Volume 3 Number 3, April/May 1997
Aikido Thoughts
by Alec Smith
I started Aikido in November of 1995. I feel that Aikido prepares me physically and mentally for the challenges of each day. The concentrating exercises that we do at the end of each class assist in preparing me mentally. I am learning to discipline my mental concentration no matter what distractions are around me. Physically, Aikido helps me to know how my body is moving and how to put my opponent off balance. Almost every move we do is based on that idea.
In Aikido, I enjoy learning self defense with Jo Kata. After a tough workout, game time is fun because we are trying to avoid the object being projected toward us. I really enjoy how Sensei Hege and Sensei McNeil guide us through a new move. I continue to enjoy being in Aikido and look forward to advancing to the next level, and eventually moving to the adult classes.
The Competitive Side of Aikido
by Melinda Rose
If you go to a Martial Arts tournament, you probably won’t see Aikido represented in any division - it is not a trophy sport. So how can Aikido be competitive?
Your competition in Aikido doesn’t come from the classmate sitting next to you in the lineup or even from the Uke you are currently throwing, it comes from within yourself - you are your own opponent.
You compete with yourself each time you attend class by working to strengthen your Ki, to roll a little straighter, to be a better Uke for your partner and to do each technique a little more effortlessly.
Practicing Aikido is not a contest with other classmates to see who is better or who knows more techniques. This “one-up-manship” wastes your time and energy in a mock competition where no prize is offered and you lose in the long run.
It is more important to use your class time to see where YOU need to improve and to concentrate on the subtle details that make a technique work. No one really cares if you have the best Shomenuchi defense in class, but it better work if you’re attacked on the street where your life may be at stake and no one is around to congratulate you on how great you looked performing it.
Worrying about whether the guy you started with will pass his next test before you is again a waste of your resources. It is self-defeating to concentrate on others’ progress and not your own. Again - you lose. Focus on yourself. Unless you’re a Grandmaster (and few are), there is always room for improvement.
Don’t criticize your partner because he/she doesn’t “get” something the first time - everyone learns at a different pace. Are you that perfect? Of course not! Help your partner by going a little slower or offering to take ukemi for them until they feel comfortable with a technique. You’ll “win” by getting a little more breakfalling or rolling practice as well as perfecting your attack execution.
Is Rank Testing a competition? Yes, it’s a competition within yourself. When you perform for the Testing Committee do you sweat bullets and shake like a leaf? Most people do, so before your next test, concentrate on why you are nervous. If you are secure in your knowledge of the testing requirements, you should not be concerned with others watching you. Show what you know! The Testing Committee is not a panel of judges to award your new belt as a trophy for the most points. Your test allows you to demonstrate how well you have progressed in your own efforts since the last time you presented yourself before them. Have you improved considerably or done just enough to get by? If you did not test well, a poor performance means that maybe you weren’t ready for your own tournament.
When receiving your new belt and rank, accept it humbly as a sign of your own growth, realizing that you still have a long way to go toward your next goal both mentally and physically. Comments from the Testing Committee should be gratefully acknowledged and used wisely - the information is invaluable.
Once again you “win” by gaining insight to your shortcomings. The competitive side of Aikido exists in everyone who steps onto the mat - will you use it in a positive or negative manner? It’s your choice.
Shiatsu Workshop, a Success
This was one of the most relaxing times at the Aikido Center. on Friday April 11th, 6:30 pm, Lucy Lustig, a Shiatsu teacher with the International School of Shiatsu was here to help us improve our skills in a different fashion. We worked until 9 pm rocking, pushing and pulling our way into bliss.
Saul Goodman, founder of the International School of Shiatsu says that shiatsu, traditionally translated, means finger or thumb pressure. This implies that the practitioner, by applying pressure to another person’s body, effects various responses and changes in the body’s functions. In actual practice a variety of pounding, stretching, rocking and manipulation techniques are used. Pressure may also be applied by use of the forearm, elbows, palms, feet and knees. After a shiatsu treatment the recipient may feel lighter, more balanced and enjoy a sense of calmness — the body functions more smoothly and you feel renewed.
As Aikidoka practicing a martial art, sometimes our bodies get tired, strained and sore. At these times we need to know how to revitalize our selves and Shiatsu is one form of this type of knowledge.
To learn how to tear a person apart is only one side of the martial arts. To be an excellent practitioner you must also know how to put the body back together. These are referred to as “healing arts”. This is what these workshops are about.
We are planning a second workshop with Lucy sometime in June, and an announcement will be made. If you couldn’t make the last workshop, plan on the upcoming session. The workshop is open to friends and family, so bring anyone who may be interested.
For those who are interested in having a treatment with Lucy, you may contact her by voice mail at 556-6794.
Training Without a Partner
by Michael Wolfe
Living so far from Charlotte, I am often forced to conduct my martial arts training alone, and therefore, I am always seeking innovative methods. Recently I discovered an interesting technique utilizing a telephone pole and a rope. I tied the rope to the pole leaving free a length of rope about equal to the reach of my arm. The rope should be tight enough not to fall down but loose enough to move around the pole. This rope now represents my partner’s arm while the pole is his/her body. In this fashion, I can slowly move through various Aikido moves with the pole and rope providing reference points. I found this particularly useful for Shiho-nage, Kokyu-nage and Ikkyo. Any splinters or rope burns you receive just add to the Shugyo. Happy training.
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