Any 5minute training tips?

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[Fins]

I have got a special situation. I will be joining the army soon but would still like to keep up my Aikido training.

However, because i am starting as a recruit I will not be let out of the barracks for a fair while.

Anyone has any hints on how i can keep up my training in aikido in terms of practise or something.

Just looking for suggestions

[Tim Griffiths]

Basic movements - tenkan, irimi, 2-steps, balance training. Be prepared for a few strange looks, though...
Do you study much weapons? There should be enough room for bokken work.
And finally, meditation, concentration, flexability and fitness. If you can't study aikido, then study the skills that will help make your aikido better when you can train properly again.

It does depend on how much you have trained already. You don't want to train yourself in bad habits that will be hard to break later.

Good luck,

Tim

[Jake Karlins]

stance training stance training stance training :D
works for me

[Nick P.]

Think of keeping your head over your shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over feet.

Basic, but tough.

[SeiserL]

Footwork, alignment, center, breathing, reading, relaxing.

[Eric Webber]

Irimi, tenkan, and rowing exercises, when nobody is looking unless you want to have to give an explanation! :p

[Bodhi]

Be prepared to get alot of questions and afew challenges about what your doing, especially after you go through the hand to hand and pugil stick fighting evolutions. Everybody seems to be really dialed up after that part. Keep in mind theres always going to be afew guys that want to prove themselves and look good in front of the unit (Especially the team leaders). If they give you any crap about your Aikido stuff, just nod, smile, and politely invite them to join you :D If you meditate then keep it up, try to relax as much as you can! As for any exercizes, dont worry about it, your gonna get plenty of balance, agility, flexibility, cardio, and resistance work in the day, more than you ever had in any dojo, not to mention alot of mental stress (just breath). Your not gonna have alot of time to do much else because the free time you do have will be spent on reviewing procedures, gear/weapon assembly/maintenance, and rest. Eat as much as you can, and drink as much water each day as you are able, it helps with the mental/physical demands, i promise you that water alone will make a huge difference once you hit basic. At the end of the day remember to take care of your feet then get to sleep, dont lay in your rack starrin at the cealing and talkin with everybody, it helps with those suprise 3am runs in full gear ;)

All the best to you, youll do fine!

[Tim Gerrard]

Hey Ghee, nice to hear that someone else is in the same boat as me, I'm off in July with the Air Force. I reckon as long as we do simple excersises we'll be alright during basic, and as soon as finish and get onto other courses we'll have more freedom to find a local/station club, maybe not in our syle, but at least it's training... :D

[senshincenter]

I would suggest using your time for building a base of body/mind investment - penetrate the mundane around you to a depth where everything you do and say is a reflection of your inner most being. Cleaning the toilet, for example, in this way may do a lot more for you in the long run than simply going through some foot maneuvers by yourself over and over again. In your military training, work to gain endurance - one where quitting never raises its head as an option; Participate to hone your honor - one where straying becomes more impossible than possible; Obey to refine your level of commitment - one where doubt only inspires a truer course; Support those around you to make real your capacity for loyalty and social responsibility - one where you can see yourself in the others that surround you; etc. In this way, I suggest, you will even come to bring more depth to the foot maneuvers you are planning on going over.

Just my opinion,
dmv

[Huker]

I hear you learn 90% of what you teach. Why not show a few of your army friends a couple of basic SD techniques? Any knife defense you know could be good for everyone there.

[Fins]

U guys have been great. Gives me a good idea of what to do in terms of training and army.

Thanks you guys.

Going into the army tomorrow woohoo!

[Kevin Leavitt]

I'm a Major in the Army. Been a while since I have been to basic...but here it is honestly..

You won't have much time to practice much when you are in basic. When you do have time, you will find there are other important things to do like call home, do your laundry, get a haircut, or just relax for a few moments.

You won't have time "alone" at all for a few months. So if you are practicing aikido, be prepared for lots of interest. Most of it won't be positive. Remember you are there with your peers that come from all walks of life and levels of maturity and home training. It could make for a frustrating time...but you will be the judge of what you feel like doing. I just don't think you will find yourself comfortable doing this.

I would also be hesitant in practicing publically it will be problematic with your drill instructors etc. Guys will want to try the latest moves out and stuff they saw on TV. Someone will get hurt...not a place.

Drills will not probably allow it for sure.

Best advice is to use the time to practice mentally. When doing stuff and trying to pass the time, visualize and practice in your mind. You will be amazed at how much you can teach yourself through simple meditation on the subject.

Good news is that basic and AIT does not last long. Also you will be learning the Army Combatives at some point. Basically Brazilian Jiujustu. Your martial background should help you some what with this, but it is a little different approach than aikido....but fun!

Once you get to your permanent assignment, things will get a little more normal for you. However, many places you go will not have aikido dojos. You will have to train on your own or find something else, or start your own practice with some guys that want to learn even the basics.

What is your MOS going to be?

Good luck!

[Bodhi]

"You won't have much time to practice much when you are in basic. When you do have time, you will find there are other important things to do like call home, do your laundry, get a haircut, or just relax for a few moments"

Listen to this guy Fins, hes speakin the truth! In my opinion i wouldnt be practicing anything except what the Drills was tellin me to practice, not until i got out anyway. Your gonna have more than enough to keep you occupied in basic ;) Pay attention to the BJJ, it is a good supplement, but remember, groundwork gets funky where multiples begin (unless you got a blade in hand :D) , thats why they give ya a rifle. The only reason youd be usin empty hands in combat is because you ran out of ammo or your weapon jammed (wich means your not keeping it maintained) wich also means you didnt pay attention in basic BECAUSE YOU WERE TAUGHT THAT THE FIRST DAY OF BASIC RIFLEMAN CLASS :grr: LOL Yea i wanted to know what your MOS was too, let us all know what your going into!

Goodluck to ya brother, work hard, follow directions, and youll come out of there a lean mean mutha :D Not to mention youll have a ton of confidence and be alot stronger an smarter for the experience. Take Care!

[Fins]

I would love to tell you what my MOS is but i have no idea whats that is.

[Bodhi]

MOS (military occupational specialties)

Your job, what your gonna be doing in there!

[Rupert Atkinson]

Get up 15 mins before everyone else and do a good aiki warmup. Slowly twist every joint and breathe in rhythm.

[Amendes]

I have a few friends who trained aikido and then went in the army and also ones who train Aikido and were in the army before. The best advice as from what I herd from one friend is.
Don't let anyone know you train martial arts. My friend said everything was good until they found out he had martial arts training. Then everyone challenged him, including the instructor that taught him in the army. Needless to say the army will provide you with what you need to know for the army. Put what you know now from your Martial arts training off to the side and start with a new open mind. Lots of what they are going to teach you in the army will be different from what you learned in Aikido. Different teachers have different teachings, and often they conflict. The hardest part about starting something like this is going to be to not judge it because of what you've seen in certain martial arts systems you've trained in.

Anyways best of luck with your new endeavor.

[Kevin Leavitt]

Andrew: Good advice. I was trying to say that too. Don't let them know you know martial arts. It will cause you nothing but trouble. Nothing like a bunch of cooped up 18 or 19 year olds bored and full of testosterone...and the one guy who says "Hey I know aikido!!"

The guy is probably gone now, but to elaborate on what Jason is saying about BJJ. You are correct. I was very critical when I found out the Army was going to BJJ as it's basis for it's combatives. After working intensely with it for last year with my battalion, I have a much better appreciation for it.

You would think that a soldier would need to be concerned about multiple opponents. I quess in theory that would be the case. (We've all seen too many war movies!).

Imagine yourself on patrol conducting a cordon and search mission, you are the second man in the stack. The first man kicks the door in and you are the first person to enter the room, adrenaline is pumping you are following your path to the left, number three man heads to the right, you trip and a guy in the room jumps on your back, number three can't come to your aid until the room is cleared, four enters and doesn't know what is going on yet cause it is dark in there. he heads in trying not to trip over the crap in the middle of the room. Five enters and they announce all clear. For the last 20 seconds you have been grappling with this guy in the dark, they finally realize that there is still motion and hear grunts and yelling and realize that you are down. Number two man comes over and finds you in the rear guard holding this guy in a rear naked choke.....

Anyway, this is more what we are seeing today than multiple opponent, hand to hand combat. Even in those scenarios, fighting in the dark in crowded buildings full of crap and not a clean well lit dojo, when your wearing 75lbs of gear doesn't make for a good way to practice irminage!

[Bodhi]

"Anyway, this is more what we are seeing today than multiple opponent, hand to hand combat. Even in those scenarios, fighting in the dark in crowded buildings full of crap and not a clean well lit dojo, when your wearing 75lbs of gear doesn't make for a good way to practice irminage!"

This is soo true, especially concerning urban warfare and cqc in dark crowded buildings. However, i was addressing a more broad spectrum where the soldier may also be on leave, in a bar, civiilian life etc where there may be more than one attacker. I know from exeperience that a bar fight on leave, or a day to day civilian routine can involve more than 2 people.

All in all BJJ is great to supplement with, ive been doing it for almost 8 years now! One of my teachers is a pan american gold medalist by the name of Braeson Hollenbeck who trained under Renzo Gracie! I know from experience that BJJ works in trapping/ grappling/ groundfighting range, although when im in the clinch i usually use more of a thai style tie up! I love BJJ, but If for whatever reason you do find yourself in a situation alone AND empty handed with more than one opponent, your screwed once you hit the ground!

[Zoli Elo]

Happo Undo in every conceivable permutation. Left foot start, of the movements in reverse order; for example.

[ScottyC]

MOS (military occupational specialties)

Your job, what your gonna be doing in there!
Not meaning to jump into the fray after the horse has left the gate, so to speak, but...

Just so you are aware, Jason & Kevin, you were both speaking very specifically about terms and specific classes at basic training in the US military.

Fins was not from the US, so although the general ideas you were offering were good and useful, expecting him to know what an MOS was, for example, didn't quite fit.

Just wanted to offer that up, in case you hadn't noticed...

Regards,
Scott

[Bodhi]

Hey there Scott. Yes i was aware that Ghee was from Singapore, he had sent me a pm regarding some things. Although the basics are close within military organizations, the terminology does differ, wich is why i needed to explain MOS. Sometimes i get ahead of myself :)