Presenting Aikido Dojos I

Beauty and Aikido ©

Hi Everyone!

I made a call to all people out there who would like to share stories about their dojos and about where and with what people they train. I have received already mails from to different dojos.

The fist is in Germany and it is called Aikido in Oberhausen. You can visit their website and their Facebook page to find out more about them:

http://www.aikido-in-oberhausen.de/

https://www.facebook.com/AikidoOberhausen

Another dojo that contacted me is from the USA, more exactly New Orleans and they also have this amazing video about their dojo. I find it really inspiring for any aikido practitioner.

Aikido of New Orleans -The martial art of power and movement from Aikido of New Orleans on Vimeo.

My invitation still stays open. If you are an aikido practitioner, have a story to share or want to tell us about your dojo, feel free to contact me! Any material is very much welcome. Looking forward to getting to know you!

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Aiki-Bruises

I am listening to Energy Flow by Ryuichi Sakamoto, one of my favorite pianists. My muscles are in pain. I was sick for two weeks then went this week back to train. I was amazed how much difference it made. My body probably got somewhat weaker, but I never thought I would feel so exhausted after a training. At the very beginning, when I started aikido, it was really tough, but after a few month it was all right. Now I am struggling with the same pains and tighnesses in the muscles. Yesterday the techniques were totally tireing me and I felt breathless. It was so hard to carry on. But I managed to take the one and a half hours of training. We did morotedori ikkyo, shihonage, aikinage (yay!) and maybe one or two other technique I cannot remember now. In fact we did really few but for a long time. Could be that this was what tired me in the end. I am not trying to find excuses to my weakness, on the contrary. I am letting you all know and I am not ashamed to admit: I do have hard times in aikido. I also got an aiki bruise on my left foot:

I thought it is better to illustrate it, then explain the bruise in words. It is one of those accidents that usually happen to aikidoka while the floor is being swept with them. Other possibility, which is my case also, the aikidoka wants to perform a really smooth tenkan, lowering the center and dragging the foot behind herself…indeed…And I wouldn’t lie to myself saying that with the time as you get better this type of small injuries won’t occur any more. I remember when I started practicing aikido one of the Shodans always had plasters on her feet on that specific thumb-bone part. Now I know for sure why.

So in the end I came home in pain and grabbed my holly grail for muscle pains Forever Aloe Heat Lotion.

My mum bought it for me, and I really find this camphor cream is the only thing that helps make disappear the stiffness in my muscles. 

So cream it on and keep on training. 

Some little pain in the muscle CANNOT not stop you from getting better at aikido!

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What is Aikido? Beginner Guidelines and FAQ

Reading from the book entitled Best Aikido. The Fundamentals by Kisshomaru and Moriteru Ueshiba. (2002 p.14-19) – Captured Live on Ustream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/beauty-and-aikido

Answers to questions like:

• Why are there no contests in aikido?

• Will aikido make me strong?

• Is physical condition such as weight training necessary for aikido?

• What is the nature of ki in aikido? Is it the same as chi employed in Chinese martial arts?

• When I watch people practicing aikido they seem to spin around like tops. Can such a movement really be efficient as a martial art technique?

• During aikido training how much should we resist against the application of a technique?

• Isn’t it a problem to remember so many techniques? (for more about aikido terms check out my two other blog posts The Aikido Effect and to have just a bit of fun Basic Terms you Need to Know to Survive Aikido

• What is the aikido approach to etiquette? (for more about dojo ettiquette here)

• What is the most important relation between aikido training and everyday life?

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The Voice of Aikido- Mirror of the Spirit: The Aikido Dojo

Another voice recording this time Chapter 17 from The Principles of Aikido by Mitsugi Saotome (1989 p.204-206)

A voice recording about ettiquette in the Dojo. It could be interesting for beginner aikidoka who do not understand how and why they have to behave in a certain manner when while training. It is also a good guideline for those who want to see more in depth the historical background that lead to the development of the dojo etiquette. All in all it is really informative, but enough about my writing and let’s hear the wise words of Saotome Sensei.

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>The Voice of Aikido- The Meaning of Study

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Another voice recording this time Chapter 15 from The Principles of Aikido by Mitsugi Saotome (1989 p.197-199)

Saotome Sensei’s Approach to Budo and the Dojo

This chapter describes Budo as a study applied to the whole self being a lifetime study. The skills that you learn in aikido can be applied in your everyday endeavors.

We are introduced to the importance of the dojo as a microcosm. In Saotome Sensei’s view it is a place where you feel well, meet a lot of different people and make friends. It is a place where you enrich yourself as a person through building new relationships.

The Parable of the Old Man

The voice recording also includes a story of the man over 70 who decides he would like to take up aikido. O’Sensei does not for a moment hesitate in inviting him to start practicing aikido. It is never too late to open up for new things! Never be mislead by the rigidity of the limits imposed by your own mind!

Ikkyo

One moment and one movement can be decisive. You cannot hesitate and waste time because there is no second chance. Each encounter should be seen as a one time event through which your own self can be sharpened.

Your Teacher

You should see him as a guide, not a guru. He can help you and offer suggestions. He is a person you should respect and not idealize. This is most important to be kept in mind because he also has his flaws and virtues. He cannot be a perfect master. You should take what is of value from him and improve it. Improving and bettering your self is the greatest tribute you can pay him.

Remember that you are part of the Universe. To ruin your life or to waste it is to ruin a piece of the Universe. (M. Saotome)

>The Voice of Aikido- Practicing Basic Technique: Training Mental Attitude and Vision

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I decided to start another series of posts, entitled The Voice of Aikido. In this recording I am reading Chapter 2 from The Principles of Aikido by Mitsugi Saotome (1989 p.3-7)

The aim of this series is to share with you some of the theoretical teachings of aikido. The books are not my own but borrowed from the local Japanese library. I picked out excerpts that moved me most and that I find most interesting. I hope the excerpts will rise your interest and that those who practice aikido will try to perfect themselves by reading some of the literature on this martial art.

This Chapter is introducing a number of important principles of aikido. Towards the end, you will find out the Percepts for Practice to be Understood and Deeply Considered. These are some of the basic rules O’Sensei himself has put down as guidelines for those entering the dojo for the first time.

Don’t forget to vote on the POLL in the sidebar!!! You have got 4 more days left! 

>Mae Ukemi and Break Fall

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I could post this picture without comments also, it would probably be expressive enouth. What I am trying to share is in fact the struggle of the beginner with the fall in aikido. At the begining with the inconvenient body posture and movements one has to perform it, further on with executing it correctly without hurting yourself.

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What you need to do (tips from my favorite senpai who offered to practice it with me after the trainings but I am too lazy and not persevering enough to do so):


1. Keep the tegatana


What you need to do in case of rolls and any other technique is to keep the tegatana in your arms. Otherwise the movement will be broken and not smooth enough (see the dude in the picture above doing the ukemi right vs doing the ukemi wrong). If you have this key element right, you are almost there.

2. Keep your hips straight, follow a straight line


Always make sure your starting position is deep and straight enough. I know that during actual techniques it is hard to pay attention to this, but it is again one of the success factors. Especially with break fall, at the beginning one has the tendency to fall somewhat laterally because it feels more safe. But it is wrong, because what you need to do is fall straight ahead. It might help if you give the fall some power by pushing with your behing leg if the tori does not execute the technique smoothly enough to throw you properly.

3. Slap the mat


I am rather unsure about this one, but apparently this is the best way for a beginner to attenuate a break fall. Advanced practitioners fall almost without sound as their body absorbs the shock in different points, harmoniously.

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These are 3 simple rules I could think of, what Sensei and several senpai have been telling me in our dojo. As each and every practitioner is doing it differently, might be you have other points where you need to do better. Don’t forget the best way to do it right is practicing. Do not hesitate to ask a senpai in your dojo. They will be more then happy to help you.

I hope you enjoyed this newest post about Ukemi Waza and that you are practicing more diligently than me. Trying to persevere both in aikido and blogging. Will be posting some more soon!

>Inspiring Quotes- Gina Zarrilli

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This is another post from the inspiring quotes cycle.

It is by Gina Zarilli Sensei. She started aikido in 1975 at New York Aikikai under Yamada Sensei. She received her Shodan in 1979 and has taught at New York Aikikai since then. She has also taught at major seminars and camps around the world.

The quote goes as follows:

“Train as hard as you can when you’re young. Watch everyone around you, watch the men, watch the women. Find from everyone what it is that speaks to you, that touches you. What classes do you like the best and why? Who speaks the language that you can understand? Who moves in a way that feels good to you? Just watch everybody and everything. And then eventually find your own path— and have a great time!”

— Gina Zarrilli Sensei

One should never get tired of observing and trying, making errors and trying again. Even if from time to time you do get tired of it, it is human. You don’t need to be concerned. It happens to me also and I am brave enough to admit it. I also shared it with you in this post. All that matters is for you to be able to flip back.
 

In addition I think I do follow the principle from Zarrilli Sensei’s quoite. It is not always easy. I wish I were just able to focus on aikido so totally like Zarilli Sensei describes it in this interview. In her youth she had flexible jobs and in the daytime was training each and every day. That is an admirable degree of commitment and perseverance. As much as I would like it to be it is not applicable to me and my lifestyle. Reading the interview I sort of imagined the atmosphere the state of mind one can have when training so hard. Meeting the fellow aikidoka every day, building up a great relationship with them and developing yourself.
Aikido is a martial art, that is a process which you go through. Some call it getting to know yourself better others call it personal development. For me it is now mental and physical learning process. As I am a person who never gets tired of learning, it suits me best.

If you feel like it, please do reflect upon this question: 

What is aikido for you? 

and share it with me in a comment.

>Training Camps

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Training camps are really important events in each martial art. It is there that people usually get their kyu exams, but more important than that is that you finally stay focused. In your everyday life, it is hard to stay focused on one single thing. Everyone is multi-tasking and impatient. I myself have been so since my childhood. But with the occasion of a training camp you cannot help but focus on just that one thing.

As the spring training camp is approaching, I remembered the first I went to in the summer of 2010. It was quite an experience I must say. We would train around five hours a day and have free time just for eating and sleeping. This is of course really tiring, but also a great opportunity to develop. It was there that I finally learned the forward roll (at least on the right side) and started to get familiar with the free fall also. At the beginning it seemed just a funny game, but it got more and more serious every day, as my muscles were beginning to feel stiff and my whole body was aching. It was a period of great uncertainty for me, where I was asking myself questions like: are you able to push through? How many times do they need to explain you that until you understand? The others are doing much better, can you also make it?

 

 I remember a certain point where I felt it was enough, where I almost gave up. This point probably arrives for every aikidoka. You are trying so hard, but you are still not able to do the basic things. At this point you either give up or you go on and you passed over your first dead point. Just like the marathon runners, just as Murakami describes it in What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. I came to a serious standstill towards the end of the training camp. My left (obviously my left) shoulder was totally busted from falling incorrectly and it ached each time I had to roll. It was not as much the physical pain as the anger with myself that made me stop the training and go home to think about the whole thing. There I was, on a training camp a whole week, and no sign of getting better. As I would later realize, I did develop slightly and gained much better physical condition. However, at that point, I only saw my incapacity of performing basic moves and was really down. The last days passed as if through a dream because I was so tired and exhausted. But my body somehow adapted to workout and the normal trainings in the first week after the training camp seemed so short that I would go home on foot, even though I live far away from the dojo. The training camp definitely thought me things about pushing my boundaries. I learned that I just had to be patient and that it was just a question of time and perseverance. And isn’t that just the case in all we do in life?

>A Girl and her Aikido

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After the first training, I was in major pain. I had to wear long sleeved shirts in the office for at least two weeks to hide the bloodshot mark I myself caused. Even though I was able to push a training through, afterwards I would find my body almost numb and exhausted. I was in really poor condition at that time and after trainings I would just shower and go to bed. And these were the one hour trainings at the Musubi Dojo. After around three month of training there, I moved to another town and stopped training.

After thorough researches, I started aikido again in March 2010. I enrolled to the Harmony Dojo and started going to the trainings. These would last for an hour and a half, and were much better organised. We were guided step by step how to advance in the techniques. It was there that the mae ukemi (forward roll) was at last explained to me with all the details and what it implied. At the beginning I would get really tired and  a couple of times I also asked to sit down because I was not feeling good. I was still weak but hoping and wanting to get stronger. Most of the time I would feel like not going to the trainings because I felt too weak and too stupid in comparison with the others, but I kept persevering and went training as much as my time permitted. In that spring I has a lot of work as I started a new job at a new company, but whenever I could I was sticking to the 2 trainings/week schedule. What I slowly observed was not only that I was acquiring better condition but also that I was learning a lot about how to coordinate my movements. I am still working on that, but I was amazed at the beginning how hard it was to send some commands from my brain, which understood what had to be done, to my body which should have executed it. That was why for a long time I had trouble with the rolls and with the falling techniques.

At the beginning I would have that funny sensation of what on earth will we be learning this time, will I manage? while going to the trainings. This transformed also as I was getting familiar with the people and with the techniques. But one sensation kept being the same from the beginning to now. That comfort and lightness of body one has only after training in a martial art. Just as if you were a butterfly with no tension in the muscles or joints, just lightness of spirit.