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My empty teacup, the blog of my more or less newbie perspective through the world of Aikido. Rough translations included!
-Select entries from my personal Aikido blog: Karappo Chawan
http://emptyteabowl.blogspot.com/
Meh..solo training. One of the most frustrating parts about Aikido.. how do you train without a partner? Sure, you can do the walking kata and you can mime techniques, but is it really of any use to you? I'd say that it is, but not immensely. Miming techniques helps to keep them in my head during some downtime, it at least helps me keep from forgetting anything; and it is a useful tool for helping to memorize the correct order of techniques.
But is it useful for refining your techniques? No... and yet yes. In general, it really isn't that useful for it; at least not IMO. You really need a partner to test ideas and theories on further refining your technique. However, miming can be useful for coming up with those ideas in the first place. Without a partner, you aren't as concerned with the outcome of your technique, and it is easier to observe your motions and perhaps come up with ideas for how to improve them. Surely, you still need an uke to test these ideas out, but I suppose having at least some purpose to it is better than none.
So ... keeping techniques fresh and coming up with ideas for possible refinement. That's about all i've got. And I don't really have any other way of training until we begin meeting again.. after Christmas.
I'd like to begin by saying that... I passed my test. I've now reached Shodan. *flexes muscles* Anywho, go me. XD Let me pause to do a jig... <( '.' )> (>'.' )> (>'.'<) <( '.'<) <( '.' )> Now, back to business as usual. Self-criticism... how is yours? I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to evaluating my own performance. After nearly every belt test, I look at my own performance and go "wow..that kinda sucked." Then I pass and go "hmm..I wonder if I would have passed me?"
I suppose I tend to be overly critical of myself, and I have to wonder if this is a good thing or not. On the one hand it makes me inspect myself tediously, never content to allow my technique to have even small flaws - always wanting to iron out those creases. And yet, on the other hand it makes me doubt myself. My performance never seems "quite good enough" to me, when apparently it is to others.
But then, there are some who think that their form is oh so much better than it actually is (which drives me nuts.) On the reserve, confidence in ones self is a wonderful thing; but unwarranted confidence can lead one to ignore flaws in their own performance. I wonder which is worse, or perhaps one has to find a middle path between them both?
12-08-2009 09:13 AM 