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Old 07-23-2007, 12:32 PM   #1
kenshi07
 
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Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

It's been a long time since I've posted on here. I had this thought that since I was unable to train in a dojo for a period of time, that I shouldn't try to post yet and just pick up stuff from reading posts. But know I am joining an aikido club at my university (Fort Hays State) and chomping at the bit to get started. So for a fledging Aikido-ist is there any advice or tips that might help down the road. I'm all ears, well eyes but you get it. Thank you very much.
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Old 07-23-2007, 12:38 PM   #2
Budd
 
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Once you start don't ever stop.

Taikyoku Mind & Body
http://taikyokumindandbody.com
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Old 07-23-2007, 01:31 PM   #3
sinead
Dojo: Whitefriar Dojo Dublin
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

I'm not training long but I have learned to have patience with myself on the mat, aikido is a lifelong journey and your progress may manifest in unexpected ways and judging it too quickly on technical progress can lead to frustration. Enjoy!
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Old 07-23-2007, 01:39 PM   #4
justin
Location: swansea wales
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

just enjoy it when you stop enjoying it then worry,
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Old 07-23-2007, 04:11 PM   #5
SeiserL
 
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Welcome to origami with people.
Relax, breathe, and enjoy.

Lynn Seiser PhD
Yondan Aikido & FMA/JKD
We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training. Train well. KWATZ!
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Old 07-23-2007, 04:43 PM   #6
Mark Uttech
Dojo: Yoshin-ji Aikido of Marshall
Location: Wisconsin
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Keep an aikido journal/notebook. Don't fill it with myriad and tiring explanations; just jot down a few notes, and as you go, and as you look back, you will treasure those notes. I have been keeping an aikido notebook for 23 years! I have a boxful of them! And still it is fun to look back.

In gassho,

Mark

- Right combination works wonders -
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Old 07-23-2007, 05:56 PM   #7
Janet Rosen
 
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Be prepared to feel like an idiot and to think you must look like an idiot! ... but hopefully, a HAPPY idiot! :-)

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
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Old 07-23-2007, 07:44 PM   #8
lbb
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Don't overanalyze. Don't start off by reading a bunch of books. Don't look for shortcuts, legs-up, or magic bullets. Don't project any expectations you may have, from some other source, onto your training. Just go in, train with an open mind, and accept what it is.
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Old 07-24-2007, 12:41 AM   #9
dalen7
 
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

I like Marks idea of keeping a notebook of your practice.
It may prove to be of encouragement at times -

also, you have a distinct advantage...you speak the language (unlike what I have gone through in Hungary) so you can listen to the explanations and variations that are being shown, pick up on terms etc. to help on memorization...and ask questions.

In my circumstance, I have found it also quite useful to go in with purpose.
That is be proactive to find out what the testing requirements are - to familiarize yourself with the japanese terms so that when they cry out shomenuchi, etc your not translating in your head "ok. this is strike to the head' or even worse, "wow what is this new term" - but when they say shomenuchi you will picture a bokken going to the top of your head (real way to learn language as constant translating in head will slow you down and drive you nuts...

also, coming to this forum has been both fun and quite informative...and the key to it all is...
...just have fun!

peace

Dalen

Last edited by dalen7 : 07-24-2007 at 12:48 AM.
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Old 07-24-2007, 12:52 AM   #10
dalen7
 
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Quote:
Janet Rosen wrote: View Post
Be prepared to feel like an idiot and to think you must look like an idiot! ... but hopefully, a HAPPY idiot! :-)
That was me my first couple of lessons for sure - didnt think I would stick past a month. - but around a month things started coming together - well, I finally could tell my right foot from my left...a bit.

If your totally new at it, you may feel you can never get it...but know that it just gets easier, as you become more familiar with the concepts of the movements themselves. At first the movements are foreign and look similar, and its quite difficult to go about executing a movement...but patience, and 'relax' and all will work out fine.

Peace

Dalen
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Old 07-24-2007, 02:29 AM   #11
Drew Mailman
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Quote:
Budd Yuhasz wrote: View Post
Once you start don't ever stop.
^^ That's the most important thing about training : don't stop. If you ever want to get anywhere, don't stop.

Don't blow off training so you can hang out with friends (but make sure you keep your friends). Don't skip training because you're "kind of tired" or you feel "kind of cruddy" or it's "too hot". Training always fixes those "ailments", plus learning to focus through mild discomfort will help with your focus overall. And it's always satisfying to peel off a gi that has five pounds of sweat soaked into it.

If you're going to miss one class, don't miss the next class. If you're going to miss a week of class, don't miss the next week. If you're going to miss a month of class, don't miss the next month. If you're going to miss ANY class, make sure you do your basic stretches/warmups, rolls (if you have the space), footwork exercises, bokken exercises, or even walk though your techniques without a partner. The last thing you ever, ever want is to miss a week, or a month, or longer, because it's hard to get back into it when you're just starting.

Stay consistent, and all of your sweat and pain will be well worth it. Inconsistency results in frustration and possible injury.

Oh, and where in Kansas are you originally from? I live in Wichita.
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Old 07-24-2007, 04:03 PM   #12
kenshi07
 
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Elkhart, if you know where Liberal is I'm an hour west of there. about 6 hours from Witchita.

Quote:
Drew Mailman wrote: View Post
^^ That's the most important thing
about training : don't stop. If you ever want to get anywhere, don't stop.

Don't blow off training so you can hang out with friends (but make sure you keep your friends). Don't skip training because you're "kind of tired" or you feel "kind of cruddy" or it's "too hot". Training always fixes those "ailments", plus learning to focus through mild discomfort will help with your focus overall. And it's always satisfying to peel off a gi that has five pounds of sweat soaked into it.

If you're going to miss one class, don't miss the next class. If you're going to miss a week of class, don't miss the next week. If you're going to miss a month of class, don't miss the next month. If you're going to miss ANY class, make sure you do your basic stretches/warmups, rolls (if you have the space), footwork exercises, bokken exercises, or even walk though your techniques without a partner. The last thing you ever, ever want is to miss a week, or a month, or longer, because it's hard to get back into it when you're just starting.

Stay consistent, and all of your sweat and pain will be well worth it. Inconsistency results in frustration and possible injury.

Oh, and where in Kansas are you originally from? I live in Wichita.
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Old 07-25-2007, 06:28 PM   #13
nikau
Dojo: Makotokan Budo
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

good luck tannan and enjoy.
having only started around 10 months ago myself i'm still teething myself on aikido.

BUT one of the more important things i think that helped me was learning the foot work. When i learned tenkan, tenshin etc, the technique starts to take care of itself once the body is moving in the right direction.

THEN one day ...... the FOG lifts and ray of sunshine comes through and i know how to do kote geshi, irimi nage etc ....... then some days the FOG is back ..... and i'm back to square 1. BUT the foot work is still there.

Just my 5cents worth. Stick at it, enjoy it and remember those days when the FOG lifts makes the rest of the days worth while
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Old 07-26-2007, 02:04 AM   #14
Yann Golanski
 
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Best advise I was ever given:
Do not quit.
Do not die.
You will get there.

The people who understand, understand prefectly.
yann@york-aikido.org York Shodokan Aikido
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Old 07-29-2007, 03:28 PM   #15
booyaa
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Canada
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

best advice.. dont dislocate your shoulder, then go to a seminar and have it pop out 4 times.. it sets you back.

Oh wait, that only happened to me.. best advice (real this time)...

1) Listen, Listen then listen more
2) Watch, watch then watch more
3) Do (different than try)
4) Do over and over and over till you cant stand it anymore, then do it some more.
5) Enjoy!

I have been doing aikido since march.. im still very new, a little off balance (RIGHT SHARON!!).. i am just now starting to understand why we do those boring tenkan excersises all the time!
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Old 07-29-2007, 04:41 PM   #16
Joseph Madden
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Be yourself. The worst thing you could do is become something you're not.
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Old 08-03-2007, 05:47 PM   #17
statisticool
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Don't let any huckster try and convince you that you need to learn something outside of aikido in order to master aikido.

A secret of internal strength?:
"Let your weight from the crotch area BE in his hands."
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Old 08-03-2007, 07:34 PM   #18
paw
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Protect yourself at all times

Protect your training partners at all times

Have fun
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Old 08-04-2007, 07:22 AM   #19
dongaleb
Dojo: Manila Aikido Club
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Practical advise:

1. Don't wear any jewelries during the session. (nipple ring's a bi@#h when someone is pinning you down with an ikkyo)
2. Don't shout " ouch my nipple ring!". Just tap harder.
3. Buy a sturdy "gi", one thats not gonna rip from behind during stretching and expose your crack because your only wearing a crotch supporter and no underwear.
4. Wear underwear.
5. Bring a hand towel because once you start enjoying you'll be sweating like a pig.
6. Dont fart during a back roll coz your stomach will compress and you'll probably let out a loud one.
7. If you see someone who did, try not to loose your composure and burst out laughing coz its contagious and you'll cause the whole dojo to laugh.
8. Just enjoy yourself out there.
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Old 08-04-2007, 07:32 AM   #20
heathererandolph
Dojo: Kokikai Aikido Boston
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Aikido is really fun and just gets more fun the more you do it.
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Old 08-06-2007, 09:35 AM   #21
tarik
 
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

My personal motto since I was about 12 or so.

"Never give up."

Tarik Ghbeish
Jiyūshin-ryū AikiBudō - Iwae Dojo

MASAKATSU AGATSU -- "The true victory of self-mastery."
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Old 08-06-2007, 12:46 PM   #22
Larry Cuvin
 
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Just relax and don't get frustrated with the names of the techniques, they will come to you after the hours and hours and hours and hours of practice.

Plus Ki
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Old 08-06-2007, 02:21 PM   #23
Ron Tisdale
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Fall down seven times, get up eight.

Best,
Ron

Ron Tisdale
-----------------------
"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind."
St. Bonaventure (ca. 1221-1274)
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Old 08-06-2007, 03:05 PM   #24
ChrisHein
 
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Listen to everything your teacher says. Do whatever he says. On your own question everything you do. Why you do it. Does it help. You don't ever have to come to a complete answer, just as long as you ask.

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Old 08-06-2007, 07:45 PM   #25
Matthew White
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.

Okay, I could have sworn I posted this, but I may just be insane or something...
my advice:

Fail. fail a lot. allow yourself to be a beginner, don't try to be perfect. We don't learn much from doing things right, we learn from doing things wrong. try to find out how many ways any given technique won't work. in the process you'll find a lot of ways that the technique does work.
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