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Old 05-16-2004, 01:12 AM   #12
Charles Hill
Dojo: Numazu Aikikai/Aikikai Honbu Dojo
Location: Three Lakes WI/ Mishima Japan
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 837
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Re: any books for beginners...?

Achilleas,

I have two recommendations with two different reasons. One is any technical book like some of those others above have recommened. When I was a complete beginner, I had a hard time connecting the Japanese names to the techniques. For me, Saotome Shihan`s Principles of Aikido was very useful for learning technique/attack names. (It is obviously a much deeper book than that but I didn`t realize that until later.) Second, I recommend Terry Dobson`s "It`s a lot like dancing..." Terry Dobson was a personal student of the Founder`s in the 60`s. The book is full of short stories/essays on many topics related to aikido. He writes a lot about what it was like for him as a beginner and all the difficulties he had. The book teaches no techniques, no martial theories, but it is very inspirational.

Charles Hill
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