Sunday, September 28, 2014
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Do the Math
1. Set a timer for one minute.
2. Count how many thoughts you have in that minute.
3. Do the math: How many thoughts occupy your day?
2. Count how many thoughts you have in that minute.
3. Do the math: How many thoughts occupy your day?
Tenchi nage
I like this video of tenchinage because the nage is very upright and focused forward. The nage is able to use the energy coming from uke's hands and is able to get in a position where that energy is coming back to uke where their balance is weak.
I plan to put into practice the idea of learning who is the one who studies aikido by paying more attention to how others perform techniques, which aspects I like and dislike, and which aspects work well for me.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Hakama folding
I saw this very simple and easy to follow clip on hakima folding from Aikido Miami. It's so simple, they don't even say a word during the entire thing. The belt tie at the end is a nice variation that I'll be trying next time :)
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
SQOTD: Thoughts
"Thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become character. So, pay attention to your thoughts."
How to Be a Student of Aikido
From http://www.aikiweb.com/columns/rrobertson/2006_10.html
By Ross Robertson
Still Point Aikido Center
Austin, TX, USA
Aikido is a lifelong discipline that requires a certain amount of investment. And it's an investment that pays immediate and long term benefits in the form of health, mental clarity, self-assurance, and capacity for joy. Yes, you can defend yourself too, if you ever have the need.
But aikido, like other martial arts, is its own path. A dojo is not a fitness center. It's not an academic institution. It's not a sanctuary or retreat. Coming to the dojo with these expectations is likely to be frustrating for everyone.
Many find the imagined level of commitment daunting. In reality, no heroic effort is required. Taking small, easy steps regularly and mindfully is all that is necessary. The assumption that you'll never be as good as Sensei, that you don't have what it takes, that you're not young, you're not gifted... all of this is just a cop-out. If you practice defeatist thinking, don't be surprised when you feel defeated.
Of course training can be hard. It is taxing mentally, spiritually, and physically. But being a good student is easy. Being an EXCELLENT student is easy. Here's how:
By Ross Robertson
Still Point Aikido Center
Austin, TX, USA
Aikido is a lifelong discipline that requires a certain amount of investment. And it's an investment that pays immediate and long term benefits in the form of health, mental clarity, self-assurance, and capacity for joy. Yes, you can defend yourself too, if you ever have the need.
But aikido, like other martial arts, is its own path. A dojo is not a fitness center. It's not an academic institution. It's not a sanctuary or retreat. Coming to the dojo with these expectations is likely to be frustrating for everyone.
Many find the imagined level of commitment daunting. In reality, no heroic effort is required. Taking small, easy steps regularly and mindfully is all that is necessary. The assumption that you'll never be as good as Sensei, that you don't have what it takes, that you're not young, you're not gifted... all of this is just a cop-out. If you practice defeatist thinking, don't be surprised when you feel defeated.
Of course training can be hard. It is taxing mentally, spiritually, and physically. But being a good student is easy. Being an EXCELLENT student is easy. Here's how:
"We should be someone who is a student of aikido."
合気即生活 (Aiki is life)
This week's assignment is to write about how we can embody the phrase, "We should be someone who is a student of aikido."
Aikido students operate on a spectrum, from the casual tourist to the highest ranking shihan. But what makes a student of aikido (break it down: someone who is a true and lifelong student of the art), and how to you become that? In the early stages of learning aikido, you are learning the most gross aspects of aikido and movement — you're trying to understand things like how to roll, timing, where to put your hands and feet, which way to turn — the basics.
As you progress, maybe you can't stop thinking about aikido over many years. Maybe you look at it not as a martial art, but as a way, and aikido starts to seep into other corners of your life. You ponder techniques and situations in and out of class. Not only are you "obsessed," but you start to take a methodical look under the hood at the "why" of aikido — a deeper look into the esoteric corners of the art ("What happens if I move my arm like this, or like this — how does that change the technique?").
Maybe we can embody the phrase "We should be someone who is a student of aikido" by being a student of O-Sensei's ultimately, and realize that our teachers teach on his behalf, interpreting and relaying his knowledge to us. Maybe we can be someone who is a student of aikido by letting aikido into all areas of our lives. Some examples might be cleaning at home as mindfully you clean the dojo, accomplishing tasks before they need to be accomplished, taking personal ownership of tasks.
Maybe it's by approaching every conflict as a practice for aikido, or by using martial awareness when you're driving or riding a bike, or walking through heavy foot traffic downtown. Maybe you can be a student by using aikido as a way to prevent violent encounters from every happening. There's a great clip, which I can't find, in which uke comes at Saotome Sensei with a katatedori attack, and Saotome grabs his hand, smiles, and shakes it heartily. Everyone laughs, but the potential to divert an attack starts at the first encounter.
But all that being said, I'm not sure what it takes to be a student of aikido. I think it's some combination of the above. Commitment, introspection, application to life. I'm not sure I have arrived there yet. I hope to someday.
Additional reading: How to Be a Student of Aikido (by Ross Robertson) and Advanced Aikido (by Phong Thong Dang and Lynn Seiser) (excerpted below)
This week's assignment is to write about how we can embody the phrase, "We should be someone who is a student of aikido."
Aikido students operate on a spectrum, from the casual tourist to the highest ranking shihan. But what makes a student of aikido (break it down: someone who is a true and lifelong student of the art), and how to you become that? In the early stages of learning aikido, you are learning the most gross aspects of aikido and movement — you're trying to understand things like how to roll, timing, where to put your hands and feet, which way to turn — the basics.
As you progress, maybe you can't stop thinking about aikido over many years. Maybe you look at it not as a martial art, but as a way, and aikido starts to seep into other corners of your life. You ponder techniques and situations in and out of class. Not only are you "obsessed," but you start to take a methodical look under the hood at the "why" of aikido — a deeper look into the esoteric corners of the art ("What happens if I move my arm like this, or like this — how does that change the technique?").
Maybe we can embody the phrase "We should be someone who is a student of aikido" by being a student of O-Sensei's ultimately, and realize that our teachers teach on his behalf, interpreting and relaying his knowledge to us. Maybe we can be someone who is a student of aikido by letting aikido into all areas of our lives. Some examples might be cleaning at home as mindfully you clean the dojo, accomplishing tasks before they need to be accomplished, taking personal ownership of tasks.
Maybe it's by approaching every conflict as a practice for aikido, or by using martial awareness when you're driving or riding a bike, or walking through heavy foot traffic downtown. Maybe you can be a student by using aikido as a way to prevent violent encounters from every happening. There's a great clip, which I can't find, in which uke comes at Saotome Sensei with a katatedori attack, and Saotome grabs his hand, smiles, and shakes it heartily. Everyone laughs, but the potential to divert an attack starts at the first encounter.
But all that being said, I'm not sure what it takes to be a student of aikido. I think it's some combination of the above. Commitment, introspection, application to life. I'm not sure I have arrived there yet. I hope to someday.
Additional reading: How to Be a Student of Aikido (by Ross Robertson) and Advanced Aikido (by Phong Thong Dang and Lynn Seiser) (excerpted below)
Ryotedori Tenchinage
Part of this week's assignment was to select a video of ryotedori tenchinage and discuss what we liked about it. I picked Lorraine DiAnne Shihan. I love how low she comes in — that's her main focus in this instance. Not only does she step far off the centerline and then back directly into uke's space, but the low arm and low body position help to really put uke off balance. Tenchinage is really ineffective with a tall partner unless you can get them to your level.
Tenchi Nage from Tohei sensei film clip
This is a clip of Tohei sensei doing a variety of warm ups and techniques for a 1957 documentary.
The ryote tori part starts at 5:03 and begins with Tenchi Nage almost as a backstretch warm up, without falling and without moving the front foot first, but rather by stepping through with the back foot at 45 degrees, then back to center, then repeat on the other side.
I like this because it allows uke to experience the technique without the transition to the fall, and focus on the feeling of the opening and being taken off balance - which is quite direct! Tohei sensei repeats this for several other techniques as the 8 minute segment continues.
This reminds me a lot of when we practice at the park near the dojo, when there is a chance to go deeper into the initial parts of a technique without the temptation to move your focus immediately into the fall.
The ryote tori part starts at 5:03 and begins with Tenchi Nage almost as a backstretch warm up, without falling and without moving the front foot first, but rather by stepping through with the back foot at 45 degrees, then back to center, then repeat on the other side.
I like this because it allows uke to experience the technique without the transition to the fall, and focus on the feeling of the opening and being taken off balance - which is quite direct! Tohei sensei repeats this for several other techniques as the 8 minute segment continues.
This reminds me a lot of when we practice at the park near the dojo, when there is a chance to go deeper into the initial parts of a technique without the temptation to move your focus immediately into the fall.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Sunday, September 14, 2014
On training and being a deshi
From Aikido Sangenkai
Q: At the time Shioda Sensei was in his early sixties, and he was still quite active – what was training at the Yoshinkan like?
A: It was exhausting. (laughing) As to what was exhausting…of course it was physically exhausting, but in the end is was mostly mental exhaustion. There was a lecture, “Zagaku” (座学), every Thursday afternoon, once a week. That is, the uchi-deshi would gather in Seiza and have an evaluation meeting. The person called on by Shioda Sensei would speak about their “Daily Reflections and Habits”. For example, “Yesterday, I had a cold and was a burden on others” (reflections), or “if there’s some trash I throw it away” (habits). The senior students would then comment. “That’s a good attitude…” and so forth. At times Shioda Sensei would further comment on those comments. That would continue for about an hour, and we were told “absolutely no movement from Seiza!”. Seiza was so painful that I couldn’t even hear what was being said. Greasy sweat would dribble off me, my head would spin, I just waited while praying to heaven for it to end.
Then, in training, they said “Suwari-waza” and we would practice basic techniques on our knees. We did that kind of training constantly, so by the second day of the Gasshuku my skin was raw and bleeding. The knees of my white Keiko-gi were dyed bright red with blood. Even when he saw those bright red Keiko-gi Shioda Sensei said “do Suwari-waza!”. I thought “this person is an ogre”. In the end, the wounds on my knees didn’t heal until after the completion of the one month Gasshuku.
Q: At the time Shioda Sensei was in his early sixties, and he was still quite active – what was training at the Yoshinkan like?
A: It was exhausting. (laughing) As to what was exhausting…of course it was physically exhausting, but in the end is was mostly mental exhaustion. There was a lecture, “Zagaku” (座学), every Thursday afternoon, once a week. That is, the uchi-deshi would gather in Seiza and have an evaluation meeting. The person called on by Shioda Sensei would speak about their “Daily Reflections and Habits”. For example, “Yesterday, I had a cold and was a burden on others” (reflections), or “if there’s some trash I throw it away” (habits). The senior students would then comment. “That’s a good attitude…” and so forth. At times Shioda Sensei would further comment on those comments. That would continue for about an hour, and we were told “absolutely no movement from Seiza!”. Seiza was so painful that I couldn’t even hear what was being said. Greasy sweat would dribble off me, my head would spin, I just waited while praying to heaven for it to end.
Then, in training, they said “Suwari-waza” and we would practice basic techniques on our knees. We did that kind of training constantly, so by the second day of the Gasshuku my skin was raw and bleeding. The knees of my white Keiko-gi were dyed bright red with blood. Even when he saw those bright red Keiko-gi Shioda Sensei said “do Suwari-waza!”. I thought “this person is an ogre”. In the end, the wounds on my knees didn’t heal until after the completion of the one month Gasshuku.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Daily Mobility (It’s That Important)
THIS is something I need to pay attention to, now that I'm off the mat until I can get this back situation straightened out.
From 513fit.com
The good news is that you can make serious headway in improving flexibility in as little as ten minutes per day. There’s no need to budget time for a 60 – 90 minute yoga class, unless you really want to. So, don’t let that get in the way.
Plus, it does more than just get you flexible.
Stretching also improves circulation and can help reduce muscle soreness.
It can improve balance and coordination.
It can alleviate lower back pain.
And stretching can even improve your cardiovascular function and reduce blood pressure.
Ten minutes of focused mobility work can change your life.
But, it comes with a few caveats.
1. Work into the tightness, not around it. It doesn’t matter how far you reach or bend. If there’s a tight spot stopping you, don’t bend around it to go further. Work into it.
2. Do not lock your knees (IE on anything with a forward bend). The goal is to lengthen your hamstrings and calves, not the tendons immediately behind your knees.
3. Keep your back straight. Rounding the back is one of the most common ways we like to look like we’re more flexible. Work into the tightness to get the most benefit. You will get more flexible.
From 513fit.com
The good news is that you can make serious headway in improving flexibility in as little as ten minutes per day. There’s no need to budget time for a 60 – 90 minute yoga class, unless you really want to. So, don’t let that get in the way.
Plus, it does more than just get you flexible.
Stretching also improves circulation and can help reduce muscle soreness.
It can improve balance and coordination.
It can alleviate lower back pain.
And stretching can even improve your cardiovascular function and reduce blood pressure.
Ten minutes of focused mobility work can change your life.
But, it comes with a few caveats.
1. Work into the tightness, not around it. It doesn’t matter how far you reach or bend. If there’s a tight spot stopping you, don’t bend around it to go further. Work into it.
2. Do not lock your knees (IE on anything with a forward bend). The goal is to lengthen your hamstrings and calves, not the tendons immediately behind your knees.
3. Keep your back straight. Rounding the back is one of the most common ways we like to look like we’re more flexible. Work into the tightness to get the most benefit. You will get more flexible.
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Friday, September 5, 2014
SQOD
Sensei Quote of the Day:
"You don't do aikido to learn how to do aikido — you do aikido to learn about the one who does aikido." (I hope I got that quote right).
"You don't do aikido to learn how to do aikido — you do aikido to learn about the one who does aikido." (I hope I got that quote right).
More on etiquette
I noticed that we're slipping somewhat with regards to etiquette lately. Some folks just walk on to the mat if they are late, without waiting for sensei (although they are new, so this is especially for them); some folks give a half-hearted or no bow when receiving instruction from sensei; and some folks use an abbreviated gassho in place of a bow.
Dojo etiquette provides a sharp division between the outside world, and the mat, where we need to shed our tasks and concerns of the day, and be fully present for training. On crossing the physical threshold to the dojo, you bow, and leave all that outside world stuff outside, and focus your mind on what you are doing here and now. This ritual of bowing on entry provides a distinction between the two spaces. When you train, it's important to bring an intensity and precision to your practice. Don't come and be sloppy, floppy, or lazy. Cultivate the mindset that this is a life or death situation. This intensity includes handwork, footwork, and also etiquette.
Bowing
Malory Sensei has talked a lot about the proper way to bow, and it's very important to remember her instruction, and not to rush or take a shortcut.
When bowing from seiza, place your left hand, fingers together, on the mat first, then place your right hand on the mat, and form a triangle with your closed fingers and thumbs. This is important from a martial standpoint, because your right hand would still be available to draw your sword, if needed. Your eyes should go to the floor when bowing to the kamiza and to sensei. However, if you are in a situation where you are training, it might be appropriate to keep your eyes on your uke. Again, do not take a shortcut.
A proper standing or seated bow is from the point of the hip. The back is not rounded. When standing, the arms and hands should be at your side, and again, the back should be straight.
If you are bowing to someone of a higher rank, wait for them to lift their head before you lift yours, and always go to their level. If they are sitting, you should sit as well.
Bow when entering or leaving the dojo, bow when stepping onto or leaving the mat, and bow when Sensei gives you instruction, feedback, or comments. Bow even if you think she's not looking and it won't matter. It does.
If you arrive late, and the bowing-in has not begun, quickly get in line and get settled. If the bowing-in has already occurred, wait quietly in seiza until Sensei gestures to you that it's ok to get on the mat. Only then should you get on the mat. Again, bow when you get on.
Bring all your attention and precision to the mat. If you are not sure what to do, watch the senior students. You can learn a lot by being hyper-observant.
Here are some other things to keep in mind:
Edit: One additional item I left out. When Sensei ends her demonstration, and everyone pairs up, find someone very quickly — anyone. Don't stand around looking lost or confused. It's important not to mill around, but to get down to practice quickly. When you hear Sensei clap, quickly run and sit down. If you are called for ukemi, quickly run. Don't amble up in a leisurely fashion. This is all part of developing martial awareness.
Dojo etiquette provides a sharp division between the outside world, and the mat, where we need to shed our tasks and concerns of the day, and be fully present for training. On crossing the physical threshold to the dojo, you bow, and leave all that outside world stuff outside, and focus your mind on what you are doing here and now. This ritual of bowing on entry provides a distinction between the two spaces. When you train, it's important to bring an intensity and precision to your practice. Don't come and be sloppy, floppy, or lazy. Cultivate the mindset that this is a life or death situation. This intensity includes handwork, footwork, and also etiquette.
Bowing
Malory Sensei has talked a lot about the proper way to bow, and it's very important to remember her instruction, and not to rush or take a shortcut.
When bowing from seiza, place your left hand, fingers together, on the mat first, then place your right hand on the mat, and form a triangle with your closed fingers and thumbs. This is important from a martial standpoint, because your right hand would still be available to draw your sword, if needed. Your eyes should go to the floor when bowing to the kamiza and to sensei. However, if you are in a situation where you are training, it might be appropriate to keep your eyes on your uke. Again, do not take a shortcut.A proper standing or seated bow is from the point of the hip. The back is not rounded. When standing, the arms and hands should be at your side, and again, the back should be straight.If you are bowing to someone of a higher rank, wait for them to lift their head before you lift yours, and always go to their level. If they are sitting, you should sit as well.
Bow when entering or leaving the dojo, bow when stepping onto or leaving the mat, and bow when Sensei gives you instruction, feedback, or comments. Bow even if you think she's not looking and it won't matter. It does.
If you arrive late, and the bowing-in has not begun, quickly get in line and get settled. If the bowing-in has already occurred, wait quietly in seiza until Sensei gestures to you that it's ok to get on the mat. Only then should you get on the mat. Again, bow when you get on.
Bring all your attention and precision to the mat. If you are not sure what to do, watch the senior students. You can learn a lot by being hyper-observant.
Here are some other things to keep in mind:
- Never lie on the mat (unless it's part of a specific stretch before class, or you are told to)
- Never lean against a wall (even if you are not training)
- Never stand with your arms folded or your hands in the side splits of your hakama
- Never point the bottom of your feet to Sensei or the kamiza (don't sit with your legs splayed out)
Edit: One additional item I left out. When Sensei ends her demonstration, and everyone pairs up, find someone very quickly — anyone. Don't stand around looking lost or confused. It's important not to mill around, but to get down to practice quickly. When you hear Sensei clap, quickly run and sit down. If you are called for ukemi, quickly run. Don't amble up in a leisurely fashion. This is all part of developing martial awareness.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Aikikai Hombu Dojo - ABC for visitors
By Michelle Feilen Rigol
5th dan
Aiki Feilen
Barcelona, Spain
5th dan
Aiki Feilen
Barcelona, Spain
[Ed.: Items in bold are great etiquette tips for home, too!]
- Remember to bring a 100 yen coin for the lockers.
- Be on time for the class.
- You should pay the fees on the first day, so make sure you arrive there early.
- Don’t forget to take your membership card and leave it at the front desk, you’ll take it back after the class.
- Take off your shoes at the entrance.
Tokio Restaurants ABC
By Michelle Feilen Rigol
5th dan
Aiki Feilen
Barcelona, Spain
- Check out the menu prices before getting in. Generally there are plastic models of food or pictures with the prices by the entrance. If you can’t find them, just don’t enter.
- Never tip the waiters – For Japanese, it can be rude!
A few handy sentences:
Kanpai - cheersItadakimasu - Bon appétit
Oishi -Good (use it during the meal)
Goshiso sama deshita - I enjoyed the meal (use it when you leave the restaurant)
Sumimasen - Excuse me (use it to call the waiter)
Kore - This
Eigo menu wa arimasuka - Have you got the menu in English?
Biru: beer
Mizu: water
Sakana: fish
Niku: meat
Shio: salt
Kosho: peper
Shoyu: soya sauce
Taberu: to eat
Sake: nihonshu
Tea: o-cha
Japanese transport ABC
By Michelle Feilen Rigol
5th dan
Aiki Feilen
Barcelona, Spain
Transportation in Japan is probably one of the most expensive things you will find there. If you want to move by train in Japan, you must get your JR railpass before travelling into the country because it’s impossible to buy it there.
You should always carry the address of your hotel on you, just in case you get lost and you need to ask for help. As well, it’s recommended that you bring the address of any place you want to go, if possible.
In the Street:
- They drive on the left side of the road.
- Bicycles have preference over pedestrians and there aren’t any bike lanes. Therefore, watch out for any bell ringing.
- It’s forbidden to smoke on the streets. There are special areas designed for this.
- There aren’t any trash bins. Generally, people bring a little plastic bag with them, and so they can keep whatever they want to throw away until they get home. If you want to throw something and you haven’t got a plastic bag, look for a kind of 7/11 store.
- Walking from one touristic spot to another can be an impossible mission. It’s really really difficult to follow the names and numbers in the street. So I recommend to move around using the subway, and once you’re out of the station, look for a reference, a building or other spot, in order to not get lost and find the way back.
Aikido etiquette
From Boulder Aikikai:
[Ed.: The two claps to open and close a class is specific to ASU. At Seattle Aikikai, we do not clap twice — Sensei rings a bell twice — which serves the same function.]
Aikido is not a relationship, but the education and refinement of the spirit. You will not be asked to adhere to any religious doctrine, but only to remain spiritually open. When we bow it is not a religious performance, but a sign of respect for the same spirit of universal creative intelligence within us all.
Aikido is not a relationship, but the education and refinement of the spirit. You will not be asked to adhere to any religious doctrine, but only to remain spiritually open. When we bow it is not a religious performance, but a sign of respect for the same spirit of universal creative intelligence within us all.
The opening and closing ceremony of each Aikido practice is a formal bow directed to the shomen, two claps, another bow to the shomen and a bow between the instructor and students. The bows directed to the shomen symbolize respect for the spirit and principles of Aikido, and gratitude to the Founder for developing this system of study. The two claps symbolize unity, "musubi." You send out a vibration with the first clap and receive its echo with the second. The vibration you send and the echo you receive are dictated by your own spiritual beliefs and attitudes.
The words spoken at the beginning of practice between the students and instructor are, "Onegai shimasu." Loosely translated, it is a request, which when spoken by the student means, "Please give me your instruction." When spoken by the teacher, it means, "Please do what is expected of you," or "Please receive my instruction." The words spoken by the student to the instructor at the end of practice are, "Domo arigato gozaimashita." "You have my respect and gratitude for what you have just done." This is the most respectful way of saying thank you.
Body and soul of uke
From http://shojiseki.com/en/about/590-2
Half of Aikido’s Keiko (practice) is Uke. Depends on how you do Uke, the quality of practice will be very different. We asked Shihan (Instructor) of Hombu-Dojo what we have to take care during the practice to have fruitful practice. This was Shoji Seki Shihan’s answer:
In the Aikido’s practice, not only Tori but Tori and Uke achieve one technique helping each other. Why say this, because the movement you want to achieve is very difficult to do at first try. Tori makes practice with Uke’s gentle response again and again, and then Tori will progress little by little to make ideal movement.
So, I want the beginner to become get use to be thrown. Normally, it is not good experience to be thrown by someone, but it is necessary to enjoy to be thrown to continue the practice. For that, Tori have to take care to throw the beginner not giving scary feeling. Instructor needs to watch students’ behavior carefully and if it becomes dangerous, he needs to give advice or give caution. The responsibility of instructor is very important.
Half of Aikido’s Keiko (practice) is Uke. Depends on how you do Uke, the quality of practice will be very different. We asked Shihan (Instructor) of Hombu-Dojo what we have to take care during the practice to have fruitful practice. This was Shoji Seki Shihan’s answer:
In the Aikido’s practice, not only Tori but Tori and Uke achieve one technique helping each other. Why say this, because the movement you want to achieve is very difficult to do at first try. Tori makes practice with Uke’s gentle response again and again, and then Tori will progress little by little to make ideal movement.
So, I want the beginner to become get use to be thrown. Normally, it is not good experience to be thrown by someone, but it is necessary to enjoy to be thrown to continue the practice. For that, Tori have to take care to throw the beginner not giving scary feeling. Instructor needs to watch students’ behavior carefully and if it becomes dangerous, he needs to give advice or give caution. The responsibility of instructor is very important.
The Limiting Factor in a Student’s Training
From Moosin.com
[Ed: I feel very fortunate to have such a great instructor -- who not only teaches Aikido at a very high level of quality, but also is very thoughtful about her approach to the art, and to the process of passing on the art.]
By George Ledyard
In the last forty years students of the students of the uchi deshi have begun to open schools. These are people who never trained directly under a Shihan level instructor for any significant amount of time. So now, in many communities there are multiple choices of styles and teachers. In Seattle, admittedly an extreme case, there are over twenty dojos in the immediate metro area.
Aikido has gone from a martial art taught privately to an extremely small group of students in Japan before WWII to a publicly taught art after the war and eventually in which active measures were taken to spread the art globally in a single generation. This effort was fantastically successful. Perhaps a million people world-wide practice Aikido today.
What made this rapid growth possible was the development of a tier of teachers, not Shihan, not even mid-level but really entry-level instructors who opened dojos and clubs all over the world. Most of us in my generation were running dojos at San Dan. It was not unusual for Non-Yudansha to find themselves running clubs or programs.
Read more here: Moosin.com
[Ed: I feel very fortunate to have such a great instructor -- who not only teaches Aikido at a very high level of quality, but also is very thoughtful about her approach to the art, and to the process of passing on the art.]
By George Ledyard
In the last forty years students of the students of the uchi deshi have begun to open schools. These are people who never trained directly under a Shihan level instructor for any significant amount of time. So now, in many communities there are multiple choices of styles and teachers. In Seattle, admittedly an extreme case, there are over twenty dojos in the immediate metro area.
Aikido has gone from a martial art taught privately to an extremely small group of students in Japan before WWII to a publicly taught art after the war and eventually in which active measures were taken to spread the art globally in a single generation. This effort was fantastically successful. Perhaps a million people world-wide practice Aikido today.
What made this rapid growth possible was the development of a tier of teachers, not Shihan, not even mid-level but really entry-level instructors who opened dojos and clubs all over the world. Most of us in my generation were running dojos at San Dan. It was not unusual for Non-Yudansha to find themselves running clubs or programs.
Read more here: Moosin.com
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
The Horrible Awkwardness and Angst of Being a Beginner: In Aikido or at Anything
By Susan Harrow, cribbed from Huffington Post.
I'm sore all over. My Achilles heel is swollen up like a golf ball. My left knee aches. My shoulders have more knots in them than a sailor can tie -- all from training intensely for my Aikido test next Saturday.
It's for my first Kyu, the test before the Shodan or black best test.
When I tell people that I train in Aikido (Japanese martial arts), they typically get a look of admiration in their eyes, like I'm Xena, the warrior, even when I tell them it's nothing to be impressed about. If you saw me throw a 200-pound guy you would NOT, I repeat NOT, be impressed.
Because... I'm not flowing, graceful, relaxed, coordinated or elegant. To the contrary, I'm stiff, tense, foot-awkward and have poor timing. I still cry after many a class with frustration.
Sometimes, in the middle of class, I panic, and think I can't do it. My sensei always seems to catch me when that look crosses my face, and he says, "Susan, you can do it." Or "have courage." Or "be brave." Which then triggers tears that I hold back, because it's not considered Budo, or martial, to cry on the mat, and I'll be damned if I'm going to break that man-code.
Deshi down!
In mid-July, I was hit by a car while riding my scooter. I fractured my thumb in a couple places, and it looks like I have a herniated disc, so I'll be out for a bit while I seek physical therapy, but I'm trying to use this time to really carefully observe classes and watch how Malory Sensei teaches. I think sometimes you get a lot out of watching. Not the same kind of experience obviously as training, but a different sort of practice.
I'm also stretching quite a bit and doing morning suburi and solo practice, so, in that spirit, here is a great diagram of the solo practice forms, "O-Sensei's Rites of Spring":
P.S. I'll be driving a car from now on ;)
I'm also stretching quite a bit and doing morning suburi and solo practice, so, in that spirit, here is a great diagram of the solo practice forms, "O-Sensei's Rites of Spring":
P.S. I'll be driving a car from now on ;)
Welcome to Seattle Aikikai bloggers!
Welcome Patrick and John, to the deshi blog! Patrick is the first deshi at Seattle Aikikai, and has been performing his deshily duties for quite some time now. John is our newest deshi, and I hope he gets a lot of mileage out of this blog! :) Happy posting!
First day of school
Do you remember the excited feeling you had as a child on your first day of school? The anticipation of starting something new after having the whole summer off? Who will be your new teacher? Who will your friends be? Who will you be this year? When you stepped through those school doors, you crossed a threshold into a whole new world.
As you come back to the dojo this week, see if you can have the first step you take through the door have that same feeling. Who will you be this year at the dojo? What are you curious about? What gets you excited about learning? What do you want to discover about movement? About martial awareness? About yourself?
And of course the assignment is to walk through the dojo door every day of the year with that same feeling.
As you come back to the dojo this week, see if you can have the first step you take through the door have that same feeling. Who will you be this year at the dojo? What are you curious about? What gets you excited about learning? What do you want to discover about movement? About martial awareness? About yourself?
And of course the assignment is to walk through the dojo door every day of the year with that same feeling.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)