Tenkei Aikido Dojo

By Kevin E. A. Love

Aikido can confuse and frustrate the beginner. The movements challenge the body and the techniques and concepts often seem mysterious and counter-intuitive. For instance, it took me several months to realize that the hand stretches we do in warm-ups are the controls we use in our techniques!

There’s a new language to learn. The teaching methods aren’t the familiar linear ones we know from school and it may be weeks before a technique comes around in class again, making us feel like beginners again. Also, we have to learn how to receive techniques in our role as uke, effectively doubling the challenge level. And – well, you get the idea.

The rewards are slow in coming and it’s easy to feel like giving up. Stick with it, all will become clear in time. You can see this on testing days as you witness the amount of improvement, knowledge and detail demonstrated by the successive ranks. In fact, you’ll come to love the journey.

As you work towards mastery, here are a few guidelines that will make your path easier:

* Trust that you’ll get what you need at every class.  Surrender to the journey and you’ll draw in the information that’s right for you at that time.
* Accept that some days you’ll do well, some days you won’t.  Expecting to do your best at all times is unrealistic. Be kind to yourself.
* Be detached from outcome.  Miracles may occur, but not if you become focused on your frustration.
* Know that even as you advance, Aikido will sometimes seem confusing.  As you gain competence and knowledge, new realms of possibility will be revealed, making you a perpetual beginner. Remember, Shodan, or black belt level is considered first (lowest) grade level.
* Talk less.  Listen and observe more.  Aikido is fun and social, so it’s natural to want to share your discoveries with your fellow aikidoka. Feedback is helpful, but too much can distract you from the task at hand. Remember, there are other ways of learning besides discussion.
* Divide and conquer.  If you find a technique particularly baffling, try doing it without using your hands until you get the footwork down, or practice it on one side only, or focus on just one step, i.e. the entry or pin.
* Trust and affirm that you are advancing.  There is no timetable. Often the changes are so subtle and gradual that we don’t notice them. Or we experience them as successive plateaus that seem very far apart. But you will ascend to the next one; it’s inevitable.
* Come to class with great expectancy, rather than specific expectations.  You may be surprised. Instead of ‘nailing’ a particular technique that you’ve been ’stalking’, you may have an unexpected ‘a-ha’ moment while doing your breakfalls.
* Turn frustration into fascination.  Transform the energy of frustration into fascination by immersing yourself in the child-like wonder of discovery.
* Pay attention when you are uke.  You can learn a lot by how it feels to receive a technique. By being a better uke, you help your partner learn and perform the technique, simultaneously improving your own knowledge and effectively doubling your learning opportunities.

Some specific tips: When a technique is being demonstrated, apply a deliberate checklist that will focus your attention in a very practical way:

* Stance: What stance is shite in? Ai hanmi (same stance) or gyaku hanmi (mirror image)? This will also tell you if it is a #1 technique (shite is being ‘pulled’) or #2 (shite is being ‘pushed’)
* Attack: What strike or grasp is being used?
* Footwork: Does shite shuffle in, cross step or pivot?
* Control: How does shite use his hands and arms to apply a control? Which one? Pin or throw?
* Uke: Very important! How does uke respond to blend and protect himself? Which breakfall is utilized?

Incorporating these concepts and tips should help you let go of frustration and confusion and make more room for peace and growth. I wish you good training and an inspired journey!

The martial art of Aikido has its origins in both spirituality and philosophy. It is also influenced by the Omoto-kyo religion which was the religion of its founder Morihei Ueshiba. The word Aikido is derived from three Japanese characters. “Ai” translates to joining; “Ki” means spirit while “Do” means a way. If you translate this loosely this becomes a way of joining the spirit.

This far eastern martial art focuses on the alignment and the harmonization of a person’s body and mind with the spirit. This can only be achieved if a person remains in a relaxed state. In such a relaxed state nothing is forced so the body of an individual joins the spirit and energy around naturally, everything then becomes one. This certain oneness and the cultivation of relaxation led to this martial art being referred to as the art of peace. Ueshiba who founded the art believed in peace and he claimed to teach this art as a peaceful means to end all aggression. Both spiritual and philosophical developments are essential in the training and practice of this discipline. These concepts have to be applied in practical means during the practice of Aikido and its different methods. Regular training consists of two parts; the first of these parts is called the Uke who is the recipient while the Nage can be the giver. These terms may usually differ depending on the particular skill that is being taught.

The Uke and Nage is similar to Ying and Yang in Chinese lore. In Aikido Uke and Nage aren’t diverse entities, they are primarily two parts of a singular concept. Aikido can be effectively studied by a thorough understanding of both parts. One part teaches you to throw and fall safely as well. The Nage part of your training prevents injury to the Uke so that he can fall safely when thrown.

In training the receiver of the Uke will be the one to start the attack against the Nage. The aim of the Nage is to neutralize the attack with a move or technique, by doing this the Uke and Nage can easily learn from each other and the training cannot be effectively taught without a singularity existing between the two. The give and take natures of these two personalities are the basis from which Ki and other principles of this far eastern sport are studied and learnt.

The fundamentals of Aikido deal with adaptation, flexibility, calm and blending with the situation. With the cases of both Uke and Nage, what this martial artimparts is flexibility and relaxation so that the Nage does not catch you unawares and throw you off balance easily. The Nage learns how to blend easily and control the energy from the assault of the Uke. Aikido training isn’t solely focused on practicing and parrying between these two persons. It also provides instructions on how to handle different attackers.

This principle of handling multiple attackers is known as the randori and it is an essential concept that is studied in higher levels of Aikido training. Training of this nature is taught to multiple persons and is delivered in a freestyle nature, this way a person can effectively further their knowledge by performing Aikido techniques that extend far beyond the simple realms of the Uke and Nage