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 > Training

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 03-25-2007, 05:47 PM   #1
Brian22
 
Brian22's Avatar
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 13
Offline
Post Aikido Free Mat Time

I was just wondering if any of you have a chance to work on your aikido outside of class. If so has this mat time helped you to improve your aikido? I have only practiced for 3 years in an Aikikai dojo and feel that I am could use more unstructured mat time. Does any one know if this is a common practice in dojos, or if Osensei allowed this at his dojo? I want to get more from aikido and feel that solo practice just isn't getting me there. Any advice would help.



  Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2007, 09:45 PM   #2
gstevens
 
gstevens's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido Of Berkeley
Location: Alameda
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 47
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

Sunday mornings for 3 hours at our dojo is open training. Bring a partner and train or pick one up when you get there.

Guy
:-)
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2007, 12:09 AM   #3
tarik
 
tarik's Avatar
Dojo: Iwae Dojo
Location: Boulder Creek, CA
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 568
United_States
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

Quote:
Brian Rozell wrote: View Post
I was just wondering if any of you have a chance to work on your aikido outside of class. If so has this mat time helped you to improve your aikido?
IMO, it's the only way to make any real progress in your training, particularly if the class is structured as is the all too typical : demo, practice. Demo new technique, practice. etc..

Quote:
I have only practiced for 3 years in an Aikikai dojo and feel that I am could use more unstructured mat time.
Do it.

Quote:
Does any one know if this is a common practice in dojos, or if Osensei allowed this at his dojo?
It is a common practice in many dojo. I'm curious why it matters whether O-sensei allowed it? Certainly he reputedly did a LOT of solo training, so I can't imagine why he wouldn't (or why it would matter).

Tarik Ghbeish
Jiyūshin-ryū AikiBudō - Iwae Dojo

MASAKATSU AGATSU -- "The true victory of self-mastery."
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2007, 05:42 AM   #4
Karen Wolek
Dojo: Kingston Aikido
Location: New York
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 322
United_States
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

We can practice on our own before class, in between classes, after class (anytime the dojo is open)....or if you have the keys (like I do), anytime you want. So lots of times people set up practice with a partner on their own, usually for test practice or ukemi practice or whatever they want to work on outside of class.

Karen
"Try not. Do...or do not. There is no try." - Master Yoda
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2007, 06:50 AM   #5
Eric Webber
Dojo: Aikido West Reading
Location: Reading, Pa
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 261
United_States
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

I typically tell students at our dojo that it is their responsibility to grab another student, usually a senior, and work before and after class and practice on their own.

I think there is a difference between learning and practice, and both are important in improving a skill. Sometimes scheduled clsses are practices with a teacher monitoring, but most of my classes are principles being presented which need to be practiced further outside of the structure between bowing in and bowing out.

I think that the students who improve the most are the ones who take personal resposibility for their learning and training and seek opportunities outside the realm of structured classes to learn as well as in the classes.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2007, 07:15 AM   #6
mrfeldmeyer
 
mrfeldmeyer's Avatar
Dojo: Jiyushinkan
Location: Seattle, WA
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 42
United_States
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

Our dojo instructor is usually busy enough during the week, that we can only have structured practice two days a week. After receiving a key to the dojo, I have looked for any option I could to go out an have some open mat time. Mostly I'll just call one of the other members and ask them to meet me there for a couple hours. If I can't find anyone, I will go out and work on some Iaido and some solo Aikido exercises. I believe I learn more while the instructor is there and able to give me advice, but training of any kind is valuable.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2007, 07:32 AM   #7
justin
Location: swansea wales
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 250
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

I would be lost without my private practice, I can only manage one private session a week due to work commitments, this week I have been working on my over the top ukemi as I felt this needed some work as we don't have a lot of time to work on it in class, I often find that it is handy to tell your instructor what you have been working on just for him to give your practice a quick once over to make sure your not building in any bad habits so they can be corrected before they stick.

Good luck happy training.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2007, 12:19 PM   #8
shidoin
Dojo: Aikibuken
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 48
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

I try to get private instruction after class to learn more advance techniques, and to work on my Aikido when resistance is applied.
Also my 12 year old son will be joining Aikido soon and we go through some basic techniques at home often. I like doing kokyu on him because he has no idea of compliance. So either I do it right and it works or I do it wrong and I look bad.

Matt
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2007, 09:22 PM   #9
Brian22
 
Brian22's Avatar
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 13
Offline
Thumbs up Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

I am glad to see that this is a common practice. One of the reasons that I wanted to know if O-Sensei practiced this way was because he obviously attained a great level of skill and his philosophies on training are important to the way we practice aikido. Do you recommend any two person drills that will help with timing, flowing with a resistant Uke, stepping off the line, ect. When I wrestled there were maybe 6 or 7 drills that, when practiced correctly, made the techniques more of a reaction than a thought out response . This is my real goal for free mat time.

Last edited by Brian22 : 03-26-2007 at 09:22 PM. Reason: spacing
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-27-2007, 09:51 AM   #10
shidoin
Dojo: Aikibuken
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 48
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

taisabaki can always be practiced. If you want to make the training a bit more realistic have uke put some gloves on and throw punches at you. try to evade his strikes.

I'm sure there are some instructors on the board that can give more detailed advice.

Matt
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-27-2007, 02:39 PM   #11
Largo
Dojo: Aikikai Dobunkan/ Icho Ryu Aikijujutsu
Location: Indiana
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 247
United_States
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

Mat free training is some of the best training I've ever had. I would hope everyone would do it.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-27-2007, 02:59 PM   #12
Jill N
Dojo: K-W Ki Aikido (Kitchener, Ont)
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 119
Canada
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

We have open practice at our dojo for 2 hours on the weekend, and approx 1/2 hour each class (classes are 2 hours long)

e ya later
Jill.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-27-2007, 03:35 PM   #13
Eric Webber
Dojo: Aikido West Reading
Location: Reading, Pa
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 261
United_States
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

Quote:
Brian Rozell wrote: View Post
I am glad to see that this is a common practice. One of the reasons that I wanted to know if O-Sensei practiced this way was because he obviously attained a great level of skill and his philosophies on training are important to the way we practice aikido. Do you recommend any two person drills that will help with timing, flowing with a resistant Uke, stepping off the line, ect. When I wrestled there were maybe 6 or 7 drills that, when practiced correctly, made the techniques more of a reaction than a thought out response . This is my real goal for free mat time.
I recommend a simple irimi exercise: Have a partner strike shomenuchi, either empty hand or with a weapon. Practice your irimi movement, adjusting attack speed and your patience in moving to your skill level. Move in and turn your hips to face the same direction as your partner, lightly touching the attacking arm and the neck of uke (begin to take his/her balance after you start getting the movement down). Same thing can be done with munetsuki, and modified to work with yokomenuchi. After some time start to adjust the exercise and move to the inside of uke rather than just the outside. Can't ever do too much irimi practice.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2007, 06:35 PM   #14
Brian22
 
Brian22's Avatar
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 13
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

I worked on the irimi techniques today, but with more movement than I noramlly do in a formal class. This practice helped me to discover a great deal about this seemingly simple irimi step and the positioning that it creates with Uke. This will definitely brings greater fluidity to my future practice sessions.
Other than balance, posture and breathing (which I would also like exercises to help me improve upon), it seems that there are about four concepts that reign supreme in aikido, conection, distancing, entering, and timing. Although physical strength and conditioning are not on this list, these seem like a resonable outcome of rigorous practice.
What do you recommend? What do feel is your strong point in your aikido practice, and why? What has made the real difference in your practice and enjoyment of aikido?
I would like this post to grow into a series of best practices from devoted aikidoka.

Thank you for your help on my path to maturity in this incredible art.


Last edited by Brian22 : 03-31-2007 at 06:35 PM. Reason: spacing
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2007, 12:12 PM   #15
jennyvanwest
 
jennyvanwest's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido of ME
Location: Maine
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 61
United_States
Offline
Re: Aikido Free Mat Time

we have this sunday afternoons and I've been a couple times, and it's been excellent in addition to class. a great opportunity to work on specific things or just run through a bunch of stuff to work on fluency or try a different way of doing a technique. i'm also new so it's been interesting to feel the sense of ownership of what I'm doing...aikido can happen outside of class.
  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
Why do some people hate Aikido? Guilty Spark General 611 01-16-2017 09:13 AM
What exactly is an independent dojo? David Yap General 64 11-14-2011 02:05 PM
Women and Everybody Else in Aikido George S. Ledyard Teaching 113 03-16-2008 07:27 PM
For Ted Ehara - Boundary of your aikido? billybob General 123 12-18-2006 04:52 AM
Aikido minus mysticism: a step forward Red Beetle General 358 10-10-2006 11:43 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:03 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