Help I am in a bad Aikido slump!

I have been training for about 6 years in Aikido, but lately I am finding that I am not able to relax enough as i should be, I don't know as much as I think I should and my technique is not clean.

I remember being alot more efficient only half a year ago.

I have been focusing alot on my taekwondo training as well lately(Which is offered by the same teacher and school) as well and wonder if this is making negative effects on my Aikido for as far as the relax part goes. I kept thinking I am relaxed but I have one senior who constantly tells me I am not and that I am under taekwondo mentality, no mater how much I think I am actually starting to get offended by it.

I am messed up, and I am thinking maybe it is from not being able to separate the two mentality's as Aikido always directly follows Taekwondo class. I never seemed to have this problem when I was doing Tai Chi and Aikido at the same time, however I also was not as senior and may not have noticed.

I practice every day and night, but lately I have noticed so much isn't right, although I am still learning I just don't think I am at where I should be anymore, and it's frustrating me.

Have you spent much time at seminars with people who only train in aikido? Maybe go to a few seminars of some well known teachers and see what your interaction on the mat is like with their students.

Best,
Ron

have one senior who constantly tells me I am not and that I am under taekwondo mentality

just to check here, does your instructor observe the same problems, or is it just this particular senior student? If the latter, I'd be looking at a different source of the "problem".

Otherwise, welcome to the wonderful wacky world of aikido (wwwa - trademark pending) where you never get it right no matter how long you do it and your next new impossible problem is just round the dojo (I call mine Ted to keep it personal). Hey, look at the good side, at least you've something nice and positive to work on and Rons given you a nice excuse to go out and throw new people.

Andrew Mendes wrote: I don't know as much as I think I should and my technique is not clean.

I've been training for about eight years, and I don't know everything. Also, my technique will ALWAYS need work! This stuff isn't easy; if you can do it at all you're doing pretty good!

Andrew Mendes wrote: I remember being alot more efficient only half a year ago.

Me too.

Andrew Mendes wrote: I have been focusing alot on my taekwondo training as well lately(Which is offered by the same teacher and school) as well and wonder if this is making negative effects on my Aikido for as far as the relax part goes.

It's possible. I also cross train in TKD, and I'm a different guy when I spar. In TKD class the goal is to move fast, kick people a bunch, and not get kicked myself; in the Aikido class, I'm not competitive at all.

Maybe you're too concerned about failing to make uke fall? Don't worry about failure or "losing" during paired practice. Just blend with what you're given, and don't treat it like life and death.

Andrew Mendes wrote: I kept thinking I am relaxed but I have one senior who constantly tells me I am not and that I am under taekwondo mentality, no mater how much I think I am actually starting to get offended by it.

Don't get offended; he's just picking up on something that he thinks you're missing. If the guy knows so much, maybe you should ask him for help?

Andrew Mendes wrote: I am messed up, and I am thinking maybe it is from not being able to separate the two mentality's as Aikido always directly follows Taekwondo class. I never seemed to have this problem when I was doing Tai Chi and Aikido at the same time, however I also was not as senior and may not have noticed.

Maybe you could try making up a little ritual for yourself to cleanse your mind and empty your cup between classes. Maybe throw your shoes on, go outside and walk around a couple minutes, and come back to the dojo a new man?

Andrew Mendes wrote: I practice every day and night,

Dude, get some rest! Down time is just as important as class time! I've had some real epiphanies while driving, or just walking around. Quite a few times (especially in the early years) I'd look at a friend and say, "Hey. Could you grab my wrist?". Find a quiet corner and stop to think for a while.

Andrew Mendes wrote: but lately I have noticed so much isn't right, although I am still learning I just don't think I am at where I should be anymore, and it's frustrating me.

You are not alone in that! My sensei wants to test me, and I don't even feel like I'm my current rank! I teach class once a week, and I have to get over the fact that I don't "feel" like a teacher.

Don't worry so much about your progress, and just train for the other people in the dojo. Be there for their aikido to improve, and you might find that yours improved when you weren't looking!

Ah we are the only Aikido School for miles. Kinda in the middle of nowhere. But when I go out of town next time I will try another school too see how things work.

As for the every night, I probably should take some time off as I haven't taken time off in a couple years.

And the senior student who is saying that does not have anything against me and we are friends. It seems to be only two seniors that have voiced they noticed it and they have both been there about 12 years (Twice as long as me) so I belive thier word and thats how I know I have changed :-) .

You may be ready to learn at a new level.

Can't imagine tae kwando having a 'different mind' than aikido. Same body, same heart = same mind.
Tae Kwan Do is good stuff from what I have shared with friends.

Lighten up. Go sailing. Take a dance class with your girl; she'll love you for it.

Aikido will be here.

FWIW

dave

You might consider developing a specific activity to do during the break between classes, to clearly signal to yourself that they are supposed to be separate. Step outside and smell a flower, sit and meditate before the kamiza, wash your hands and face, whatever kind of personal ritual will help you change mindset. If you use the same ritual consistently it can become quite pyschologically effective.

Mary Kaye

you may just be going through a plateau - it's a sign of learning and assimilating new information., give it a few months and you'll be sailing again.

Dont' think too much about relaxing - the command "relax harder" is always hard to comply with. I found eventually my aikido got alot better when it directly followed BJJ - partially because I was so knackered - so maybe see if you up the intensity in tae kwon do which will force you to run on technique in Aikido.

Also be aware sometimes your training partners will see what they want to see. I think we've all had people who love to correct a particular problem in a technique with their partners - so much so that they'll try and do so even when that problem isn't particularly evident. I found when it started to get out that I did BJJ there were some people that would start talking about me not being in an aikido mindset and being too BJJ - even though my technique hadn't changed. It may be that this senior has a personal disagreement with the type of cross training you are doing so is actively looking for mistakes to pin on it. MTCW

Michael Fooks wrote: It may be that this senior has a personal disagreement with the type of cross training you are doing so is actively looking for mistakes to pin on it.

This was my thought as well. It's something I've seen a lot and heard of a lot by people I know who cross train. A lot of people seem to love to put the blame on crosstraining.

IMHO, perhaps you need to quit taking yourself and your training too seriously.
Relax, breath, and enjoy yourself.

Stop wasting your time and join a Brazilian jiujitsu club