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07-23-2007, 12:32 PM
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#1
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Location: kansas
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 22
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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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07-23-2007, 12:38 PM
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#2
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Dojo: Taikyoku Budo & Kiko - NY, PA, MD
Location: Greater Philadelphia Area
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,000
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.
Once you start don't ever stop.
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07-23-2007, 01:31 PM
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#3
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Dojo: Whitefriar Dojo Dublin
Location: Dublin
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 5
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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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07-23-2007, 01:39 PM
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#4
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Location: swansea wales
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 250
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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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07-23-2007, 04:11 PM
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#5
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Location: Florida Gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,902
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.
Welcome to origami with people.
Relax, breathe, and enjoy.
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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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07-23-2007, 04:43 PM
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#6
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Dojo: Yoshin-ji Aikido of Marshall
Location: Wisconsin
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,224
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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
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- Right combination works wonders -
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07-23-2007, 05:56 PM
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#7
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Location: Left Coast
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 4,339
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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! :-)
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Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
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07-23-2007, 07:44 PM
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#8
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Location: Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,202
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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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07-24-2007, 12:41 AM
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#9
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Dojo: Karcag Aikido Club
Location: Karcag
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 750
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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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07-24-2007, 12:52 AM
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#10
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Dojo: Karcag Aikido Club
Location: Karcag
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 750
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.
Quote:
Janet Rosen wrote:
Be prepared to feel like an idiot and to think you must look like an idiot! ... but hopefully, a HAPPY idiot! :-)
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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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07-24-2007, 02:29 AM
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#11
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 23
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.
Quote:
Budd Yuhasz wrote:
Once you start don't ever stop.
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^^ 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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07-24-2007, 04:03 PM
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#12
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Location: kansas
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 22
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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:
^^ 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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07-25-2007, 06:28 PM
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#13
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Dojo: Makotokan Budo
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 8
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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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07-26-2007, 02:04 AM
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#14
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Dojo: York Shodokan Aikido
Location: York, United Kingdom.
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 406
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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.
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07-29-2007, 03:28 PM
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#15
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 7
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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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07-29-2007, 04:41 PM
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#16
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 160
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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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08-03-2007, 05:47 PM
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#17
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 534
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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.
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A secret of internal strength?:
"Let your weight from the crotch area BE in his hands."
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08-03-2007, 07:34 PM
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#18
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 768
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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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08-04-2007, 07:22 AM
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#19
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Dojo: Manila Aikido Club
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 32
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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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08-04-2007, 07:32 AM
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#20
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Dojo: Kokikai Aikido Boston
Location: Boston
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 121
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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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08-06-2007, 09:35 AM
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#21
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Dojo: Iwae Dojo
Location: Boulder Creek, CA
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 568
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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."
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Tarik Ghbeish
Jiyūshin-ryū AikiBudō - Iwae Dojo
MASAKATSU AGATSU -- "The true victory of self-mastery."
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08-06-2007, 12:46 PM
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#22
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Dojo: Oregon Ki Society
Location: Tigard, Oregon
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 269
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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.
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Plus Ki
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08-06-2007, 02:21 PM
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#23
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Dojo: Doshinkan dojo in Roxborough, Pa
Location: Phila. Pa
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,615
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Re: Starting Aikido, any tips hints or other types of advice.
Fall down seven times, get up eight.
Best,
Ron
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Ron Tisdale
-----------------------
"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind."
St. Bonaventure (ca. 1221-1274)
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08-06-2007, 03:05 PM
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#24
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Dojo: Aikido of Fresno
Location: Fresno , CA
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,646
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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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08-06-2007, 07:45 PM
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#25
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Location: OKC, OK
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 28
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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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