Training At Home

I hae begun to make it a regular thing, that I train at home for a few minutes on the days that I don't go to the dojo. This way, there is never a day when I don't do something Aikido related. I practice all the warmups (tenkans and a lot of syundo) and breathing excercises. Then I practice different techniques (throws, etc...) as if there was someone training with me, like in the dojo. I do this for about 30 minutes.

Does anyone else do this kinda stuff at home on off-days?

Chris

I do it in my mind all of the time. I walk down the hall way at work, and my hand makes little gestures, and sometimes people think I'm waiving to them. They probably think I'm crazy and I really can't blame them.

Mostly randori with bat wielding neighborhood kids.
Just watch out for the real short ones.

Since I spend so much time commuting by train, I often close my eyes and visualize doing different movements with a partner. I also meditate on the moves -- sometimes I come to realizations like, "So THAT'S why I should begin with my left foot on that particular move" and so forth. I believe visualization really helps me. ("See it, do it")

Beside ashi-sabaki (footwork), tai-sabaki (body turning: irimi-tenkan, tenkan-ho), and skipping rope, look at the column I submitted this month on mental rehearsal.

It's been taught by many of the most respected sensei's/couches/teachers that visualization is a VERY important part of any training program. If you don't have a partner to train with then imagining a partner is the next best thing. Training of any kind is always better then not at all. That's what Kata in Karate of Kung-Fu forms are all about. Doing the techniques are only half the exercise, picturing your opponent is the other.
I train this way all the time, and even visualize myself training before I go to sleep at night.

I'm in the process of building a dojo in the new second story of my house. I have a few friends who do other martial arts, so having an uke is not a problem. It is good to be able to visualize and train alone, though. I don't know if anyone else takes the spiritual side of Aikido seriously, but I also tend to meditate if I've been training for a while and I'm tired (sensei does the same). It might seem weird to some people, but it really helps

Nick Dow wrote: It's been taught by many of the most respected sensei's/couches/teachers that visualization is a VERY important part of any training program. If you don't have a partner to train with then imagining a partner is the next best thing. Training of any kind is always better then not at all. That's what Kata in Karate of Kung-Fu forms are all about. Doing the techniques are only half the exercise, picturing your opponent is the other. I train this way all the time, and even visualize myself training before I go to sleep at night.

I didn't know couches knew what visualization was

James Matarrese wrote: I don't know if anyone else takes the spiritual side of Aikido seriously...

Nope, just you

Bronson

I have been away form my original dojo for quite some time and since then have been unable to find a dojo to maintain practice. So I have studied at home working a lot on form and balance. Meditation also helps with Ki. I also have twin boys that have studied for some time and they are willing (from time to time) to assist by taking falls and throwing as well. My breathing has been a big practice for me lately ( very important for the Ki).

Definitely do a lot of training at home. Simple things like sword cuts or going through the weapons kata. Sometimes I do work on the basic movements, just running them through my head. The other thing I do is when walking through crowds is to think about keeping centered and rotating through the crowd like tenkan etc - keep moving but flowing in and around other's movements.

I practice at home sometimes. I just have an imaginary uke, and throw him! I also recently got a double end punching bag, which is good for punching(obviously) slips, and irimi. visalization is also a good idea that i will try tonight