AikiWeb Aikido Forums - View Single Post - Hello, i'm a newbie here and i have questions.

lbb · 12-22-2010, 08:45 AM

My thoughts:

1. The size of the dojo doesn't really matter, unless you have so few people that it can't be sustained. 30 people isn't really a small dojo if those 30 people are training regularly.

2. The question of how many times to train isn't really worth considering before you've even taken your first class. Start training and see how you like it, how your body reacts, and what your schedule can accommodate.

3. Improving your fitness with supplemental activities is a good idea, but do it systematically. If you are also training in aikido, you won't have unlimited time for fitness. I made a general recommendation in another thread (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showth...480#post270480) for what I think is a good approach for a sedentary person to become fit. The most important thing for optimal results is to exercise consistently and systematically.

4. Don't worry about buying a gi or hakama yet. Buy a gi if and when you are sure you will continue practicing, and buy a hakama when your sensei tells you to. Gis are expensive, hakama more so, and in many dojos beginners do not wear hakama, so if you just show up in one it could be embarrassing.

5. If you train with weapons in aikido, it's probably safest to simply forget whatever you know about LARP swordplay or anything you've done previously with wooden swords. Weapons training is not a game and the weapons you use, while wooden, are not toys. Failure to practice properly can result in serious or even fatal injury. This means no improvising, no freelancing, no Star Wars lightsaber moves, and no "winging it". If you are allowed to train with weapons in aikido, you will need to do exactly as instructed.

6. Everyone who trains in aikido has physical limitations. "Stretching like crazy" will not help you to overcome yours, and if it "hurts like hell", it's almost certainly causing more problems than it's solving. Begin your training, learn your body's limitations, and seek long-term solutions or effective workaround for them -- NOT short-term crash programs to try and fix them fast.

Best of luck, and tell us how you liked your first class!

12-22-2010, 08:45 AM	#15
lbb Location: Massachusetts Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,202 Offline	Re: Hello, i'm a newbie here and i have questions. My thoughts: 1. The size of the dojo doesn't really matter, unless you have so few people that it can't be sustained. 30 people isn't really a small dojo if those 30 people are training regularly. 2. The question of how many times to train isn't really worth considering before you've even taken your first class. Start training and see how you like it, how your body reacts, and what your schedule can accommodate. 3. Improving your fitness with supplemental activities is a good idea, but do it systematically. If you are also training in aikido, you won't have unlimited time for fitness. I made a general recommendation in another thread (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showth...480#post270480) for what I think is a good approach for a sedentary person to become fit. The most important thing for optimal results is to exercise consistently and systematically. 4. Don't worry about buying a gi or hakama yet. Buy a gi if and when you are sure you will continue practicing, and buy a hakama when your sensei tells you to. Gis are expensive, hakama more so, and in many dojos beginners do not wear hakama, so if you just show up in one it could be embarrassing. 5. If you train with weapons in aikido, it's probably safest to simply forget whatever you know about LARP swordplay or anything you've done previously with wooden swords. Weapons training is not a game and the weapons you use, while wooden, are not toys. Failure to practice properly can result in serious or even fatal injury. This means no improvising, no freelancing, no Star Wars lightsaber moves, and no "winging it". If you are allowed to train with weapons in aikido, you will need to do exactly as instructed. 6. Everyone who trains in aikido has physical limitations. "Stretching like crazy" will not help you to overcome yours, and if it "hurts like hell", it's almost certainly causing more problems than it's solving. Begin your training, learn your body's limitations, and seek long-term solutions or effective workaround for them -- NOT short-term crash programs to try and fix them fast. Best of luck, and tell us how you liked your first class!