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Old 04-05-2005, 12:00 PM   #24
"anon3"
IP Hash: c7b43dcc
Anonymous User
Re: Anger on the mat

If I feel frustration on the mat, it's usually because of what I bring to practice, not what happens at the dojo. If I've had a bad day, got the wrong leg out of bed, am just out of sync, I can have a really hard time connecting with uke and thus being effective with my techniques = frustration. I usually get over it during practice, but it can take a long time, and some days I just don't go or I go to watch because I know I'd be too focused on stuff that's not aikido. I'm never angry, but rather frustrated with myself when I can't execute techniques for whatever reason. Aikido always makes me happier.
I was at another dojo and had to leave - I simply could not respect my sensei, mainly for his temper tantrums (and one of his favorite remarks was: "Don't come to class if you can't leave a bad day behind!" - my dad was the only who ever got away with "do as I say, not as I do" and my still loving him). Once the respect goes, you have to leave - you can take no instruction from such a person.
Anonymous, it ain't worth it! You can take a break from aikido and come back. You've spent weeks allowing this to bug you, and that's not right. Obviously, you're in the wrong place. Tell the sensei so and get out. The coming summer days and nights are worthy of much better things. That whole idea of humiliation being part of the training is a lot of horses***. There must be respect first and always.
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