Ungraded and self practice

Does anyone have any good advice for how i can practice
the techniques taught before kyu 6 (lowest, in dojo i practice)
on my own at home?

Just do the movements as if actually working with uke, or
are there better ways?

Well, you really can't do Aikido by your lonesome. However, there are Aiki Taiso that you can do by yourself as a suppliment to "real" training. They are based directly upon the most common techniques/movements in Aikido. Ask your instructor. If you don't know what Aiki Taiso are, they're somewhat (and I do mean "somewhat") like Tai Chi.

Just google "Aiki Taiso"...you'll eventually piece together a solo workout routine, although there is no canonical set...often vary depending upon the style of Aikido you train in. Many Aikidoka do them whenever they're unable to make it to class.

Brian Dewey wrote: Well, you really can't do Aikido by your lonesome. However, there are Aiki Taiso that you can do by yourself as a suppliment to "real" training. They are based directly upon the most common techniques/movements in Aikido. Ask your instructor. If you don't know what Aiki Taiso are, they're somewhat (and I do mean "somewhat") like Tai Chi. Just google "Aiki Taiso"...you'll eventually piece together a solo workout routine, although there is no canonical set...often vary depending upon the style of Aikido you train in. Many Aikidoka do them whenever they're unable to make it to class.

Thanks for the tip, i most certainly will!

Erik Jögimar wrote: Does anyone have any good advice for how i can practice the techniques taught before kyu 6 (lowest, in dojo i practice) on my own at home? Just do the movements as if actually working with uke, or are there better ways?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...arch&plindex=0

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...ch&plin dex=0

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...arch&plindex=1

http://www.shodokan.ch/en/index.html

David

http://www.stenudd.com/aikido/aikido-links.htm

David

I would suggest: Taisabaki and first ken suburi. Remember: Head guides the hands, hips moves the feet. You dont step into hanmi, your feet moves into hanmi as a result of the positioning of your hips (and thus your entire body). Then coordinate your body movement with your breathing.

Ask Mika to show you some different excercises that will assist you in your training.

David Skaggs wrote: http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...arch&plindex=0 http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...ch&plin dex=0 http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...arch&plindex=1 http://www.shodokan.ch/en/index.html David

Judo Taiso of Tomiki...sweet! Although I'm not Shodokan, I do these as part of my "solo routine" Aiki Taiso at home when I can't make it in to class.

In addition to what David already posted, this video has Tomiki himself demonstrating. This one actually peaked my interest in the Judo Taiso.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPhG6XA2fL8

Oh, I wouldn´t put any effort in these solo-exercises that have been posted in this thread. While I do think that they are intresting, I cant see how a beginner in a Iwama-style dojo would benefit from them. You should focus on hanmi and posture.

Peter Gröndahl wrote: I would suggest: Taisabaki and first ken suburi. Remember: Head guides the hands, hips moves the feet. You dont step into hanmi, your feet moves into hanmi as a result of the positioning of your hips (and thus your entire body). Then coordinate your body movement with your breathing. Ask Mika to show you some different excercises that will assist you in your training.

<evil sempai>
Mouahahahahaaaa! Yeeees, yeeeees I certainly will! Mouahahhaaaa!
</evil sempai>

Mika Perälä wrote: <evil sempai> Mouahahahahaaaa! Yeeees, yeeeees I certainly will! Mouahahhaaaa! </evil sempai>

eek! You're everywhere, arent you mika? hehe good to see you!

Teachers, or their most trusted students, are often monitoring the forums to see what gossip there students are telling behind there back.
And then they will:

<evil sensei smoker='true'>
Mouahahahaaaaa! Talking bad behind my back! You are dispelled from the dojo! Mouahaha *cough* haha *cough* haaaa!
</evil sensei>

Big Sensei is watching you!

*waves at inge*

hi.....

Erik Jögimar wrote: Does anyone have any good advice for how i can practice the techniques taught before kyu 6 (lowest, in dojo i practice) on my own at home? Just do the movements as if actually working with uke, or are there better ways?

Onegaishimasu. As the movements begin to become familiar, you may be able (using your imagination) to practice 'replaying' things from class at home, alternating between being nage and uke with an imaginary partner. What this does, is polish your study. It doesn't replace your study in a dojo with seniors and with a sensei. Aikido is actually a learning process.

In gassho,

Mark

Erik,
You can certainly shadow box with your imaginary partner.

People on this forum always disagree with me on this one, but I still recommend suburi. Practice cutting with a ken or striking with a jo, even tsuki. Saito Sensei claimed this is a good way to develop "hip" power.

Conrad Gustafson wrote: People on this forum always disagree with me on this one, but I still recommend suburi. Practice cutting with a ken or striking with a jo, even tsuki. Saito Sensei claimed this is a good way to develop "hip" power.

No doubt about that. Weapons work is instrumental in regards to solo Aikido training. My particular style of Aikido requires that, in order to even be eligable for shodan testing, you have to already have demonstrated competance in 3 sword katas & 3 jo katas. I consider tai sabaki & aiki taiso as part of my solo training, along with AikiKen and AikiJo.