Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

It's been almost two years since I started Aikido and this website has been a great source of advice and wisdom for me. It provides great help to the new Aikidoka.
It has occurred to me that it might be nice to have a list of the best advice for the "Newbie." Short and to the point advice that will help them on their way. If you want to explain a little more in detail make a note below the main point of advice. I'll start it off with this piece of advice:

1. Show up to class on a regular basis.
(Regular attendance is crucial to learning and skipping your scheduled workouts can get to be a habit and hinder your growth. Try to be early to stretch and warmup and be open to staying a few minutes after class to cleanup and maybe pick up some pointers)

Doc:ai: :ki: :do:

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

2. Its gonna hurt sometimes. Suck it up (or other enlightened advice.)
3. Watch what everyone else is doing; copy that.
4. Less talk, more practice.
5. No, your doing it wrong.
6. Yes, your doing fine.
7. It's not called "EasyDo", it's called Aikido. If it were easy, everyone would be a master.
8. Stop thinking your better than everyone else.
9. Stop thinking your worse than everyone else.
9.5 Stop thinking.
10. It's not about whooping others.
11. It's about improving yourself AND others.

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

12. Follow the pattern until you know the technique well enough to resist - ukemi is for learning
13. You are having fun - you just don't know it yet
14. Katatedori is not Japanese for "iron hand claw of death"
15. Smile more
16. Ssshhhhhhh!

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

17. Knee pads go up front.

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

18.
Why are you looking over there?

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

18. Mr. Protector goes up front too :D
19. Don't expect to fly on the first day. Second day, maybe.
20. If you do fly, "Oh Shhhiiiitttttt!" it is ok to scream like a girl. :)
21. Gi flaps: right then left. unless you are dead, then it's left then right. we expect our dead to dress properly.
22. it's ok to mark your injure spots, but it's not ok to duck taped yourself completely.
23. BREATH, unless you are dead then breathing is optional
24. it's ok to fart as long as you are keep on moving around. it helps keeping ki flow. the old timers on aikiweb can attest to this. :D
25. Don't take yourself too seriously. matter of fact, don't take anyone seriously, unless their hands are reaching for your foods or drinks, then be dead serious and give them the Seagal's stare.

I wonder if anyone going to post a new topic on practical jokes played on newbies. :D

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

26. Don't fall yet, I haven't thrown you.
27. Shomen-uchi. LIKE YOU MEAN IT!
28. The blade goes this way down when you hold your bokuto.
29. Ok, now apply the nikyo lock here. Move your centre... align it with my centre... [feels slight pain] there!
30. If you try an ikkyo pin like that, I can get up easily. See?
31. Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you... much.
32. My first sensei told me "Don't hurt any cute girls... you can do what you want to the ugly ones!:D
33. You don't want to be resisting that sankyo.

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

1) Practice
2) Practice Again
3) Practice Some
4) Practice Over & Over
5) Practice Until It Hurts
Up to 100) Practice, Practice, Practice!

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

34. Leave your EGO at the door.
35. Bend your knees.
36 Keep your back straight.

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

34. Well, if you could do it perfectly, you wouldn't have to be here training, would you?
35. The right way to do it may not feel like the right way at first.
36. Stop discussing, adjusting, and preparing - just do the technique!
37. This isn't knitting class.
38. When your partner reaches to grab your wrist, don't stand there with your hand out like he's your girlfriend (or boyfriend, whatever).
39. When you tell yourself you can't do the technique or it is difficult to do, you are guaranteeing that it will be.
40. A tension-filled body is often the result of a tension-filled mind.

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

To quote some notable sayings I've heard in one fashion or another:
41. If you relax you'll live longer
42. TAKE THE UKEMI
43. Pain is both distasteful and largely ineffective (better to break balance).
44. You're new, you're supposed to make mistakes; just don't make them twice.

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

44- tap when it hurts. Seriously otherwise the tori will do it harder! Or if you don't feel it tap before your hand/wrist/elbow etc looks like its going to snap.
45. Do not go on the mat with shoes on.
46. the technique is not going to work unless you move.
47. Co-operate with your partner. Especially if your working with a black belt otherwise they will find a way to make the technique work. And it won't be present.
48. Kicks belong in karate.
49. No talking when Sensei is.
50. Bow. Bow and Bow some more. Theres a lot of bowing, suck it up and learn how and when to do it.

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

51. Your back foot is always the foot behind the foot that is in front of you.
52. Makeup doesn't belong on the mat, my gi, sensei's gi or anywhere else.
53. No, this is not swedish massage. That is upstairs.
54. No, this is not Yoga, Yoga is next door, follow the incence smell.
55. No, this is not Karate.
56. No, this is not Judo.
57. Memorise Kodo
58. Flirt with me later, I'm busy right now.
59. Do not touch anyones weapons but your own without permission.
60. Do not touch anyones weapons but your own without permission.

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

61. If you just stand there trying to resist me, you're gonna get hurt.
62. I can kick you if you stand like that.
63. OK, just for tonight let's say this is your left side and this is your right.
64. Kaiten and tenkan, there IS a difference.
65. I'm NOT moving at full speed here.
66. Andrew=kind and gentle [disclaimer: I have actually used this one!]
67. Don't break uke, other people want to play with him.
68. Feeling dizzy? You'll get used to it.
69. Kobayashi Sensei's old dojo had mats that were like cement on cold mornings. So no complaining that the tatami feel hard.
70. Me? About 16 years. Just beginning, really.

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

Love the responses!!
Excellent reminders and worthy of repeating. Keep them coming!
I see so many things that I have had to learn along the path and did not even realize that I had learned them. We all might learn a little something and I hope the "Newbies" like the advice. It might not only help them to learn; it might help keep them safe!
Doc

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

71. If you haven't got a gi yet, wear a long sleeved shirt and long pants unless you want to get a lot of matburns.

72. Stop being awkward and stiff, I'm trying to teach you this stuff.

73. Don't anticipate techinques (i.e. don't collapse before I've actually thrown you).

74. Listen to the advice people give you, its often for your own safety. If you still choose to ignore it then its no longer our problem if you get a concussion or a broken wrist evileyes...

75. Have an open mind.

76. Don't give up, you can't expect to know everything after your first session.

77. MOST IMPORTANT: Please God WASH before you come to class, put on some deodorant or sth, and wear CLEAN clothes! Nothing is more disgusting than training in close body contact with a person who reeks of old sweat and has greasy hair!

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

78. Always come to class ON TIME to help put down the mats (if the dojo hasnt got permanenty laid mats) or at least early enough to get changed before class starts. It is disrespectful to stumble in once the class has already started (its ok if you really couldn't help it, just don't make a habit of it):)

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

79. We are all students, some of us have been around a bit longer then you, that's all.
5. No, you are doing it wrong...
80. We are doing it a bit less wrong.

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

81. Do not attempt to "spin out" when practicing shihonage waza.
82. Don't try to teach your partner, Sensei will cover that.
83. When you grab a wrist, do something with it.
84. If you're going to punch me.....PUNCH me!
85. Ikkyo waza doesn't mean "try not to go down to the mat."

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

86. Leave your ego off the mat.
87. Give your partner a true and spirited attack.
(You cannot help your partner by giving a 'wimpy' attack. Aikido training replicates actual physical conflict. Though it may be slower than full speed, your attack should be both true (strong grab or accurate strike), and spirited (well-centered and delivered with good posture and ki)).

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

88. The important part of waza is not slamming uke down on the tatami.
89. Only training at the dojo is equivalent of a university student only studying during lectures.
90. Take control of your own progress.
91. One correct focused repetition is better than 100 sloppy ones.

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

92.This is not fight club.
93.You may talk about it.
94.You may talk about it.

:D

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

95. Good personal hygiene makes everyone happy.

96. Understand the Japanese past and present as Aikido is a Japanese art. It will be very useful. It was for me.

97. Aikido is deceiving, it is very physical and injuries can and do happen. If your out of shape work up to being in shape. It reduces and prevents injuries.

98. Stay heart smart. If your overweight, work outside the dojo to shed those extra pounds. Aikido will be more enjoyable if you do.

Re: 100 Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

99. Fall down 99 times, get up 100
100. Love.

Re: Things To Tell A New Aikido Student
 

Great advice you folks are passing on to the newbies!
I also am learning something reading the advice. I asked Jun to change the title from 100 Things since we have so much to share!
Keep 'em coming.
Doc

101. Finsih the technique you started.

(For example, If you start doing an Omote instead of an Ura then finish the Omote. The goal is not just to do the right technique but to do it smoothly and flowing. Stopping the technique saying "Wait, wrong Side" is not good form. Finish the technique you started and then do the correct technique the next time! Stopping and hesitation on the street will be dangerous!)
Doc