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Old 02-16-2012, 11:30 PM   #1
elacueva
 
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Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Hello everyone! good day to all of you! apologize first for my grammar because i am not good at in English.

I am novice in training Aikido, actually i get a year for training but due to insufficient income of mine i have to stop training. There are so many things that change of me after i stop training at the dojo, my confidential is slowly fading, my concentration of things become weak, my awareness become low, my thinking capability become in blur like i didn't train as an Aikidoist. Is this is the side effect of if you stop training? i am aware of this Senseis and Sempais, i am thinking that i must ask for the more experience than i for surpassing this for some advice that i can do?

when i start training, after realizing that i am growing little by little, my mind and thinking capability is in the state of a convenient order. But when stop training its also slowly fading! How do i Maintain this capabilities that i already acquired ? hopefully Sensei and Sempai give some little advice of me.. thank you! wishing a good day!

Last edited by elacueva : 02-16-2012 at 11:35 PM.

zero
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Old 02-16-2012, 11:59 PM   #2
elacueva
 
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Ah!! sorry sir/ma'am for posting it in Open Forum!

zero
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Old 02-17-2012, 12:38 AM   #3
gates
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Is it the training fees, or transport money? Or something like one off insurance?

Speak to your sensei first.
Perhaps they can reduce or wave the fees until you can source more income.

Keith

Last edited by gates : 02-17-2012 at 12:43 AM.

Enjoy the journey
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Old 02-17-2012, 02:58 AM   #4
Alic
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

That's one issue with Aikido training: you need an uke and a sensei. One works with connecting with you, and the other tells you how much of an idiot you are

The nice thing about my style, Yoshinkan, is that we have the kihon doza, basic movements. This meant that we can literally do it the shaolin monk way, practicing the movements by ourselves, and still improve. However, even in that, unless we get corrected by a sensei, there's only so much we can improve, because the form is never going to be perfected by self-training and watching videos. There's many techniques and weapon forms that can be practiced solo, but training quality isn't going to improve unless you have a senior helping you out.

I would say, find a partner. Somebody from your old dojo perhaps, and train off the mats somewhere. You can certainly talk with your sensei about the finacial issues. I know that my sensei would rather waive the fees than to not see a student again. Many dojocho's happily sink money into the dojo just to maintain it, because they love the art so much and want to spread it. My old master also sees his students as an extended family of his, so he becomes saddened whenever someone stops coming. Incidently, whenever someone that stopped coming for a long time suddenly returns again, he is overjoyed and often trains that person extremely hard to catch up on missed time.

So in conclusion: try out the kihon doza and see if that helps you, train with a sempai, or talk to your sensei. If nothing works, I'd say just work at it until you solve your issues at home, then go back and train. You'll make it so as long as you don't give up.
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Old 02-17-2012, 06:34 AM   #5
JJF
 
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Quote:
Alic Xie wrote: View Post
.. Many dojocho's happily sink money into the dojo just to maintain it, because they love the art so much and want to spread it.
Amen to that... I'm out a fair amount after just 1½ years, but I love seeing my students on the mat working hard and having fun. It's worth every penny...

I had to crack a smile though when our newest member asked my after his first practice if the dojo was the way I earned my living... I had just told him that the fee was about 15$ a month and he could see that five people attende class that night... guess he just didn't do the math before asking

JJ

- Jørgen Jakob Friis

Inspiration - Aspiration - Perspiration
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Old 02-17-2012, 07:39 AM   #6
Cliff Judge
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

You cannot train Aikido by yourself, no.
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Old 02-17-2012, 08:01 AM   #7
Mario Tobias
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

you can train with weapons by yourself but I'm not sure where that will get you. It won't get you too far.

you'll need a partner and a good sensei because aikido is all about connecting with your partner. A good sensei will teach you how proper connection is done.
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Old 02-17-2012, 08:29 AM   #8
Chris Li
 
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Not only possible, but essential, IMO. The down side being that you need to know what you're doing (as with anything else, I suppose) before solo training becomes really meaningful.

For those who don't think that it's possible alone - Morihei Ueshiba would spend hours training alone each day, and he gave demonstrations of Aikido - alone. Actually, one of the more unusual aspects of a lot of his weapons training was that it was done - alone, which is in itself quite unusual in Japan.

Best,

Chris

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Old 02-17-2012, 09:23 AM   #9
Mary Eastland
 
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

I echo Keith: talk to your teacher.

We would not anyone not to be able to train at our dojo due to lack of funds.

Mary Eastland

Dare to Tenkan
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Old 02-17-2012, 09:29 AM   #10
Cliff Judge
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Quote:
Christopher Li wrote: View Post
For those who don't think that it's possible alone - Morihei Ueshiba would spend hours training alone each day, and he gave demonstrations of Aikido - alone. Actually, one of the more unusual aspects of a lot of his weapons training was that it was done - alone, which is in itself quite unusual in Japan.
Well, except for iaido and batto.

Weren't there a number of minor deities with him during those "solo training" moments, anyway?
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Old 02-17-2012, 09:56 AM   #11
Chris Li
 
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Quote:
Cliff Judge wrote: View Post
Well, except for iaido and batto.

Weren't there a number of minor deities with him during those "solo training" moments, anyway?
Well, it's not canonical, of course, but there's no denying that his weapons training was unusual, or that (as he himself said) it was done with a different type of intent.

The deity thing is really a longer discussion - but suffice it to say that the point holds, he spent hours training alone every day. If he did it, why is it impossible for anyone else?

Best,

Chris

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Old 02-17-2012, 12:26 PM   #12
Basia Halliop
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

IMO, there are a lot of different scenarios that can be described as 'solo training'

E.g., someone with many decades of experience practicing and refining movements alone.
Someone who several times a week does regular on-the-mat training with an uke and an experienced teacher, adding some extra solo practice to cement movements between meetings with their teacher.
A beginner without regular frequent access to a teacher doing solo training.

IMO, all very different things, all very different consequences
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Old 02-17-2012, 12:54 PM   #13
Chris Li
 
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Quote:
Basia Halliop wrote: View Post
IMO, there are a lot of different scenarios that can be described as 'solo training'

E.g., someone with many decades of experience practicing and refining movements alone.
Someone who several times a week does regular on-the-mat training with an uke and an experienced teacher, adding some extra solo practice to cement movements between meetings with their teacher.
A beginner without regular frequent access to a teacher doing solo training.

IMO, all very different things, all very different consequences
True, but...not what I'm really talking about.

Best,

Chris

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Old 02-17-2012, 02:49 PM   #14
Carrie Campbell
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

I've thought about this myself. What happens if I move somewhere and there is not an aikido dojo? My preference would be to join one already in existence. However, these are the solo options I've considered:

Michael Friedl Sensei has a "Meditation in Motion" DVD that shows a solo practice. There are also several DVDs to buy and watch, and free youtube videos, with various instructors showing aikido techniques with various ukes.

It is possible to play a video and attempt to mirror Sensei's movements, stopping and replaying as needed. However, some experience with a partner's connection and energy would be needed (at least for me) to properly "imagine" the feel/weight/motion of a technique. The falling part of ukemi could also be practiced solo, although as you are learning something new, it might be wise to have someone nearby in case of injury...

Good luck in your journey!
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Old 02-17-2012, 03:16 PM   #15
Keith Larman
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Well, as you can tell a lot depends on what you mean by "learning" or "training in" aikido as well as some idea as to what aikido *really* is. If we confine it to the movements and flowing and stuff like that, sure, I suppose you could watch videos, do the movements "in your head" (I can see the book now -- The Inner game of Aikido) and so forth. Then there is the entire discussion about aiki within the body. That is something else that can be trained in private. But... Absent feedback, training, experience, and then someone to "try it on", I'm not sure how far you'll get. Too many variables here.

I will say at this point in my own training I find much of my important training to be at home alone. I have all sorts of exercises I'm working on. I have time with my suburito. And I have these great rubbing tubing exercise things with handles that I spend a great deal of time on trying to stress my ability to get and maintain my internal structure. Great tool for that. But in the end I still get in to the dojo, teach a class, then also take classes when I can so I can try to use these things with attackers who have their own idea as to what I can do... And I've got all those hours I've put in over the years already under my belt. So... Your mileage may vary...

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Old 02-17-2012, 03:53 PM   #16
hughrbeyer
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

If I knew I were moving somewhere without a dojo, or was somewhere without a dojo, I'd:

1. Find some teacher willing to show me some basic solo practice. Ki society has solo exercises; so does tomiki. The aikikai and ASU, so far as I'm aware, focus less on this.
2. Bust my way into a seminar by one of the IS folks. That probably means international travel for you, but Dan, Mike, and I think Howard have all been to Hawaii. Do it.
3. Find a competent sword teacher to walk me through basic suburi.

Then do all the solo practice those people gave me until my brains ran out my ears. Ideally, get back to teachers 1, 2, or 3 every six months to get checked up and given the next set of things to work on.

Not even that bad a program, really.
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Old 02-17-2012, 05:31 PM   #17
elacueva
 
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Good day sensei's.. reading the advice you post, its really mean i have no choice but get back in the dojo and that only be the great help.. hmm the solo training i talk and base on what advice that senseis post, it is impossible to me, because i only get a year in training and a novice also..

Best wishes! Thank you senseis

zero
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Old 02-17-2012, 07:07 PM   #18
Basia Halliop
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Personally, if I was moving somewhere without an aikido dojo or at least an interested human to informally practice with, I would

a) find a way to move somewhere else

or

b) find something else to do during the time I'm living there, until I was able to move somewhere more sensible. Maybe try another martial art, maybe start rock climbing 4-5 days a week instead of once a week, maybe something else entirely that also interests me and is physically active. Meanwhile try to figure out how to get back to civilization.

To me, trying to train primarily by myself would not be something that would even interest me enough to bother. But to each his own.
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Old 02-18-2012, 01:28 PM   #19
NekVTAikido
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Consider a meditation practice, or Chi kung practice, or yoga, or Argentine tango. Anything that helps you "synchronize body and mind", or practice becoming more minutely aware of your posture, breathing, relationship of the various parts of your body to the other parts, etc - will help you develop skills that are applicable in Aikido. It's not a substitute, but can certainly help speed your progress in Aikido once you are able to get back to it. And will likely provide many similar side-effects to the things you mentioned in your original post. At least - this has been true for me.
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Old 02-29-2012, 03:04 PM   #20
Alberto_Italiano
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

Quote:
Emmanuel Lacueva wrote: View Post
Hello everyone! good day to all of you! apologize first for my grammar because i am not good at in English.

I am novice in training Aikido, actually i get a year for training but due to insufficient income of mine i have to stop training. There are so many things that change of me after i stop training at the dojo, my confidential is slowly fading, my concentration of things become weak, my awareness become low, my thinking capability become in blur like i didn't train as an Aikidoist. Is this is the side effect of if you stop training? i am aware of this Senseis and Sempais, i am thinking that i must ask for the more experience than i for surpassing this for some advice that i can do?

when i start training, after realizing that i am growing little by little, my mind and thinking capability is in the state of a convenient order. But when stop training its also slowly fading! How do i Maintain this capabilities that i already acquired ? hopefully Sensei and Sempai give some little advice of me.. thank you! wishing a good day!
The answer is no and yes.
If you mean learnig aikido without training with real human beings, the answer is almost certainly no.

If instead you mean how you may integrate your dojo training with either solo training or how to deal with a vacation mode doing some "homework", then the answer is yes.

It is yes only in that case, and it is so because all martial arts are based, actually, on katas. There are katas also in aikido, though it is regrettable that not enough emphasize is put on them in Aikido, or at least not usually.

If then katas are not enough for you (and with Aikido they may not be enough, and this may account for the fact they're not very emphasized in Aikido), because you feel Aikido is essentially a contact activity (it is not like boxing where you can punch a variety of bags), then you can still practice solo if you are a bit inventive. But the caveats remain, this applies only if you're looking for an integration, because no one can learn aikido without ever training with actual ukes.

In case you may want to incorporate some solo training, and yet you feel the need of some contact, I have devised for myself a setting - I have no idea if this may work for you, however it works for me and it improved a lot my nonetheless modest capabilities when dealing with an actual uke. The setting I am using is the following, without any claim it may be useful for you - however it is for me so who knows (skip all the blabbers - go midway and it gives to you a feel of how that solo training could be done - even better turn audio off, my Italian accent does not help...):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZXeP0OPyn0 (from minute 5.35 onward is the part you may have interest in, if any)
If then you want to see more solo training with that setting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5woFlsJq-tQ (about from minute 6.00)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73X2rXqBEwk (arguably from 7.30)

If you cannot train in a dojo anymore and yet you feel like you don't want to lose entirely what you have learned, that's a way not to lose everything at least.
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Old 03-01-2012, 10:11 AM   #21
elacueva
 
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Re: Is it possible to train Aikido by my self?

WOW!! Thank you sensei's for this inspirational post of yours, its help me alot. Now i am maintaining my mind and body coordination and its feels like even little by little, I am improving, and its good to feel this way.

Best wishes! Thank you senseis

Last edited by elacueva : 03-01-2012 at 10:20 AM.

zero
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