How often should one train per week

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[marlon10]

Being that I Aikido contains movements that require extreme focus, relaxed mind, and precise body mechanics I was wondering how often should a beginning student train per week in the dojo? I know there is no right and wrong answer to this but I just wanted to get peoples ideas. I know it also depends on one's ability to absorb and understand the instruction given.

[Voitokas]

As much as they can!

[Kevin Leavitt]

Every day, twice a day.

The problem with that is that people translate that into two dojo practices with breakfalls, randori, and sweat.

You probably should go to normal aikido practice at best every other day to give your body time to heal. Especially if you are a beginner and have not conditioned your body and/or also figured out how to take falls and breakfalls easier.

When I say everyday, twice a day, there are alot of conditioning exercises that can be done for 10 to 15 minutes. Breathing exercises, and mental thought that needs to go into this as well. Think Yoga! Not the hard core bendy gotta sweat it out stuff...but the good, disciplined, correct posture type.

Don't need to break a sweat all the time to be gaining skill!

[James Edwards]

All the time :D
Well that's for the awareness training that you mentioned in your other thread. But yea I agree with Mr. Leavitt. You could incorporate weapons training, breathing exercises and some tai sabaki exercises into your daily routine.

I guess as much as your body (and schedule!) could cope with. Try twice or three times a week and see how you feel from there. You'll probably want to do more.

I do twice a week myself just because if I wanted to do more I'd have to travel a long way but I always want more ;)

[marlon10]

Thank you for your responses. Once again this wonderful online community has proven its worth.

[Aikibu]

You can train everyday without physical effort if you wish. Standing In the checkout line Irimi... Working around the House Tenken...Cutting yard work...Develop an Aikido Mindset...Most good athletes are always training this way and it ensures rapid technical progression when you learn how to develop your "Aikido" mind. Another Terry Dobsen story I enjoyed is the one where he tries to keep up with O'Sensei at the train station. LOL It seems O'Sensei was always practicing too. :)

William Hazen

[lbb]

Well, I don't really hold with the "always train" approach. I'm a believer in doing what you're doing when you're doing it, and not putting yourself somewhere else -- and I fail at this all the time, typically when eating (unless I'm with people, I'm almost always reading or watching television when I eat -- very bad habit), but I try. I do see the value in practicing some breathing exercises and tai sabaki outside of class, but only once you know what to do -- you can't very well do any breathing exercises if you haven't learned any.

The results of aikido training do creep into the rest of my life, but when that happens, it's not aikido training -- it's the results of aikido training being felt elsewhere (case in point, alpine skiing, where I noticed a huge improvement after I'd been training aikido for a while). When that happens, for me, it's one of those "gift" moments -- I enjoy it and experience it without trying to really analyze it, because for me, trying to analyze it is like trying to grab fog. Train when you're on the mat, otherwise just live life, that's my approach.