Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > General

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 05-29-2002, 12:21 AM   #1
Chris Wells
 
Chris Wells's Avatar
Dojo: Capital City Aikido
Location: Montgomery, Alabama
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 18
Offline
Goal setting?

I am a newbie to aikido and i have been told to set a real high goal i should aim for. The question is how high should i set it?

Shihan? Shidoin? im not sure how high is to high

Shodan is the one that i feel i should set my goal at but i dont know if that is high enough.

Christopher R. Wells
Capital City Aikido - Montgomery, Al
http://www.capitalcityaikido.com
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2002, 12:38 AM   #2
batemanb
 
batemanb's Avatar
Dojo: Seibukan Aikido UK
Location: body in UK, heart still in Japan
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,031
Offline
I think the goal you should set yourself is not a belt, rank or teaching level. You should set yourself the goal of being able to do any and every technique perfectly, from any attack.

Just a start anyways

And, more goals than Sweden on Sunday

Last edited by batemanb : 05-29-2002 at 12:47 AM.

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2002, 12:44 AM   #3
batemanb
 
batemanb's Avatar
Dojo: Seibukan Aikido UK
Location: body in UK, heart still in Japan
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,031
Offline
Actually

The goal I would set is to keep an open mind and always look for something new (within the realm of aiki practice), and to keep training as long as I enjoy it.

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2002, 12:56 AM   #4
Chris Li
 
Chris Li's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido Sangenkai
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,313
United_States
Offline
Re: Goal setting?

Quote:
Originally posted by Chris Wells
I am a newbie to aikido and i have been told to set a real high goal i should aim for. The question is how high should i set it?

Shihan? Shidoin? im not sure how high is to high

Shodan is the one that i feel i should set my goal at but i dont know if that is high enough.
Like anything else, I think that you should choose something that's high enough to challenge, but not so high that it's unrealistic (and you'll get discouraged) or too easy that you get bored (and quit).

For example, I run - if I set my goal at 200 miles a week it's likely that I'd get frustrated and quit because it's an unrealistic goal. OTOH, if I set the goal at 1 mile a week it's likely that I'll get bored and not continue because the regime is too light for me.

So I set a goal that I can achieve with difficulty, but makes me work, and one that is not so hard that I won't be able to achieve it if I work hard.

A hint, once you set a goal try to never back down from that goal. Back down once and it just gets easier to back down the next time. That's why choosing a goal of an appropriate level is important.

I often set myself a goal of studying a particular thing - for example, a certain kind of footwork, for a period of time. 6 months, a year, whatever's appropriate.

Best,

Chris

  Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2002, 03:08 AM   #5
Chris Wells
 
Chris Wells's Avatar
Dojo: Capital City Aikido
Location: Montgomery, Alabama
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 18
Offline
goals

Im not really interested in rank right now anyway. I just want to consume as much knowledge as i can about aikido. Rank will come when the time is right.

My goal could be to never miss class
But then again i wouldnt miss it to begin with.

I do feel that some type of goal should be set but confusion sets in when i try and set it. batemanb what you say seems like the best thing, i will go with that.

thanks for the replys

Christopher R. Wells
Capital City Aikido - Montgomery, Al
http://www.capitalcityaikido.com
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2002, 05:37 AM   #6
IrimiTom
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 63
Offline
The other day, I mentally set a time for reaching shodan, that is, I'd like to reach shodan by a certain age. Does anyone think this is shifting to a goal mentality, focusing on the destination too much instead of on the road? I mean I don't think shodan equals mastery or anything like that, but I still think it's a turning point, especially if one starts teaching then.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2002, 05:50 AM   #7
Greg Jennings
Dojo: S&G BJJ
Location: Springboro, OH
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,132
United_States
Offline
Hi Chris,

In light of what I see in class, my advice for a goal would be to improve your forward rolls such that you aren't letting your rolling arm collapse.

Best Regards,

Greg Jennings
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2002, 08:37 AM   #8
SeiserL
 
SeiserL's Avatar
Location: Florida Gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,902
United_States
Offline
There is an old story about a student approaching a sword master. He asked how long it would take him to master the technique. The master said 5 years. And if he trained everyday, 7 years. And if he trained all day everyday, 10 years. The master explained that to keep you eye only on the future goal leaves little to pay attention to the training and lesson of the day.

Sport psychology stresses the best results from setting a goal that will give you a direction, but to get process (training) oriented so you enjoy the training and keep training. Example is to pay attention to the ball not the scoreboard.

In recover we talk about "one day at a time."

IMHO (and expereince) enjoying the training has kept me in the martial arts for over 30 years and brings me rank whether I want it ot not.

Relax, breathe, and enjoy yourself.

Until again,

Lynn
Nidan Tenshinkai Aikido
Lucaylucay Kali JKD

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!
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2002, 09:40 AM   #9
tedehara
 
tedehara's Avatar
Dojo: Evanston Ki-Aikido
Location: Evanston IL
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 826
Offline
Thumbs down Re: Goal setting?

Why don't you just set the goal of completely mastering Aikido? Of course mastery would depend on your view of yourself. Wearing any black belt doesn't mean you've achieved a mastery of Aikido. It reflects others views of you, not your view of yourself.

Many times people achieve shodan rank and quit because they feel they have mastered a martial art. Actually shodan means you've achieved a certain understanding of the basics, you know where the hands and feet are suppose to go. After shodan, you can begin to actually learn Aikido!

For IrimiTom
If you want to teach, Teach! Volunteer to warm-up the class or substitute for someone else. Start looking at your instructors as teachers. How do they make conscious the unconscious motions of aikido? Do they verbalize, demonstrate? Do they use humor or drama to impress their students? In any given technique are there common mistakes that they recognize? Do your instructors have a class plan? What are the differences between teachers and the way they instruct? How can you use mistakes to encourage students?

Just like you don't need a black belt to achieve mastery in Aikido, you also don't need it to instruct.

It is not practice that makes perfect, it is correct practice that makes perfect.
About Ki
About You
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2002, 07:06 PM   #10
PeterR
 
PeterR's Avatar
Dojo: Shodokan Honbu (Osaka)
Location: Himeji, Japan
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,319
Japan
Offline
I've said it before but setting goals is one of the main benefits of the kyu/dan system. As you progress, external goals become far less important, and what do you know the time between gradings become less. In other words going for rank, at least initially, is not so terrible.

Setting goals like making x number of classes a week is also a very good way to go.

Short term, achievable goals is everything. The long term goals will eventually fall into place.

Peter Rehse Shodokan Aikido
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2002, 04:01 AM   #11
gi_grrl
Dojo: Institute of Aikido Australia
Location: Perth
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 48
Australia
Offline
Quote:
Originally posted by PeterR
I've said it before but setting goals is one of the main benefits of the kyu/dan system. As you progress, external goals become far less important, and what do you know the time between gradings become less. In other words going for rank, at least initially, is not so terrible.

Setting goals like making x number of classes a week is also a very good way to go.

Short term, achievable goals is everything. The long term goals will eventually fall into place.
Funnily enough....

When I started aikido (after a little while to decide that I thought it was worth learning), I set myself the goal of achieving shodan. When training was difficult, when I felt tired, sore or grumpy, I set myself the goal of turning up and training to the best of my ability. Now, as I near my shodan grading, I feel a huge sense of achievement...but passing the grading isn't my goal anymore.

My goal has morphed into wanting to continue training, to keep improving, to enjoy myself and to help my fellow classmates to do the same.

But at least I won't have to buy any new belts for a while

Fi.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2002, 07:02 AM   #12
warriorwoman
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 50
Offline
goal setting

If you set a long term goal such as Shodan, or "complete mastery", whatever that means, you should try to set short term goals that will lead to that larger, distant goal. And these should be directly related to individual skills. By continuing to set these interim goals, one by one, you will accomplish several things:
1. You'll be taking responsibility for your own progress.
2. You'll feel as though you have more direction (something you're working toward).
3. You'll probably find other, more intrinsic rewards to your training than advancement in rank.
4. Your focus will be less on rank and more on how YOU are progressing in skill attainment.
Be sure not compare yourself too much with others in the class. You are beginning with the experience and abilities and lack thereof that are unique to you. You will also reach plateaus in your training, so certain skills may come easily and quickly and others will elude you. Don't get discouraged. Stay focused on the process and not on the end goal. Good luck to you!
janet dtantirojanarat
www.warriorwoman.org

janet dtantirojanarat
www.warriorwoman.org
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2002, 09:46 AM   #13
janet
Dojo: City Aikido
Location: Northern California
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 18
Offline
Wink

Quote:
Originally posted by IrimiTom
The other day, I mentally set a time for reaching shodan, that is, I'd like to reach shodan by a certain age. Does anyone think this is shifting to a goal mentality, focusing on the destination too much instead of on the road?
I smiled when I read this. When I started training at age 41, I did some math and figured shodan would be a lovely 50th birthday present to myself
Well, life intervened in the form of things like being a slow learner, losing 18 months due to injury, etc. Now I joke that I'll be able to pay for my shodan testing fees with my first social security check!
But along the way I've picked up some different goals:
learning to be present, sincere and connected with my partner
moving with good relaxed body mechanics every moment
keeping some of these things when I walk out the dojo door

Anyhow, I don't think there is anything "wrong" with having a goal like yours in the back of your head as a long-term focus, so long as the desire is not for the belt but for the abilities and growth that it symbolizes.

janet
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Poll: How important a goal in your aikido training is the notion of defending yourself while minimiz AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 37 04-19-2006 05:11 PM
Poll: How important a goal do you feel is the "aikido" notion of defending yourself while minimizing or negating damage done to your attacker? AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 22 10-12-2005 05:11 PM
Poll: How realistic a goal do you feel is the "aikido" notion of defending yourself while minimizing or negating damage done to your attacker? AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 26 05-16-2005 05:12 AM
Setting personal goals drDalek General 15 07-03-2003 02:30 PM
Setting up a Training Journal akiy Training/Teaching Journals 0 10-11-2002 09:27 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:08 AM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate