian a boost, he sounds a wee bit down and out to me... :D
 

TDWoj

Administrator
Staff member
I'm not convinced his dojo is doing right by him, but what do I know - I've only been at this a few months myself, and I've certainly had my ups and downs.

Ad_adrian, all I can say, is hang in there. It does get easier. There are so many different ways of doing the techniques, it's easy to get confused. Slow and steady - that's the way to do it. I find the guys in my classes who want to do things fast, fast, fast end up doing them wrong, wrong, wrong.

I've learned, for example, when our Sensei (a woman, 5th dan) steps in to demonstrate a technique and calls you, "my sweetheart", you know you are in deep, deep trouble (except some of the students haven't figured that out yet). I've escaped being called "my sweetheart", at least so far....

My biggest problem - besides my ukemi (or lack of ukemi, more like) skills - is the footwork. The feet have to be in the right place, and sometimes, I swear, one needs at least six feet to do the techniques (inside foot, outside foot, front foot, back foot, step-off-the-line foot and pivot foot. There is no left foot or right foot in aikido, at least that's what I've found so far!)

Patience and repitition, that's what aikido is. Be patient; don't be in a hurry. (Hurry means injuries, as I've discovered.)
 

TDWoj

Administrator
Staff member
I think it's interesting that they teach breakfalls at your dojo right from the get-go, and none of the ukemi they teach at ours at all (at least, not that I can find). In mine, they don't teach breakfalls until you've been doing aikido for a couple of years. I'm not looking forward to that...
 

ad_adrian

Twitter: adadrian
in the warm up that the master does...

you do about 20 break falls...then u go really fast for another 20....i have learnt how to fall forwards/backwards and sideways standing up...its one of the first things they taught me
 
Adrian, in case you don't already know, maybe you should know that what you're practicing is not actually Aikido the way the Founder ultimately taught it, but a martial technique that he practiced during his earlier days, while he was still searching. It is a lot more aggressive than the Aikido taught by the Hombu Dojo, and there is lot less emphasis on kokyu, which I think is rather unfortunate. But it's up to you to decide, if you want a more martial style of Aikido, then you're probably at the right place (as a side note, Seagal Sensei's style is probably closer to Yoshinkan than Hombu).

TDWoj, you're right about the footwork (ashi sabaki), it is important, but it's not actually THAT important. Watch OSensei in his late years, he was not concerned AT ALL about fragmenting a technique in so many pieces like that. He would just go for it and do it (mind you, that's what Seagal Sensei says as well). Just focus on your hara, enter (irimi), turn (tenkan) and apply the technique! For instance, if you're attacked with a punch or a knife from the front (chudan tsuki) and you want to apply kotegaeshi, you relax, focus on hara, enter beside the attacking hand, turn, grab the wrist and apply kotegaeshi. I know I make it sound more simple than it is, but really, you shouldn't get entangled in too many details, ultimately they're not that important. At least in my view. In a real life situation you have to be able to move and respond quickly at least to avoid an attack, if not more. And that comes down to keeping the distance (ma ai), irimi/tenkan, hara centering and a few other such general principles.
 

ad_adrian

Twitter: adadrian
i agree with you scotch on the rocks it is more of an aggressive/hands on approach...but i have seen a lot of steven's moves already so it cant all be bad. and yeah i have learnt how to fall from almost any position even in the warm up we practice falling
 

TDWoj

Administrator
Staff member
scotch.on.the.rocks said:
Adrian, in case you don't already know, maybe you should know that what you're practicing is not actually Aikido the way the Founder ultimately taught it, but a martial technique that he practiced during his earlier days, while he was still searching. It is a lot more aggressive than the Aikido taught by the Hombu Dojo, and there is lot less emphasis on kokyu, which I think is rather unfortunate. But it's up to you to decide, if you want a more martial style of Aikido, then you're probably at the right place (as a side note, Seagal Sensei's style is probably closer to Yoshinkan than Hombu).

TDWoj, you're right about the footwork (ashi sabaki), it is important, but it's not actually THAT important. Watch OSensei in his late years, he was not concerned AT ALL about fragmenting a technique in so many pieces like that. He would just go for it and do it (mind you, that's what Seagal Sensei says as well). Just focus on your hara, enter (irimi), turn (tenkan) and apply the technique! For instance, if you're attacked with a punch or a knife from the front (chudan tsuki) and you want to apply kotegaeshi, you relax, focus on hara, enter beside the attacking hand, turn, grab the wrist and apply kotegaeshi. I know I make it sound more simple than it is, but really, you shouldn't get entangled in too many details, ultimately they're not that important. At least in my view. In a real life situation you have to be able to move and respond quickly at least to avoid an attack, if not more. And that comes down to keeping the distance (ma ai), irimi/tenkan, hara centering and a few other such general principles.

scotch, I'm going to answer you in my aikido thread, since this one is ad_adrian's, and I don't want to hijack it.
 

Aikilove

Old member aikidoka
Scotch... I too should answer in a different thread by I'm too lazy right now.
O-sensei didn't have to care much about his feet at the age of 70 because he had been thinking about detailes for the last 30-40 years.
It's all about the details....
It's the details, angles and postures that ingrain all of the principles in your body. Correct postures ensures training in how to optimize your body. Correct angles ensures learning about the hows and whys of the body. Correct details reveals all the "secrets".

There is only pedagogical differenses between aikikai and yoshinkan. Shioda did learn alot of the basics before the WW2 but he also returned back after the war when O-sensei had already retired to Iwama. In fact he recieved his 8th dan by O-sensei there.

Of course at a later stage the position of the hands and feet comes naturally so one doesn't have to think about it much and all of ones focus can go towards generally blending with uke, but that comes after miles of training basics.

/J
 

ad_adrian

Twitter: adadrian
3rd class,

i really enjoyed today...im getting used to the routine....it seems with each class i enjoy it more...even being the uke....im getting used to it...learning a couple of new moves each class....our class only goes for an hour does everyone elses??

i bought dynamic aikido...by gozo shioda....today to help me with my aikido when i have days off....all i need is a subject to practice my moves on lol....

my instructor Michiharu Mori Sensei, 6th Dan, was a direct student of the late Master Gozo Shioda. i dont know if i have had so much respect for a man i have known
 

TDWoj

Administrator
Staff member
During the week in my dojo, classes are one hour, with a 90-minute class on Saturdays. Testing happens after a certain number of classes. 6th kyu (that's me, in September) requires a minimum of 40 classes; 5th kyu is 60 classes, and I think it's 80 classes for each kyu rank after that.

Me, I go four times per week, which means I should be tested during the June testing round, except the torn muscle has prevented me from practicing ukemi, so I've been rescheduled for the September testing round. According to the instructors, I've got all the necessary techniques for 6th kyu down pat, it's only shikko and ukemi that I'm deficient in.

How does testing work in your dojo, ad_adrian?
 
Top