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Scott Josephus 12-29-2005 12:16 PM

Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
I'm assuming that this doesn't just apply to me; My Sensei (4th Dan) has a few points she regularly reiterates, but when you get down to it is just plain good advice/statements for making you think about things which apply to your Aikido. I was wondering if you had to say that there were a couple of points your Sensei regularly states that you have taken to heart, what would they be? Here are a few of the statements mine makes often:

Circles go both ways.

You must have awareness for your AIkido to be good. If you have great technique, but no awareness, your Aikido is no good.

Fluidity is more important than speed in a technique; speed will come in time.

In Aikido, we practice to control the situation, never to harm.

While you may go to the Dojo, ultimately you learn that the dojo is inside you.

And now, some of your Sensei's thoughts. :p

Onigai Shimasu!

charron 12-29-2005 12:35 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
My First Sensie - advised tha one should keep an open mind. If someone does a technique different that the way you are presently being taught how do do it. Do not automaticale brush it off as not being any good. He suggested that you should do your best to learn the different way, and then test it against your present way and see for yourself, which way works best for you. Then do it the way that works best for you.

My Present Sensie advises - Don't Quit and Don't Die!

BC 12-29-2005 12:44 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
"Move!"

crbateman 12-29-2005 01:52 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
"Try the pork..." :D

bkedelen 12-29-2005 02:17 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
Olson Sensei advised me that a good order of importance for your life is Family, then Training, then Work. I have built my life with these words.
Hoffmeister Sensei once said in circle that the purpose of Budo is not to get a a bigger sword or a better sword, but to get a better mind.
Another great piece of advice is to take a personal finance class :) Then you can pay your dojo dues.

Scott Josephus 12-29-2005 02:35 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
Hey, I forgot to mention Rule #1 - Get Out Of The Way!

MaryKaye 12-29-2005 02:58 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
A seminar sensei: "As uke your job is to give a sincere attack, not take ukemi. The ukemi will take care of itself."

Regional head instructor: "You are trying to move him. Move yourself!"

Mary Kaye

justin 12-29-2005 03:17 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
A seminar sensei said to me if your Aikido makes you feel uncomfortable or off balance your doing something wrong.

which i have used ever since he said it to me.

Devon Natario 12-29-2005 03:47 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
Mitter Sensei "The path of knowledge never ends. A true martial artist will try to encapsulate as much knowledge they can to become better martial artists. This includes studying various arts. We have techniques (throwing, footwork, joint manipulations, groundfighting, etc) that make up Jujitsu, and you can add to these techniques, but Jujutsu will remain the same."

Collins Sensei "Relax!"

Derek Cleveland "Strike hard, strike fast. Close the distance and feel your opponent out. Each person is different. What makes a class A fighter is to learn how to adapt to them and overcome."

p00kiethebear 12-29-2005 04:34 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
"You'll never listen yourself into trouble"

Jorge Garcia 12-29-2005 04:39 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
My first teacher Eddie Martinez once told us "Anything you can do slow, you can do fast so make sure you can do it slow first before you try doing it fast."
Rick Laue Sensei used to say,"Whatever you do stay on the mat. You aren't doing any of us any good when you're off the mat, so at all costs, through everything you go through that discourages you, stay on the mat!"

Qatana 12-29-2005 05:16 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
"So shut the window if you're cold"
However I suspect he also tells others "Open the window if you're hot".

Jeanne Shepard 12-29-2005 06:46 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
GET OFF THE LINE!!!!!


Jeanne :p

Karen Wolek 12-29-2005 06:53 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
From the very beginning:

"You're doing fine. Just keep coming."

I did. :)

DH 12-29-2005 07:07 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
Learn what it takes to stand up, and what not.
Move the water around while standing in a pool
feel whats going on... on the inside

Its just keeps getting better after that

Dan

Charles Cunningham 12-29-2005 07:30 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
"When a good thing goes bad, you have to let it go." --Mits Yamashita

Charles

Josh Reyer 12-29-2005 07:52 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
(On ukemi) "Imagine a basket of kittens being turned over."

SmilingNage 12-30-2005 09:52 AM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
Breath, otherwise you are going to pass out.

ruthmc 12-30-2005 10:22 AM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
Ron Russell Sensei: "Don't ever say you are only a 6th kyu. You are 6th kyu, not only anything!" (Insert current rank and continue to follow sensei's advice :) )

Ruth

Scott Josephus 12-30-2005 11:41 AM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
That's a great one . . . and something I think we don't consider too often . . . We EARNED or our rank. We are not handed it, and yet, when we are starting out, we tend to downplay our rank sometimes, because we are not as advanced as other students may be. My Sensei is also fond of saying, "We are all on the same road, it's just that some of us are further along it than others." I think that holds really true. :)

tony cameron 12-30-2005 04:41 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
Training with Endo Sensei at a seminar in Seattle last year he said something along the lines of:. "Stop making fists so much, keep your palms open. When you make a fist, the Ki is truncated. with palms open the Ki shoots out infinitely through your fingers and palm." that kind of stuck with me for some reason.

of course, Endo Sensei had a translator and my memory isn't that great so hopefully i didn't completely butcher that quote;)

tony

Paula Lydon 12-30-2005 05:45 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
Stop 'doing' things to uke...just enjoy their company in this shape...or that shape.

AikiSean! 12-30-2005 06:13 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
"Becareful, do not hurt him/her. He/she has not signed up yet!"

crbateman 12-30-2005 06:29 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
Quote:

Tony Cameron wrote:
Training with Endo Sensei at a seminar in Seattle last year he said something along the lines of:. "Stop making fists so much, keep your palms open. When you make a fist, the Ki is truncated. with palms open the Ki shoots out infinitely through your fingers and palm." that kind of stuck with me for some reason.

of course, Endo Sensei had a translator and my memory isn't that great so hopefully i didn't completely butcher that quote;)

tony

No, you got the point. In fact, many aikidoka from an early ki-oriented background will keep their index fingers extended even when grasping and/or throwing, because it signifies the extension of ki. I was taught that it made kind of a "ki fountain". Unfortunately, when I do it, I often end up with a jammed finger, a sprain, or poked in the eye :confused: with my own finger. Very embarrassing...

Qatana 12-30-2005 07:31 PM

Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave
 
on not holding fists: Funny, I gave a dancer the exact same advice about 25 years ago, before i'd ever heard of aikido. So I said energy, instead of ki, its the same thing, in My book.

on the pointed finger: I was at a seminar and saw Bob Nadeau Sensei bit nage's finger when it got pointed at him.
Just an observation.


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