Jack - it has to be said. Every time someone reads books, watches videos and practices by themselves before getting on the mat, the instructor has a harder time of it.
Worse case that ever happened to me was a guy grasping a book he read and wanting to discuss why what I was doing was not Aikido. Most cases is a student who moves the way he thinks he saw on the video. Better the empty cup.
Your Aikido starts in three months.
I would use the time to stretch (learning to sit in seiza is a stretch) and running or some other aerobic activity. Three months is perfect for a number of fitness inducing activities - sort of a shugyo. If you limit the activity to a time period you often can go much further with it.
For example - tell yourself that you will run 10 km - three times a week for three months at the end of which you re-evaluate how often you will run if at all. The benefits don't disappear - especially if another physical activity replaces it.
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