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Old 12-29-2005, 12:16 PM   #1
Scott Josephus
Dojo: tokushinkan
Location: Forest Park (Near Chicago)
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Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

I'm assuming that this doesn't just apply to me; My Sensei (4th Dan) has a few points she regularly reiterates, but when you get down to it is just plain good advice/statements for making you think about things which apply to your Aikido. I was wondering if you had to say that there were a couple of points your Sensei regularly states that you have taken to heart, what would they be? Here are a few of the statements mine makes often:

Circles go both ways.

You must have awareness for your AIkido to be good. If you have great technique, but no awareness, your Aikido is no good.

Fluidity is more important than speed in a technique; speed will come in time.

In Aikido, we practice to control the situation, never to harm.

While you may go to the Dojo, ultimately you learn that the dojo is inside you.

And now, some of your Sensei's thoughts.

Onigai Shimasu!
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Old 12-29-2005, 12:35 PM   #2
charron
Dojo: Jiyushinkai
Location: The Colony, TX
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

My First Sensie - advised tha one should keep an open mind. If someone does a technique different that the way you are presently being taught how do do it. Do not automaticale brush it off as not being any good. He suggested that you should do your best to learn the different way, and then test it against your present way and see for yourself, which way works best for you. Then do it the way that works best for you.

My Present Sensie advises - Don't Quit and Don't Die!
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Old 12-29-2005, 12:44 PM   #3
BC
Location: Chicago, IL
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

"Move!"

Robert Cronin
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Old 12-29-2005, 01:52 PM   #4
crbateman
 
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

"Try the pork..."
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Old 12-29-2005, 02:17 PM   #5
bkedelen
 
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

Olson Sensei advised me that a good order of importance for your life is Family, then Training, then Work. I have built my life with these words.
Hoffmeister Sensei once said in circle that the purpose of Budo is not to get a a bigger sword or a better sword, but to get a better mind.
Another great piece of advice is to take a personal finance class Then you can pay your dojo dues.
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Old 12-29-2005, 02:35 PM   #6
Scott Josephus
Dojo: tokushinkan
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

Hey, I forgot to mention Rule #1 - Get Out Of The Way!
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Old 12-29-2005, 02:58 PM   #7
MaryKaye
Dojo: Seattle Ki Society
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

A seminar sensei: "As uke your job is to give a sincere attack, not take ukemi. The ukemi will take care of itself."

Regional head instructor: "You are trying to move him. Move yourself!"

Mary Kaye
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Old 12-29-2005, 03:17 PM   #8
justin
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

A seminar sensei said to me if your Aikido makes you feel uncomfortable or off balance your doing something wrong.

which i have used ever since he said it to me.
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Old 12-29-2005, 03:47 PM   #9
Devon Natario
 
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

Mitter Sensei "The path of knowledge never ends. A true martial artist will try to encapsulate as much knowledge they can to become better martial artists. This includes studying various arts. We have techniques (throwing, footwork, joint manipulations, groundfighting, etc) that make up Jujitsu, and you can add to these techniques, but Jujutsu will remain the same."

Collins Sensei "Relax!"

Derek Cleveland "Strike hard, strike fast. Close the distance and feel your opponent out. Each person is different. What makes a class A fighter is to learn how to adapt to them and overcome."

Devon Natario
Instructor
Northwest Jujitsu
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Old 12-29-2005, 04:34 PM   #10
p00kiethebear
 
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

"You'll never listen yourself into trouble"

"Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity"
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Old 12-29-2005, 04:39 PM   #11
Jorge Garcia
Dojo: Shudokan School of Aikido
Location: Houston
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

My first teacher Eddie Martinez once told us "Anything you can do slow, you can do fast so make sure you can do it slow first before you try doing it fast."
Rick Laue Sensei used to say,"Whatever you do stay on the mat. You aren't doing any of us any good when you're off the mat, so at all costs, through everything you go through that discourages you, stay on the mat!"

"It is the philosophy that gives meaning to the method of training."
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Old 12-29-2005, 05:16 PM   #12
Qatana
 
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

"So shut the window if you're cold"
However I suspect he also tells others "Open the window if you're hot".

Q
http://www.aikidopetaluma.com/
www.knot-working.com

"It is not wise to be incautious when confronting a little smiling bald man"'- Rule #1
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Old 12-29-2005, 06:46 PM   #13
Jeanne Shepard
 
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

GET OFF THE LINE!!!!!


Jeanne
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Old 12-29-2005, 06:53 PM   #14
Karen Wolek
Dojo: Kingston Aikido
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

From the very beginning:

"You're doing fine. Just keep coming."

I did.

Karen
"Try not. Do...or do not. There is no try." - Master Yoda
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Old 12-29-2005, 07:07 PM   #15
DH
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

Learn what it takes to stand up, and what not.
Move the water around while standing in a pool
feel whats going on... on the inside

Its just keeps getting better after that

Dan
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Old 12-29-2005, 07:30 PM   #16
Charles Cunningham
Dojo: University of Iowa Aikikai, Iowa City, IA
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

"When a good thing goes bad, you have to let it go." --Mits Yamashita

Charles
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Old 12-29-2005, 07:52 PM   #17
Josh Reyer
 
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

(On ukemi) "Imagine a basket of kittens being turned over."

Josh Reyer

The lyf so short, the crafte so longe to lerne,
Th'assay so harde, so sharpe the conquerynge...
- Chaucer
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Old 12-30-2005, 09:52 AM   #18
SmilingNage
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

Breath, otherwise you are going to pass out.

Dont make me, make you, grab my wrist.
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Old 12-30-2005, 10:22 AM   #19
ruthmc
Dojo: Wokingham Aikido
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

Ron Russell Sensei: "Don't ever say you are only a 6th kyu. You are 6th kyu, not only anything!" (Insert current rank and continue to follow sensei's advice )

Ruth
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Old 12-30-2005, 11:41 AM   #20
Scott Josephus
Dojo: tokushinkan
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

That's a great one . . . and something I think we don't consider too often . . . We EARNED or our rank. We are not handed it, and yet, when we are starting out, we tend to downplay our rank sometimes, because we are not as advanced as other students may be. My Sensei is also fond of saying, "We are all on the same road, it's just that some of us are further along it than others." I think that holds really true.
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Old 12-30-2005, 04:41 PM   #21
tony cameron
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

Training with Endo Sensei at a seminar in Seattle last year he said something along the lines of:. "Stop making fists so much, keep your palms open. When you make a fist, the Ki is truncated. with palms open the Ki shoots out infinitely through your fingers and palm." that kind of stuck with me for some reason.

of course, Endo Sensei had a translator and my memory isn't that great so hopefully i didn't completely butcher that quote

tony
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Old 12-30-2005, 05:45 PM   #22
Paula Lydon
Dojo: Aikido Shugenkai
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

Stop 'doing' things to uke...just enjoy their company in this shape...or that shape.

~~Paula~~
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Old 12-30-2005, 06:13 PM   #23
AikiSean!
 
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

"Becareful, do not hurt him/her. He/she has not signed up yet!"
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Old 12-30-2005, 06:29 PM   #24
crbateman
 
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

Quote:
Tony Cameron wrote:
Training with Endo Sensei at a seminar in Seattle last year he said something along the lines of:. "Stop making fists so much, keep your palms open. When you make a fist, the Ki is truncated. with palms open the Ki shoots out infinitely through your fingers and palm." that kind of stuck with me for some reason.

of course, Endo Sensei had a translator and my memory isn't that great so hopefully i didn't completely butcher that quote

tony
No, you got the point. In fact, many aikidoka from an early ki-oriented background will keep their index fingers extended even when grasping and/or throwing, because it signifies the extension of ki. I was taught that it made kind of a "ki fountain". Unfortunately, when I do it, I often end up with a jammed finger, a sprain, or poked in the eye with my own finger. Very embarrassing...
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Old 12-30-2005, 07:31 PM   #25
Qatana
 
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Re: Best Advice Your Sensei Ever Gave

on not holding fists: Funny, I gave a dancer the exact same advice about 25 years ago, before i'd ever heard of aikido. So I said energy, instead of ki, its the same thing, in My book.

on the pointed finger: I was at a seminar and saw Bob Nadeau Sensei bit nage's finger when it got pointed at him.
Just an observation.

Q
http://www.aikidopetaluma.com/
www.knot-working.com

"It is not wise to be incautious when confronting a little smiling bald man"'- Rule #1
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