Training while very tired

Hi,

First of all, some background: I decided that I was not getting enough of a workout in my aikido training and started another, much more physical MA a year ago. We've been working on trying to be "soft" (i.e. non-opposition, uke not feeling any "strength" from you) for some time now, and it's been quite difficult.

Now I've discovered that if I go to my aikido training after doing this other art and being physically extenuated I flow very easily as I don't have much strength left. That's priceless with kokyunage and ikkyo, but I have to get really relaxed and do breathing exercises if I want to feel that same flowing when I'm "fresh".

Anybody else has experienced this? Have you been able to go automatically to a "relaxed" state? Any hints besides the usual "train, train, train" ?

Hey,

I also used to train in other MA whilst doing Aikido and found that sometimes I would not be in the correct stance or punch in a different way ect!

As for hints and tips I used to arrive about one hour before class and arrange the mats and do some before training and meditate beforehand and found this very helpful.

Maybe worth a try ...or not.

Just my 2 cents.

Tiyler_durden

Exhaustion is one way to produce relaxation. But, it can run the risk of not being safe for yourself or your training partner.

IMHO, learn to relax. Breath in and tense. Exhale and let go. As you let go, say the word "relax". After a while, the word gets associated as a trigger to the physical state of relaxation. Then go to the mat, look at your training partner, breath in and as you breath out say the word "relax".

I moved my Zazen practice to take place right before class, and I find that does the trick - I am very relaxed afterwards. Pretty easy to do, so I won't bore people with details - but for the curious, google it. In Aikido, we usually call it simply seiza, but that in fact is only the "on the knees" position of sitting.

Thanks for all the responses! Yes, well, as Tiyler says I used to have some problems with mixing the mindset (more than stances or techniques as in this case aikido=/capoeira), but I don't have those anymore.

Thanks for the info on the relaxing bit. That zazen thing sounds really interesting, something I can try to do to enhance my "ki breathing" exercises in the mornings. Now I also have to remember to do it before class.

FWIW, in addition to breathing, relaxing and centering before class, I find it helpful to do so during class. If I find my tension creeping into my chest and shoulders, and uke is coming in quickly between attacks, I will step back and motion to him to please wait, step back and deep breathe, sink my center, shake out my shoulders, etc, and then resume. Otherwise, I feel like I'm just reinforcing bad habits.....

its going to be interesting cuz in the summer im going be working from 7-4 and then attempting to do aikido everyday. So im going to be extremly tired while im at aikido i bet. I was wondering if it will promote a state of not thinking about the techs too much and just doing them. When u start thinking about things too much you tend u get hung up on details, which is good when refining techs but not while doing some freestyle hehe. Going to be an experiment.

Yup, I know just what you mean. My old karate sensei told us something similar. In karate, your power should (ideally) come from your center, not your arms or legs. However, it's hard to explain, and kind of hard to develop. So he had us go out to the university track and do laps of front kicks from basic front stance. The black belts could all do several laps, but the lower ranks (namely me) couldn't. The reason was that all my kicks were only using my leg muscles, which wore out quickly. However, if you use your stomach and abs as well, you have far more endurance/ power. But you don't really learn how to use them until you are exhausted and have no other alternative.

I would think, and this is most all of the time because, although I have not been diagnosed, I believe I have like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, cause I am always tired.


I would think with the exhaustion comes better focus, my 2 cents