Article: Aikido - What It Is and What It Isn't by George S. Ledyard

I thoroughly enjoyed your article Sensei Ledyard. It reaffirmed the struggles I have with relaxing and its importance in Aikido. I have had three shoulder injuries over 4 years and this doesn't help with relaxing as the intuitive response is to stay tense. Are there any particular exercises, stretches, strengthening to help with shoulder injuries and overall relaxation?

Thanks again for your insightful observations on the essence of Aikido.

- J

Jay Schwarb wrote: I thoroughly enjoyed your article Sensei Ledyard. It reaffirmed the struggles I have with relaxing and its importance in Aikido. I have had three shoulder injuries over 4 years and this doesn't help with relaxing as the intuitive response is to stay tense. Are there any particular exercises, stretches, strengthening to help with shoulder injuries and overall relaxation? Thanks again for your insightful observations on the essence of Aikido. - J

Actually, various stretches are good for preventing reinjury. I have also found that swimming is an excellent way to rehab a shoulder; it is non-impactive and works the entire range of motion.

I also think that gyrotonics would be excellent if you can find a trainer near you. Do a google on it and you'll find out what it's about.

And thanks for the positive comments!

Although I haven't trained with many shihan, I wanted to second the opinion that Kato Hiroshi Sensei is very impressive. I got to train with him a number of times around 1998-2000 when he would visit Houston (Shin-ki-kan dojo, I think, under Eric Calderon) for intensive daily training for about two weeks at a time. The classes were relatively small and there was plenty of opportunity for close interaction with him on and off the mat.

One of the outstanding features of his "system" is his heavy emphasis on weapons practice and its relation to empty-hand techniques and body movements. About the last 40% of each class was dedicated to weapons practice for all levels. He had a very developed system of kumitachi and kumijo excercises that related directly to open-hand techniques like ikkyo, nikkyo, etc.

He also taught about developing kokyu power and introduced multiple attacker excercises even to beginners--he really seemed to want to communicate the essentials that you described as being commonly neglected. (I remember one student commenting "This is only my third aikido class and I'm already being attacked by four guys with sticks!")