aikido success blueprint summary

AIKIDO SUCCESS BLUEPRINT

FAST-TRACK YOUR AIKIDO TRAINING SKILLS PLEASE NOTE

At the Aikido Health Centre, and throughout our web- pages, ebooks, and Harmony newsletter, our intention is to supply valuable, unique and original information and resourc es to help you take c ontrol of your own health and well- being. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or c ure any illness or dis- ease. Use of this knowledge with the professional advic e of your instruc tor, health c are advisor or doc tor is rec ommended for c omplete peac e of mind. Knowledge is Power and Ac tion is the Key to Y our Suc c ess. If you have any questions or c omments or want FREE email c ourses, monthly harmony ezine, ebooks, software, and more, just visit... http://www.aikido- health.c om or email tony@aikido- health.c om

INTRODUCTION Welc ome to Y our Ebook... 'Aikido Suc c ess Blueprint', it is written and presented by T ony J. Wilden from the Aikido Health Centre.

Y ou c an Fast- T rac k your Aikido skill levels by using these tips and tec hniques in your daily prac tic e. In this Ebook we will foc us on the key areas you will need to look at in order to ac hieve Aikido suc c ess. Here we give you an overview of the main subjec ts in the Aikido Suc c ess Blueprint. Of c ourse, we will also inc lude other important information, along the way, that you may need on your journey. It is important not to overlook these important steps otherwise you may spend weeks, months, or even years in unnec essary training patterns without gaining the valuable skills you want and need. T here are many pitfalls you will want to avoid, that c an bloc k your path to peak performanc e levels and exc ellent Aikido skills. In the 'Aikido Suc c ess Blueprint' we will foc us in depth on the following subjec ts...

How To Choose Your Aikido Instructor. Focus Your Mind on Aikido. Rem ove Ego from Aikido. Aikido Ukem i & Breakfalls. Learning Aikido Techniques. Analyzing Aikido Posture and Form . Aikido Pressure Points. Studying Aiki Principles. Aikido Life Lessons. Aikido Harm ony. Sum m ary.

T hese are the main areas we will be spotlighting in this Ebook, but many other important issues will also be c overed along the road, so stay tuned and buc kle up for a fasc inating ride!

SOME OF THE PITFALLS TO AVOID IN YOUR AIKIDO TRAINING T here are several areas that will reduc e the speed you c an learn the art of Aikido. Some of them c an bloc k your path c ompletely and stop you from ac hieving your ultimate goal. After all, the amount of effort to do it right is very similar to the amount of effort to do it wrong. If you want to fast- trac k your Aikido skills, then it is important to have a good level of health... see my Optimum Health Sec rets Ebook Collec tion for detailed info on the best ways to ac hieve powerful energy. Y our fitness levels should be above average to speed up your Aikido development proc ess. T his will inc lude your ability to truly relax, flexibility, stamina, speed, and strength. T hese c an all be vastly improved by regular and c orrec t exerc ise. I highly rec ommend... walking, swimming, c yc ling, jogging (rebounder), stretc hing, yoga, tai c hi, and of c ourse Aikido as exc ellent ways to prepare yourself for training.

If you do not have a good level of general health and fitness, then your Aikido training hours will not be foc used on improving your skill levels, and this will reduc e your ability to learn the tec hniques, postures and princ iples in a fast and effic ient manner. I will inform you about more of the pitfalls on your journey to Aikido Exc ellenc e throughout this Ebook.

STUDY THE ART OF AIKIDO BEFORE YOU BEGIN TRAINING In my opinion, if you have made a dec ision to begin an Aikido training program, then it is a good idea to make a study of the art, and all of the possible paths you c an take during your individual journey. Remember when c onsidering the style of Aikido, and Instruc tor you will train with, who you may be with for many years to c ome, it is very important to make an informed and right dec ision beforehand. If you do not c onsider these details properly you may find yourself with regrets later. T he following is a short overview of the possible paths you may dec ide to take on your Aikido journey... T he founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, taught many different ways of understanding Aikido during his lifetime. He began with a hard, powerful Aiki- Jujutsu style, and after many years developed the soft, flowing style. Remember that his soft Aiki style was just as effec tive, in self- defense terms. All of the following styles c ame direc tly from the teac hings of Morihei Ueshiba... 1 - T raditional Aikikai - as taught by the Ueshiba family. 2 - Ki Aikido - as taught by Koic hi T ohei. 3 - Y oshinkan Aikido - as taught by Gozo Shioda. 4 - Iwama Aikido - as taught by Morihiro Saito. T here are many more styles and exc ellent individual instruc tors available depending on your needs, but these are the main ones. Both Aikikai and Ki Aikido are more intellec tual and thoughtful approac hes to the art. Y oshinkan and Iwama Aikido are harder, prac tic al styles for self- defense purposes. “How will I know?” ... I hear you ask! Well what are YOU drawn towards, there your answers will be found. I rec ommend that you read and watc h a selec tion of Aikido Books and Dvd’s to help you dec ide what Aikido path is best for you .

“ One does not need buildings, money, power or status to prac tic e the art of peac e. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the plac e to train ” “ T he sec ret of Aikido is not in how you move your feet, it is how you move your mind. I'm not teac hing you martial tec hniques, I'm teac hing you non-violenc e " Master Morihei Ueshiba

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HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR

AIKIDO INSTRUCTOR

Like many martial arts c lasses, aikido c an be found in most town's and c ity's around the world. However, trac king down a good aikido instruc tor c an be a real c hallenge. Y ou may be training with an instruc tor for many years to c ome, so it is very important to do some serious researc h before you begin. Choosing the right Aikido Instruc tor is one of the most important dec isions you must make, and what you dec ide c ould put you on a fast- trac k to suc c ess or lead to a bloc ked path. T here are lots of points you will want to think about, and you may wish to c onsider some of the following questions...

AIKIDO INSTRUCTOR QUESTIONS Many of the answers to these questions will be found by asking an instruc tor direc tly, or found in the c lub leaflets or flyers. Y ou may get further information from senior students etc . T hese answers will help remove some of the doubts and give you the peac e of mind and c onfidenc e in your dec ision.

1 - How long has the instruc tor been training, and what is their rank? Answer... 7- 10 years of training and a 2nd Dan with a rec ognized organization is the minimum you should c onsider enough experienc e to teac h you.

2 - Have they c ompleted an Aikido instruc tor training c ourse? Answer... If the instruc tor has not taken the time to c omplete a rec ognized aikido instruc tor training c ourse, then you should not c onsider training with them, they are not qualified to teac h you.

3 - Who are their aikido instruc tors, affiliations, and governing body? Answer - Find out who taught them and researc h (google) the bac kground of the instruc tor, their instruc tors, and the organization. If they do not have a solid history, it is not wise to train with them.

4 - Does the instruc tor have public liability insuranc e? Answer - If they are not fully c overed with public liability insuranc e, then you may not be protec ted. T his insuranc e is usually expec ted to c over them for $2- 10 million.

5 - Is the aikido instruc tor first-aid qualified? Answer - If they, and their assistants are not first- aiders, then your safety is at risk, as sometimes training ac c idents happen and you may need protec tion.

6 - Have they had a CRB (c riminal rec ords bureau) c hec k, or equivalent? Answer - Y ou need to know if they have a c riminal rec ord, as this may seriously affec t your safety.

7 - How do they c onduc t their c lasses? Answer - the c lasses may be disc iplined or relaxed, or somewhere in between, as there are many different ways of teac hing the art of Aikido. T he main point to notic e is that the students and instruc tors must show respec t for eac h other. If any amount of 'bullying' takes plac e, that is not c orrec ted by the instruc tor - leave.

8 - What is their training and grading sc hedule? Answer - T here must be a training syllabus that you c an work with, a list of tec hniques for eac h grading level. T his way you will know how far along the road you are, at any given time. Many traditional c lasses do not have c olour belt grading's below blac k belt, but will still have a training sc hedule.

9 - Do they offer ac c ess to other aikido dojo's? Answer - If visits to other dojo's and seminars are not available, be suspic ious. T hey are essential, to learn a variety of ideas from many different students and instruc tors.

10 - What is their personal bac kground, and life experienc e? Answer - An Aikido Instruc tor may have experienc e of other martial arts or self defense, this c ould be helpful. A more mature instruc tor will have more life experienc e and more likely to have important life skills and other info to pass on to you.

11 - Do they have a Holistic approac h to their teac hing? Answer - Some instruc tors have a more balanc ed approac h to their aikido teac hing. In other words, they are not just passing on tec hniques that they were taught, but also Aiki Princ iples and health and harmony issues?

SUMMARY Onc e you have made your dec ision on whic h aikido instruc tor to train with, you may want to begin with a short period of instruc tion to make sure that what is being offered meets your partic ular needs. It's important to allow a testing period before spending a lot of time with an instruc tor. Of c ourse, if it doesn't feel right, move on to another aikido instruc tor who will serve your needs better. If you live in an area that doesn't allow you muc h c hoic e, then you would be better off to travel further, than tolerate a poor instruc tor.

“ Aiki is the power of harmony, of all beings, all things working together. Relentlessly train yourself - followers of the way ” Master Morihei Ueshiba

Visit our health sec rets page for amazing information to boost your energy levels using the six essential ingredients for real health and well- being - air, water, nutrition, exerc ise, relaxation, and mind power.

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FOCUS YOUR MIND ON AIKIDO TRAINING

In this c hapter I will inc lude some of the best mind power tips and tools, that I have found, to help you ac hieve fast results with your training. As you may know aikido has many different levels of skill training built in to the prac tic e. In fac t there are so many aspec ts to the art that it c an bec ome very c onfusing and diffic ult to know where to foc us your mind during regular prac tic e. Here are some of the areas you will need to c onc entrate on... 1 - Remembering exac tly where you should be and what you should be doing at all times in the dojo. T his will inc lude etiquette, and how to c onduc t your behavior while in the dojo (and in life). 2 - Conc entrating on your hara, posture or form, and how to improve your ability to c ontrol your mind and body mov ement s t oget her. 3 - Foc using on how you should be c onnec ting with your training partners, whether nage (performer of tec hnique) or uke (rec eiver of tec hnique). 4 - T he c onc entration required to remember hundreds of different tec hniques that you must perform when your instruc tor asks you to. 5 - Understanding the theory and princ iples involved in the art of aikido. 6 - Developing the mental c apac ity to go on to bec ome an aikido instruc tor yourself. As you c an see, the list goes on and you soon realize that it may be a lifetime of study. In fac t it was for Morihei Ueshiba and is for many Aikido Masters and Instruc tors. T he tric k is learning how to mentally plac e all of these subjec ts in your mind, in a way that c an be ready to ac c ess at any moment in time.

MIND POWER DISTRACTIONS So, we have established that it is diffic ult to learn all of the aspec ts of the art of aikido in a short period of time. But, is it possible to fast- trac k your training and avoid unnec essary delays and bloc ks along your path to aikido exc ellenc e?

Y ES, I believe there are several key ways to ac hieve this. But before we look at some of them more c losely, let’s think about what may be slowing down the learning proc ess… T he human mind c an only c onc entrate fully on one thing at a time. It appears that it c an do more, but has developed the skill of jumping from one thing to another very quic kly. So, the less it has to think about the faster it will pic k up and learn new things. Y our mind foc uses on what it needs to c omplete the task that you put before it, so how c an you take away some of the distrac tions that will c ome up? If you solve the following issues then your mind c an foc us on the more important parts of your aikido training, whic h will speed up the learning proc ess. 1 - Be very enthusiastic to ac hieve a high level of skill and aim for your goals. 2 - Y ou must be fit enough for it not to be an issue during your aikido training. 3 - Y ou should have good stamina, c ore strength, flexibility, and be able to relax. 4 - Y ou should be willing to help your training partners and students on the path. 5 - T o help your instruc tor in any way you c an and get involved in your c lub or organization. 6 - Release and let go of any worries, anxieties, or problems in daily life while training. If you solve the above issues, outside of the dojo, then you will be able to foc us your mind power on the key skills required for peak performanc e in the dojo. T his will speed up your ability to learn.

FOCUS YOUR MIND POWER

Well, so far we have looked at many of the different aspec ts of aikido training, and how to reduc e mental distrac tions. Now, its time to look at some of the best ways to develop your skills in aikido. T he human mind learns new things by thought and repetition. So the fastest way to learn is to foc us your thoughts on what you are doing and repeat it over and over again until it bec omes a fixed skill. T his repetitive behavior tends to bec ome boring, but if you stop foc using your mind on the inc reasing detail of what you are doing, that is when you stop learning. Who is in control here, You or your m ind? Mind is just a tool for your use. If you don't disc ipline it and use it, it will use you. So the use of willpower is essential, in the beginning, until the habit is formed. T his is why so many aikido instruc tors c hop and c hange the training tec hniques so often, as they c an see a glazed look c ome ov er t he st udent ’s f ac es, when t hey bec ome bored wit h what t hey are c overing. T he wise instruc tors allow the student’s to c ontinue with the same tec hniques long enough to c ontrol their mind’s, and improve tec hniques eac h time they are c overed. So, now we have established that you must c ontrol your mind and disc ipline it to work for you. I rec ommend that you foc us your mind on one thing at a time, study it, learn it, and digest it, until it bec omes a habit and then move on to the next. Onc e you have done this you have taken a large leap towards fast- trac king the development of your aikido skills to a c ompletely new level.

“ Standing amidst heaven and earth, c onnec ted to all things with Ki, My mind is set, on the path of ec hoing all things “ Master Morihei Ueshiba


REMOVING EGO FROM AIKIDO

Here we turn the spotlight on how to truly attac k (uke) and defend (nage), without the interferenc e of arroganc e and ego. We do this by releasing, letting go and putting it aside. Aikido students and instruc tors should not try to c ompete with eac h other. Competition c omes from the animal drive to be superior to others by beating them. It often feels good when you beat someone else, until you realize that suc h a feeling is merely one of petty c onc eit and ego. We train to put the ego aside and rise above our animal mentality. We aim to be better today than we were y est erday , and don't t rain t o t ry and appear bet t er t han ot hers by put t ing ot her people down. T he aim should be to esc ape our built- in animal instinc ts (lower self), and bec ome truly human (higher self). Competition is just ego returning to animal behavior, muc h the way animals behave when fighting over food, but humans tend to do it for attention instead. T raining and living from your higher self is to c ooperate and help other people for mutual benefit. People born in the West, tend to be more c ompetitive, and are brought up to believe that winning is good and losing is bad, suc h as in c ompetitive sports that have too muc h ego invested in the outc ome. T his c an be a major hurdle in Aikido training for people who are egotistic and self- c entered as they may feel intimidated by senior students with a higher skill level. If people of this nature c annot put their ego aside and begin to train genuinely they will usually drop out of c lass. Bec ause of the fluid nature of Aikido, students should not resist the flow of the tec hnique's movement. A beginner in Aikido will be able to advanc e muc h faster if they learn how to safely rec eive the tec hniques as soon as possible. T his involves going with the movement and learning how to protec t

themselves and fall safely with good ukemi. T he egoc entric , c ompetitively natured person often wishes to ac hieve their little ego- vic tories by preventing their partner from throwing them. When a T eac her or senior student sees this happening they will attempt to explain why the tec hnique must not be resisted. In a real c ombat or self- defense situation, if someone resists, then the movement flows into another tec hnique. Or if the movement has been c ompletely resisted we would 'relax' the attac ker, by distrac ting them with a strike to a nerve c enter. During my many years as a student and instruc tor, I have met many people who always had to resist and c ompete. T hat type of person often enjoys hurting other people, and many students try to avoid training with them. If the Instruc tor is good, they will attempt to c hange this ego viewpoint through a variety of means. If unsuc c essful they will then strongly enc ourage the unwilling student to leave the Dojo (for the benefit of all). Of c ourse I have met Instruc tors who turn a blind eye to the situation, regarding it as part of the learning proc ess for everyone... this is unac c eptable. When pressure t o c hange is put on people wit h t oo muc h ego and a resist ant at t it ude, t hey t end t o either c hange or drop out of c lass fairly quic kly. Many people are resistant to tec hniques in a more subtle way, and this is still the ego c oming through from the subc onsc ious mind. Gradually after plenty of prac tic e and experienc e in the art of Aikido it is possible to almost remove ego c ompletely. T his c an be an enlightening experienc e where training bec omes easier, relaxed and muc h more enjoyable. Of c ourse, the more relaxed you are the faster you will learn.

RELEASE THE ARROGANT ' I ' AND … LET THE E - GO

As you may know pain is a way to c ause growth and learning in Aikido, and it also direc tly enc ourages you to move away from it, but c an also c ause ego resistanc e. If you c an learn to ac c ept the pain in your training and move instantly away from it then it is very brief, and useful for learning. If you do not adjust to pain immediately it c auses resistanc e in you... ego then shows its ugly head. So out of suffering c omes relief and answers, but the learning proc ess c an slow down, as you c an get used to experienc ing pain as a c ertain buzz of disc omfort. T his will slow you right down on your path, so try to avoid and move away from pain rather than ac c epting it. Complaining about our c irc umstanc es is just an ego outlet that feeds the majority of people. Y ou may c atc h yourself doing it and even attempting to justify it when you do. Fear and ego c an c reate jealousy, hate, inferiority c omplex, worry, etc . Just as love is the c ure, fear is what entangles us. Love is ac c eptanc e of yourself first and foremost, so you c an reac h out and love others. How c an you love others if you inwardly dislike or even hate yourself. T he root problem is fear whic h drags you down, and the solution is love. So, you must c ontinue to watc h yourself, but not judge, so you c an reflec t on the c hoic es you make. T hrough c ontinuous, regular training you learn to c reate positive new habits. Y ou are then more interested in the training experienc e of your fellow students, always trying to help improve eac h others skills. T his takes your training to a higher level, where you c an develop fast, as there are no roc ks and

boulders of resistanc e on your path to self- disc overy. In t his way y ou learn t o self - analy ze, c hange y our own bad habit s and adopt bet t er way s of doing things. T his is one of the major ways to separate animals from human beings. Bad habits c an be broken and replac ed with good habits, through foc used prac tic e. When you first c ome to Aikido you learn a whole new way of doing things. Y ou kneel and bow at the beginning and end of c lass to remind yourself that the aim is to respec t all of life and remove ego. Y ou must be empty- minded with no expec tations. Y ou should aim to reduc e verbal c ommunic ation and learn with your body so that tec hniques c an flow naturally from within yourself. Y ou have to teac h your body new ways of moving and learn to extend Ki energy instead of relying on musc le strength. Y ou c an also get new ways of learning by watc hing and listening with foc us and intent so that not only do you see the tec hniques being demonstrated, but also feel how to do them within yourself. Aikido is as infinite as the vastness of spac e and as in- depth as the studies of human behavior and relationships. It inc ludes many ways for you to bec ome a better person and the potential for helping to make the world a better and more peac eful plac e.

“ With your right hand showing yang and your left hand showing yin, lead your opponent " Master Morihei Ueshiba

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AIKIDO UKEMI & BREAKFALLS

Aikido training is based on two partners prac tic ing pre- arranged forms (kata) rather than freestyle prac tic e. T he basic pattern is for the rec eiver of the tec hnique (uke) to start an attac k against the thrower (nage), who c ontrols it with an aikido tec hnique. Both halves of the tec hnique, that of uke and that of nage, are c onsidered essential to aikido training, and both are studying aiki princ iples of blending. Nage learns to blend with and c ontrol attac king energy, while uke learns to bec ome c alm and flexible in a disadvantaged, off- balanc ed position.

Uke c ont inuously seeks t o regain balanc e and c ov er weak areas, while nage uses posit ion and t iming t o keep uke off- balanc e and weak. In more advanc ed training, uke will sometimes attempt to apply reversal tec hniques to regain balanc e. Of the two roles that exist in aikido, the one that most aikido students foc us on is the role of the nage, whic h is t he easiest t o underst and and put s us in t he 'winning posit ion'. In t he West , people have been taught all of their lives to win, and losing makes them feel bad. In reality, winning and losing are two parts of the same positive and negative energy (Y in/Y ang). We win, we lose... this is life itself. We c an see both, not as mistakes, but as a lesson to learn more about life. T here is no losing, only life lessons that develop experienc e and c harac ter.

WHY IS AIKIDO UKEMI SO IMPORTANT ? Ukemi prac tic e involves rolls and other breakfalls. Here are a few of the reasons why we prac tic e ukemi in Aikido, and why it is so important... 1 - T o stay safe, not only to avoid injury in the c onfrontation, but to be aware of what is going on t hroughout t he whole enc ount er t o be able t o f ind and respond t o openings and, perhaps, t o esc ape. 2 - T o experienc e the throw. Part of the learning proc ess must be to understand what the 'other' side of the enc ounter is - what does it feel like to be tied up in a partic ular tec hnique? T o observe the other person's tec hnique, partic ularly if nage is a senior student or teac her. 3 - T o learn to listen with your body. T o throw well requires sensitivity to your partner. Often you are so c aught up in the ac tive role of nage that you forget to be rec eptive to your partner and move in a way that harmonizes with uke. By being uke you get a c hanc e to rec eive and ac c ept body movement. 4 - T o assist your partner to learn. Being a good uke means maintaining the c onnec tion with nage, and allowing nage to experienc e that c onnec tion and to really experienc e the tec hnique. Being a good uke allows nage to perform the tec hnique without worrying about injuries. 5 - T o c ondition the body. T aking good ukemi requires a lot of work to stay c onnec ted, flexible, aware. After plenty of Ukemi prac tic e, you may c ome to an understanding of the positive and negative flow of life energy. T his vital life forc e is often c alled Ki, Chi, Prana, Magnetism, Energy etc . T his will further give you many insights into nature and the universe, that you c an take and use in your daily life. After all Aikido is not just an effec tive martial art, it is also an ethic al and moral way or pat h. Good Ukemi is moving through a tec hnique looking for an opportunity to educ ate your opponent/partner, whic h raises both person’s skill levels. Onc e you welc ome, allow and ac c ept energy, as it is, then you c an take c ontrol by leading it.

UKEMI SKILLS

T hese skills c an inc lude moves similar to tumbling and are often used as an exerc ise in itself. In aikido training many c lasses begin with ukemi training as c onditioning exerc ises… 1 - Zempo Ukemi, a forward roll, like a ball, ending on the feet, in a ready stanc e. 2 - Zempo Hyaku Ukemi, a forward breakfall, usually higher and further, using the arm to protec t the body on landing, ending on the feet in a ready posture. 3 - Koho Ukemi, a bac kward half roll, returning to the feet, like a pendulum, in a ready position. 4 - Koho Kaiten Ukemi, a bac kward roll, ending on the feet, in a ready stanc e. T hese are the basic methods used by Aikido uke to protec t themselves when they are thrown. Of c ourse t here are many v ariat ions, depending on t he angle and power used by t he nage ( def ender) . An essential ingredient of ukemi is awareness. T he uke is able, with experienc e, to respond quic kly to any ac tion. T ruly grac eful ukemi c omes from serious training with harmony between partners.

UKEMI THE ENERGY CONNECTION T aking ukemi is far more than falling down, how to fall down, and about being thrown. It is about the physic al and energy c onnec tion, the intention to attac k and the c ontinuation of that attac k. It is also about looking for an opening to take bac k c ontrol after you have been unbalanc ed, c ontinuing the attac k while keeping yourself safe, and c onstant awareness of all that is around you. T his awareness and c onnec tion with your surrounding environment is often missing in prac tic e. It is far more important to foc us your attention on your training partner, than to look c ool and flashy, (ego). In Aikido prac tic e both uke and nage are always attac king eac h other's c enter of gravity. Both must keep themselves safe, and find a way to take the other's balanc e, to keep the c onnec tion. How should the rec eiver of a tec hnique reac t? T aken too far one way, uke flinc hes from every strike and rolls at the first sign of a throw. T oo far the other way and nage is left with the c hoic e of either doing it for real by breaking joints and noses, or walking away shrugging. When a new student is first learning a tec hnique, a partner may need to perform their side of the tec hnique regardless of its effec tiveness. Alternatively, uke may need to resist a tec hnique, perhaps to demonstrate a weakness in the tec hnique, or to disc over whether or not the tec hnique is effec tive. T he preferenc e is for an ac tive uke, who is pushing the boundaries of the tec hnique for weaknesses but ac knowledging the ac tions of nage. If uke is suffic iently responsive it is possible for nage to perform tec hniques with c ommitment and integrity whilst uke survives to return another day. Nage and uke form a partnership, and need good c ommunic ation between them in order to agree the manner in whic h to perform. How do you ac hieve that c ommunic ation? T here's no substitute for mat time, but not just passively performing tec hniques. If you find that you are being thrown easily, question it, try staying on your feet, moving beyond nage or just plain resisting. Does the tec hnique still work? Constantly c hallenging your partner during training c an sometimes hurt, but at the end of it you will know what works and what doesn't. Are you the uke that no one c an throw? Are you failing to be honest with your partner? Are you ignoring his potential c ontrol or attac king with a punc h that never c overs more than half the dist anc e? Find a partner you trust, as on oc c asion, you are going to hurt eac h other, you need to both feel c onfident in the other. Work through some of the basic tec hniques with full c ommitment from both sides. F ind out what works and what doesn't . Onc e y ou'v e experienc ed and underst ood a c ommit t ed tec hnique, bring that feeling into your training when tec hniques are being performed at a lower intensity.

And above all, don't forget to relax, enjoy your training, have fun and smile!

“ Do not look upon this world with fear and loathing. Bravely fac e whatever the God's offer ” Master Morihei Ueshiba


LEARNING AIKIDO TECHNIQUES

T here are mental distrac tions to the learning proc ess, and your mind learns new things by thought and repetition. So the fastest way to learn anything new is to foc us your thoughts on what you are doing and repeat it over and over again until it bec omes a fixed skill and habit. So, we have established that you must c ontrol your mind and disc ipline it to work for you. I rec ommend that you foc us your mind on one thing at a time, study it, learn it, digest it, and then move on. We will now take a look at how you c an suc c essfully ac c umulate more and more tec hniques, without being overloaded, and in a way that your mind c an get fast ac c ess to them. I rec ommend that you take a basic tec hnique and work on it over and over again until you bec ome an expert on one tec hnique. T hen you just repeat the proc ess with the next basic tec hnique, and so on. After a few months you will have many tec hniques in your arsenal that are far more effec tive and powerful than many students who have been prac tic ing for years, hopping from this and that. If you c arry on this proc ess over a number of years, you will go on to bec ome an expert in the art of aikido. T his is how many of the top instruc tors have developed themselves to suc h a high level of skill. Of c ourse, there is a c omplete system to learn, to the point where it bec omes sec ond nature to you. Onc e you ac hieve this level then you will be free to foc us more on the aspec ts of aikido training that t end t o be pushed t o one side. T hese are t he most int erest ing and t he essenc e of M ast er M orihei Ueshiba O'Sensei's teac hings. But first how to gather many tec hniques in your mind...

LEARNING LOTS OF AIKIDO TECHNIQUES

First of all it is essential to study the basic tec hniques, to the point where you c an perform them whenever your instruc tor requires it of you. Let’s look at these basic tec hniques in an orderly fashion, and see how you c an logic ally store them. Y our mind, in many ways is like a c omputer, and that c omputer c an be programmed to work fast, effic iently and without errors. Of c ourse, like a c omputer, if you do not set your mind up c orrec tly all sorts of problems c an oc c ur. So, how do you set up your mind to store lots of tec hnic al information? Well, you use a simple filing system of c ourse! And a good way of doing this is to c reate a Folder c alled Aikido Blueprint, whic h will have other folders inside maybe c alled... Aikido Rules, Aikido Breakfalls, Aikido T ec hniques, Aikido Princ iples, Aikido Self Defense, Aikido Freestyle and Aikido Misc ellaneous. Now you have 1 main folder with 7 folders inside, and then you begin to build the information that you will store inside, and make it simple and to the point. Any info that is vague, just put it in your Aikido misc ellaneous folder, to be sorted later. In order to easily remember eac h folder, you c an assoc iate them with c olors, images, sounds, numbers, etc . T his is how the memory experts do it in order to ac c ess the information fast. Of c ourse if you are performing freestyle you will not use your brain to ac c ess info, but reac t naturally to c irc umstanc es.

GATHERING AIKIDO TECHNIQUES

Now its time to open your Aikido tec hniques folder, and store the very basic tec hniques inside... Kokyu- ho, Kokyu- nage, Shiho- nage, T enc hi- nage, Irimi- nage, Kaiten- nage, Kote- gaeshi, Hiji- jime, Ikkyo, Nikyo, Sankyo, Y onkyo, Gokyo, etc . Also inside this folder are two sub- folders, one with the Aikido attac ks... Katate, Kata, Y okomen, Shomen, Mune, Ushiro, etc . and the other with positive or negative movements... Ic hi (forward, positive, ac tive), Ni (bac kwards, negative, reac tive). T here are a few more tec hniques and attac ks to add to these lists, but I am sure that you get the pic ture. Onc e you have all of this info neatly stored in the files and folders of your mind, then with prac tise you will have easy ac c ess to them, very fast... this is how I use it in my own personal training! It may be diffic ult at first, but when you get the hang of it, you are muc h less likely to stand there like

a lemon with a glazed look on your fac e, when your instruc tor c alls out your tec hniques... ...Prac tise makes perfec t :) Onc e you have all of these files and folders developed in your brain, and as you gather new aikido information, you will now know exac tly where to store it for easy ac c ess. T his way, you will get to the point where y ou hav e t he basic s sort ed out , where more int erest ing princ iples and adv anc ed t ec hniques c an be worked on. Y ou c an be an Aikido expert, and the sure way to ac hieve it is to foc us your mind, train hard and train smart. Of c ourse you will greatly improve your speed of learning if you also relax deeply, enjoy your training and have fun.

“Aikido is the manifestation of love” Master Morihei Ueshiba


ANALYZING POSTURE AND FORM

In this c hapter we will examine some of the most important points regarding good posture and form. Correc t posture and how you hold yourself is vital to ac hieve suc c ess in your Aikido development. Creating and developing a good posture, one that will hold up while moving takes a lot of c onc entration, in the beginning. One of t he best way s t o gain benef it , is t o separat e post ure and mov ement in order t o work on eac h aspec t separately. After some prac tise you c an then put them bac k together to perfec t your posture and movement as one. So, what is good form? It is a way of holding yourself that allows you to move freely without losing your balanc e. Having good posture will also allow you to apply power to your training partner (opponent, attac ker), at any time throughout the movement. T here are many different types of posture in the martial arts that are exc ellent for developing speed

and power in your movements. But many of them are only useful in a training atmosphere, a dojo, or a c ompetition with dozens of rules. In reality, the posture you dec ide to prac tise needs to be able to func tion under extremely stressful situations. For example a real street fight or c ombat situation does not allow you the time to get into posture. Y ou would have to reac t instantly to the c irc umstanc es you find yourself in, whic h will often not be ideal. With this in mind, you c an now eliminate those types of posture that are not natural. T his will leave you with only three c hoic es in how you hold yourself. A natural standing and walking posture will flow between weight over the front foot, weight over the bac k foot, and weight in the middle. Y ou will find yourself moving through all three of these postures naturally as you go from plac e to plac e during your daily life. Breathing deeply and relaxing your weight down c reates stability and power. T here are two basic aikido postures... migi Hanmi Kamae (right) and hidari Hanmi Kamae (left). Here are some of the postures, stanc es, and spec ific positioning you will take with your attac ker during your regular Aikido training... Shizentai Kamae (natural), Migi Hanmi Kamae (right side forward), Hidari Hanmi Kamae (left side forward), Ai Hanmi Kamae (same as attac ker), Gyaku Hanmi Kamae (opposite to attac ker), Ma- ai (safe distanc e), and your hand positions may be - Gedan (low), Chudan (natural), or Jodan (high).

AIKIDO POSTURES AND STANCES

In the early years of Aikido development, Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei made a transition from the old Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu postures and forms. T his was mainly with 60- 70% of the weight over the front foot with the front foot turned out, as seen in Aikido Y oshinkan. T his type of prac tise helped to dev elop a v ery st rong post ure. Later on, as Aikido c ame out of the old forms, O'Sensei taught a more natural posture with the weight distributed evenly between the front and bac k foot, and sometimes 60- 70% over the bac k foot. Inc luded in this the front foot pointed straight forward, and sometimes pointed inwards slightly. T his took some of the pressure away from the knees and was a more natural stanc e. Of c ourse, there are many high ranking and highly qualified instruc tors who swear that their way is c orrec t. T here are lots of positive and negative, plus and minus points for all of these different postures. T he main thing to remember is that with lots of training, all are effec tive. " It is not how you move your feet, but how you move your mind that matters " Master Morihei Ueshiba Whether moving or standing still in Aikido, your body should feel strong and resilient, without undue tension or stiffness. Y our hands should be extended in front of you with your fingers slightly spread, a posture very similar to that adopted while holding a Japanese sword. Visualize your Ki (energy) projec ting out through your fingers.

T he leading hand (on the same side as your front foot) guards the head and upper body, while the other hand protec ts the lower body and thighs. T ry to avoid lifting your weight up and down as you step. Be sure to keep your weight low and your movement fluid and even. Y our hips and shoulders should remain at the same level as you move, and your spine should remain upright. It c an help to visualize all of your motion as being c entered around a point a c ouple of inc hes below your navel — this is c alled your hara or 'one point', and is your c enter of gravity. If you need to get lower, keep your bac k upright and bend your legs, but don't bend over at the hips. T his way you c an maintain your posture, without the risk of losing your balanc e.

CHOOSE YOUR POSTURE AND WORK ON IT Aikido posture takes time to get used to, and you have to train until it feels natural to you. T he various sc hools of Aikido all have their own ideas on what good posture is and another point of c onfusion is how to hold out your arms... Firm Arm s ... T his dic tates stric t posture with arms somewhat forc efully extended. It c an be a useful starting point for beginners to get into the shape of Aikido from a mec hanic al point of view. Sword Arm s ... Imagine holding a sword and stand ac c ordingly to make posture. Naturally, it works a lot better if you ac tually train with a bokken (wooden sword) from time to time. Sword work puts the posture and mind in order and c ontributes a lot to good Aikido tec hnique. Some people don't put enough extension in the arms when holding and too muc h when striking. Floppy Arm s ... Bec ause Aikido is supposed to take little effort, you should raise your arms into posture with as little effort as possible, whic h is c onfusing at first. It helps with development as people use the weight of their arms c ombined with speed of movement to make tec hnique. Heavy Arm s ... Developing this is thought to be a sourc e of strength or power in tec hnique, but some tend to overly c onc entrate on the arms and forget to apply heaviness to the rest of their body, as in weight dropping or weight shifting. Extended arm s … T he arms reac h out naturally, without bec oming absolutely straight or over extended. Correc t extension produc es an unbendable arm. It c an be gentle, to the extent of seeming floppy, or hard, to the extent of appearing stiff. Correc tly extended arms offer a c lue to the true feeling of aiki, and all of the tec hniques of Aikido c an be performed in this way. T o think only one of these methods to be c orrec t is to rob yourself of ideas that might aid your development. Of c ourse, it is not only the arms, but the legs and body that also need the same treatment, or 'ki extension'. Posture is often thought to be the point of readiness before tec hnique begins but this kind of thinking offers only a limited view into the nature of posture. Rather, 'posture' should be there at every point throughout the tec hnique, and in your daily life. As a keen aikido student you should look for key 'posture' positions within a tec hnique and aim to join them together in one powerful motion.

" T he great universe is itself the way of ai-ki " Master Morihei Ueshiba


AIKIDO PRESSURE POINTS

T here are many areas of t he body where int ense pain dev elops when t hey are at t ac ked. A t t hese points, energy c an be transmitted into a nerve very effec tively, and as a result, they are known as pressure points or nerve c enters. Pressure points of this type oc c ur where a nerve branc h c onnec ts to a major nerve pathway or where several major nerves join together to form a nerve plexus. When suc h a point is stimulated by pressing or striking, the resulting pain registers on more than one nerve pathway. As a result, the brain rec eives signals from multiple nerves and the pain felt is amplified. In M art ial art s, nerv e c ent ers or pressure point s are used t o disable and def eat opponent s. Howev er, the same points are used in ac upunc ture and ac upressure to heal the body and restore harmony. Different pressure points respond to different kinds of stimulation. Some respond to striking, others to pressing or rubbing. In addition, the angle at whic h a point is attac ked is c ritic al to proper ac tivation. In many c ases, the full effec t of pressure point ac tivation c an only be felt if the angle of attac k is suc h that the entire nerve plexus or c onnec tion is stimulated. Nerve c enter pressure point attac ks are very effec tive in self defense situations. Some martial arts are built almost entirely upon the applic ation of pressure point knowledge, but it should be used in addition to the art, not instead of it. T hese points are used to c ontrol or to quic kly inc apac itate an opponent. Ac tivation of a pressure point c an c ause exc ruc iating pain c apable of making almost any adversary bac k down. When the pressure point is released, the pain subsides. T herefore, c omplianc e c an be gained without inflic ting serious injury.

PRESSURE POINTS IN AIKIDO Nearly all of the tec hniques of Aikido have the elements of pressure point strikes available in them. T hese c an be very useful in reduc ing the strength and foc us of your attac kers, in order to suc c essfully esc ape or apply a c ontrolling tec hnique. If the tec hnique c hosen, is the c orrec t c hoic e in the c irc umstanc es, and has perfec t timing, then pressure point strikes will not be nec essary. So most of us (who are learning to get our moves right), may have use of this information, even if it is just as a bac k up skill to your normal training experienc e. In Aikido, 'Atemi' is the term used for a distrac ting strike to give you an advantage over your attac ker. When distrac ted an attac ker may foc us on your hand, or their pain, rather than their strike or grasp.

Some instruc tors insist on more rigorous definitions suc h as only strikes to pressure points. In this c ontext, you c ould regard atemi as 'Ki energy disturbanc e'. Y ou may not even need to touc h the attac ker with your atemi to upset their physic al and psyc hologic al balanc e. Some c laim that the best way to unbalanc e an attac ker is to deliver a real strike, espec ially where there is potential for strong resistanc e, as in a real street c ombat situation. Be sure to inc lude a distrac ting Ki- ai (shout), at the same time as your atemi strike. T his is likely to have a greater effec t on your attac ker, by distrac ting their attention and inc reasing the power of your strike. Atemi does inc lude a wide range of applied forc e, from striking without touc hing to striking vital points with the intent of c ausing unc onsc iousness. Knowing about the different effec ts that a strike on various parts of the body c an have, will improve your tec hnique and self defense skills. T he largest weapon available to you, wherever you are, is the planet Earth itself. Hitting your attac ker with this weapon, by unbalanc ing them, so they fall down, will gain you valuable time to retreat or take c ontrol of the situation.

DOES YOUR INSTRUCTOR TEACH PRESSURE POINTS?

Most of the pressure points are not usually prac tic ed in mainstream aikido dojo's. T here may be one of three main reasons for this... 1 - Y our Instruc tor does not know about pressure point applic ation bec ause their instruc tor did not teac h it or know it, and they have not researc hed the subjec t etc . 2 - Y our Instruc tor does not have time to teac h pressure points during normal c lasses, but may teac h it in their 'extra c lasses'. 3 – T he suc c essful applic ation requires prac tic e to be effec tive, and it is diffic ult to teac h this to large amounts of people in a safe manner. Either way you are unlikely to find an Aikido instruc tor who c an or will pass this on to you. So, if you want to inc lude this in your aikido arsenal of skills, you will need to do a lot of individual researc h on the subjec t and find someone who c an and will teac h you. T his is what I have done myself... I have spent many years of time and effort studying ac upressure point s f or healing and self def ense purposes. I t hen used t wo of my t op st udent s t o help me dev elop the skills further for aikido prac tise. It is interesting to know that the hand positions in most aikido tec hniques are ready for pressure point applic ation. If used c orrec tly you c an make your tec hniques twic e as powerful and muc h more effec tive, even on those 'resistant training partners'. Y onkyo or yonkajo (wrist/arm tec hnique) is often disc ussed in assoc iation with a partic ular pressure point on the forearm. T here are many points available during the applic ation of tec hniques like... kote- gaeshi, nikyo etc .

Knowledge of pressure point s inc reases y our awareness of t he c onnec t ions wit hin t he body and provides a more prec ise manipulation of an opponent. T here are also many healing applic ations assoc iat ed wit h t hese point s.

PRESSURE POINT SUGGESTIONS 1 - Experiment with spots that you know from past experienc e hurt. For example the mastoid proc ess is t he sof t spot behind t he ear. Press t hat indent at ion lightly to feel the pain involved. Also, just above the inside of the elbow when performing ikkyo. 2 - Join a martial arts c lass that foc uses on self defense. Good c lasses may inc lude some of the pressure points in their training sc hedule. 3 - Find Chinese health c harts that show meridians and pressure points - near where musc les, ligaments, and tendons are attac hed often offer some painful points. 4 - Read more artic les on the subjec t and take notes. OR… you c an save yourself months and years of study time and learn, in my opinion, the very best information on the subjec t... it really works!

BEST PRESSURE POINT SYSTEM FOR EFFECTIVE RESULTS M ast er Russell S t ut ely has been ac knowledged as Europe's Leading A ut horit y on t he use of Pressure Points in the Martial Arts. He is one of the best sourc es of inspiration in street effec tive pressure points, and has been instrumental in dragging T raditional Martial Arts into the 21st Century. Russell is a regular Columnist for the UK's most prestigious Martial Arts magazines... Martial Arts Illustrated, T raditional Karate and Combat. He is also one of the leading Seminar Instruc tors in the UK and Europe. He has rec ently developed a set of Dvd's c alled 'Pressure Points Black' c overing all of the essentials required to help you make this art effec tive in your aikido prac tise. Y ou will also learn some prac tic al, easy- to- apply methods that are effec tive in a real street attac k. I personally have this series and use many of the amazing tec hniques that are shown in great detail. I c an, without hesitation, Highly rec ommend 'Pressure Points blac k' for more info, see the resourc es page.

“ When you bow deeply to the universe, it bows bac k; when you c all out the name of God, it ec hoes inside you ” Master Morihei Ueshiba


STUDYING

AIKI PRINCIPLES

Princ iples are the key lessons you learn from any study or ac tivity you take part in. During your short visit to the planet earth, there are many lessons you need to learn. If you get too bogged down in the details you will experienc e an overload to your system, whic h stops you from learning effec tively. So, in order to learn your life lessons you will need to make some dec isions. If you don’t do this then you will eventually have the same regrets as millions of other people who didn't realize their goals in life. T he following may be of some use to you on your unique journey through life... 1 - List your dreams, desires and life goals and put them in order of importanc e. 2 - Imagine them c omplete, how they make you feel, and list the nec essary steps to get there. 3 - T ake massive ac tion and work through the steps one by one until c ompleted. T his plan is surprisingly simple and is a good example of what learning powerful princ iples c an do for you. If you c arry out the above 3 steps then you will reac h peac e and happiness... it is as simple as t hat ! I will now turn your attention to the subject of Aikido Principles... If you are making a serious study of Aikido, then it is going to take you many years to master the art. Y es you do have to study all of the details involved in your training, but, if you ask yourself (and your instruc tor)... What are the key princ iples I need to learn from this?

T here your real answers may be found!

Y ou see, the aim is to free your mind so you c an perform your aikido tec hniques in a flowing, relaxed but powerful way. Y ou c annot do this if you are bogged down with mental baggage like... 'My way is right and yours is wrong'. Using princ iples of aikido you c an free your mind of its baggage and just let it go. Aiki Princ iples teac h a deeper understanding of Aikido. T he aim of Aiki is to lead the mind and the body will follow, and as an instruc tor the best way to lead the mind of your students is through motivation, inspiration, enc ouragement, and then disc ipline. See below for a list of Aiki Princ iples that you may wish to inc lude in your studies. Many of these c an greatly enhanc e and develop your Aikido skills to a muc h more advanc ed level.

BASIC AIKI PRINCIPLES What did the founder of Aikido, Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei prac tise on a daily basis? After all this is what he thought was most important... right? During his personal training he would perform a series of aiki exerc ises, misogi purific ation rituals,

kototama sound vibration c hants and also inc lude many hours of pure prayer to divine spirit. T he aim of these prac tic es was to purify his mind, body and spirit. Also to harmonize and balanc e his energy c enters (c hakras), and develop massive amounts of powerful healing energy (ki). In this way he greatly influenc ed the positive energy of people and the planet in his goal of World Peac e. So it really is your dec ision how far you wish to go with your training. Develop powerful tec hnique, understand aiki princ iples, experienc e the flow of universal energy, or even raise the level of c onsc iousness of humanity, as O’Sensei did. Anyway, if you are thinking of joining an Aikido c lass, are a student or an instruc tor you will be working on a variety of ways to c ontrol your attac kers through the use of their own energy. T he following may be a typic al c lass struc ture that you will be, or are working on to develop your aiki skills...

Aikido Class Blueprint Rei (bow), Mokusu (breathing meditation), Warm- up, Ukemi (breakfalls), Kihon Dosa (basic postures), Waza (Basic T ec hniques, Advanc ed T ec hniques, Applied T ec hniques), Jiyu- Waza (freestyle) Kokyu Nage (breath throw), Kokyu Ho (harmonizing exerc ises), Cool- down, Mokusu (breathing meditation), Rei ( bow)

Aikido Attacks and Techniques Ai, Katate, Ryote, Mune, Kata, Hiji, Eri, Shomen, Y okomen, Shomen T suki, Ushiro, Ikkajo (ikkyo), Nikkajo (nikyo), Sankajo (sankyo), Y onkajo (yonkyo), Gokajo (gokyo), Iriminage, Sokumen- Iriminage, Kote - Gaeshi, Kaiten- Nage, Kokyu Ho, Kokyu Nage, Jiyuwaza, Kaeshawaza, Bokken Happo Giri, 31 Jo Kata etc .

AIKI PRINCIPLES AND TRAINING IDEAS

T here are so many princ iple lessons learned during your aikido training, and here are many of the ways I have improved my training experienc e, and ability. I rec ommend you look through them, try them out and if useful add them to your arsenal of skills, or if you find them useless, throw them out.

Assessing Students Ability Etiquette, Attitude, Mindset, Disc ipline, Effort, Conc entration, Relaxation, Kamae (posture), Ma- ai (distanc e), Ki- ai (shout), Atemi (distrac ting strike), Ukemi (breakfalls), Kihon (basic moves), Evasion, Balanc e- taking, Immobilization (c ontrol), T hrow, Waza (tec hnique), Jiyu- Waza (freestyle tec hnique), Awareness of Surrounding Environment, Coac hing Potential etc . It is essential to instill disc ipline in students regardless of the qualities and c harac teristic s they bring to the Dojo. Disc ipline is often something the ego does not enjoy, but c ould save lives one day.

Aiki Principles Aiki is Hidden in the Open, and What Y ou See is Not What Y ou Get. Y ou T hink Where Y ou Feel, Flow like Water, Sensitivity, Don't T ry to Make it Work, Allow it to Work... Just Do it. Aikido T ec hniques are Learnt Big to Small, Slow to Fast, T ensed to Relaxed, and Stylized to Realistic . Kamae (basic posture) is for T raining and Shizentai (natural posture) is for Sudden Attac k Defense. Skeletal Loc king - sequential loc king to affec t the spine indirec tly.

Mind Moves Body Keep One Point, Relax Completely, Keep Weight Underside, Extend Ki. Breath Control, Relaxation, Non- Resistanc e, Allow, Avoid Direc t Conflic t, Connec tion, Circ les, Leading the Mind, Ki Energy Extension, Balanc e T aking, Pain Inc entive.

There are 3 Methods of Training Ac c umulating T ec hniques, Analyzing Form, Understanding Princ iples.

Strong Posture Mind on Hara, Control Weight by Relaxing the Centre of Gravity Down, Weight shifting (push with rear foot - pull with front foot), Establish a momentary base and pull your weight to it,

Methods of Power Alignment, Relaxation, Foc us, Intention, Ki- Extension, Penetration, Ac c eleration. Relax/T ense... Sudden T ension gets Uke's Reac tion in a Predic table Manner, Sudden Weight Dropping & Relaxation Compliments the Direc tion, A Very Relaxed Applic ation Creates a Void for Uke to Fall Into the Emptiness, Contrac tion - breathe energy in, Expansion - breathe energy out, Sudden energy in and out, c hange of pac e, vibration.

Balance Taking Being Aware of Angles of Pressure to the T riangulation Points, T hrow Uke by Created Co- operation, Prepare Uke T o Unwillingly T hrow Himself, Prepare and Base uke by Double- Weighting before off- balanc ing.

T hese are just some of the princ iples you may wish to work with, and it will be surprising how many c an be worked on and used during your normal aikido training ac tivity. T o understand many of these princ iples then you must work on them, and most of them c an be found in your Aikido tec hniques. In 2009, I will be writing a book, in full detail, all about Aiki Princ iples. T his will c over all of the princ iples listed here and many, many more. I may even add a series of video tutorials... so stay tuned! Of c ourse, I am available for private lessons on the South Coast, in West Sussex, UK. ;- )

“ T he Art of Peac e is medic ine for a sic k world. T here is evil and disorder in the world bec ause people have forgotten that all things emanate from one sourc e. Return to that sourc e and leave behind all self-c entered thoughts, petty desires, and anger. T hose who are possessed by nothing possess everything “ Master Morihei Ueshiba


AIKIDO LIFE LESSONS

Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei c ombined the princ iples and philosophy of Buddhism, Shintoism and the Way of the Samurai to c reate modern Aikido. T he art is great for personal growth, self defense, mind and body meditation, and for reac hing a state of single mindedness, oneness, and enlightenment. Aikido has a philosophy that c an be applied to everyday living. T hrough physic al training, you learn to harmonize with the energy of your uke (training partner), using flowing dynamic motions to 'c ontrol' them. From here you learn to balanc e your own energy with the world around you and learn to take c ontrol of your own life experienc e. Although many people think of martial arts as a set of fighting tec hniques, Aikido was c reated to help its students bec ome better human beings by prac tic ing non- aggressive ways of dealing with c onflic t and stress. T he name 'Aikido' literally means 'the way of harmonizing energy' bec ause the aim is to learn how to harmonize your own personal energy with that of others and your environment. What you learn in aikido c an be applied to life outside of c lass and what you learn in life c an be applied to Aikido during prac tic e. Y ou grow through regular prac tic e of c entering, harmonizing with people, and using c onstruc tive responses to diffic ult situations. T he ultimate goal of Aikido is to develop habits allowing you to bec ome more effec tive in daily life. In your training you learn never to go against the power of your attac kers, so in life you c an avoid c lashing with energy by being more passive when c onfronted by aggressive people. If someone is intentionally argumentative and you do not respond, their aggression has nowhere to go. T his c alms them down, where you c an take c ontrol of the situation and steer it in another direc tion.

EFFECTIVE AIKIDO HABITS Take Responsibility for making dec isions based on your values rather than your environment, situation, or other people. T hrough training, you aim to develop the knowledge and skill to respond to c onflic t without resorting to more. T he belief that you are free to make this c hoic e is at the very c ore of Aikido.

Beginning With The End In Mind is about reac hing for your values. If you do not know what you are trying to ac hieve you c an be very busy doing the wrong things. Morihei Ueshiba wrote that the goal is not to c onquer the opponent but to c onquer your own ego, your fears, and your desire to dominate. Put First Things First so you progress towards what is most important to you. Although this sounds obv ious, we of t en t end t o f ollow t he pat h of least resist anc e or of responding t o peer pressure or expec tations. Y ou should think or talk about peac e and harmony, but not ac t in ways that involve violenc e and c onflic t or are ego- driven. Y ou need to ac t in a manner that is c onsistent with your goals. Thinking Win/Win is at the c ore of Aikido, both the philosophy and the daily prac tic e. Y ou are searc hing for a way to respond to c onflic t whic h protec ts yourself while protec ting your prac tic e partners. Daily prac tic e is not a c ompetition, and no- one should lose dignity or be put in danger. One c onc ept in aikido is that the person falling down is not the 'loser', but suc c eeds in protec ting himself and may suc c eed in esc aping or reversing the tec hnique. Bec ause win/win solutions require balanc e, aikido helps timid people bec ome more c onfident and arrogant people gentler. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood is a key c onc ept in both the philosophy and prac tic e of aikido. Basic movements often involve turning your body to look in the same direc tion that your partner is looking, and see the world as your partner sees it. Y ou first blend with the attac k, then c hange the direc tion. By learning to 'listen' with your whole body, you c an find a pathway to peac e. Harm ony is about c ollaborating to make the whole more than the sum of its parts. T hrough c ooperation, both the person doing and rec eiving the aikido tec hnique learn and ac hieve more than either c ould individually. Harmony is the best win/win result. When trust and c ooperation are absent, the interac tion is defensive and one person wins and the other loses. Aikido strives for training in whic h both partners feel both c hallenged and c apable of meeting that c hallenge. Self-Im provem ent is about investing time and energy to learn better ways of doing things so that you c an be more effec tive in the future. T he c onc ept of self- improvement is also at the foundation of aikido, as you never finish learning aikido, you only progress further along the path. Y ou prac tic e tec hniques over and over so that you c an c hange the ways that you instinc tively respond in diffic ult situations. In aikido, you c onstantly think about how life applies to prac tic e and how prac tic e applies to life; sinc e life is filled with c hallenges, aikido prac tic e is a c onstant exploration of how to meet those c hallenges. Aikido's emphasis on mutual respec t fosters a supportive learning environment that helps promote self- c onfidenc e and poise, developing mind, body and spirit.

AIKIDO IN DAILY LIFE

Y ou prac tic e being both uke and nage in the dojo, and sometimes it is important to attac k. While at other times it is important to relax during an attac k, allow it to happen, then redirec t that attac king energy in another more harmonious direc tion. Y ou c an be in either the role of the attac ker/uke, or the defender/nage, on the dojo mat. Y ou as a human being c an also play both parts in life. Sometimes you are just straight up attac king life and doing it well, setting goals and then ac hieving them. Y ou are staying grounded and are c onnec ted to those dreams. T his is what it is to be a good uke in

life, and what it means to attac k life. So if you are not attac king life, life is attac king you, and is c onstantly throwing things at you, hitting you, and trying to push you off balanc e and take you off c enter. When uke attac ks the first thing you as nage do is breathe deeply and relax into the attac k to allow it to happen. T he next thing to do is stand strong in your own presenc e. T his means to have faith in yourself, to believe that the dec isions and c ommitments you c hoose are dec isive. Extend Y our energy right through Life (or uke). Move through life relaxed and c entered as it attac ks, and do the same to uke on the mat. When uke on the mat attac ks and nage stops at any point during the tec hnique, things break down, and life c an be the same way. When life attac ks, a good thing to do is breath deeply and relax. It is healthy to believe in who you are. It is important to extent right through life, and keep moving forward. Aikido is a template for life and life is a template for Aikido, and to prac tic e one is to prac tic e the other. T o live one is to live the other... breathe deeply, relax and enjoy your prac tise of life and aikido.

“ Create eac h day anew by c lothing yourself with heaven and earth, bathing yourself with wisdom and love, and plac ing yourself in the heart of mother nature ” Master Morihei Ueshiba


AIKIDO HARMONY

T here are many paths to harmony, but the art of Aikido has the power to c reate real balanc e in your life. It examines, through c ombat, the many different aspec ts of life energy. Apart from the vast variety of tec hniques used in Aikido, there are two main princ iples involved... 1 - Positive Energy, Y ang, Fire, Male, Hard, Direc t etc . 2 - Negative Energy, Y in, Water, Female, Soft, Indirec t etc . T he perf ec t balanc e bet ween t hese t wo energies c reat es harmony and peac e. In order t o c reat e t rue balanc e and harmony, first you must establish your c enter of gravity whic h is about an inc h below your navel (belly button). T his is the c orrec t plac e to foc us your physic al and mental energies. T he

Japanese c all this the 'Hara' or 'Seika- no- itten' (one point) and is where your life energy is loc ated.

HARMONY EXERCISES To focus your physical energy ... align your body by standing or kneeling with your spine straight, push your hips forward, shoulders bac k and down, breathe deeply and c ompletely relax into this post ure. T hen take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. As you breathe in, tense your musc les, as you breathe out, c ompletely relax down and release all of your tension. After doing this several times, tension and stress will leave your body and you c an c ontinue while fully relaxed. To focus your m ental energy ... c onc entrate your mind on your c enter or 'one point' and imagine energy as a ball of white light getting smaller and smaller OR as ever dec reasing c irc les. With this, it is important to keep your mind busy, so this proc ess is c ontinuous and never ends. After some c onsc ious effort and willpower, your mind will learn how to do this naturally, and you will be c entered and in harmony. Y our mind will try to rebel against you, but remember who is in c harge here, your mind is just a tool to be used for your benefit, so be strong. Please, do not expec t this to be easy, after all anything worthwhile takes c onsiderable effort and patienc e. After a while your mind will ac c ept its true position as your servant, not your master. Eventually you will begin to feel a strong c onnec tion with people, nature and the universe. When you feel c onnec ted you c an read the intention of your partner or attac ker and reac t ac c ordingly. As you bec ome more relaxed you begin to tune in to the subtle energy that surrounds you. Onc e you have reac hed this level you will naturally avoid direc t c onflic t in your Aikido prac tise and your daily life. Like water you will flow with and not against the natural life- stream. Y ou c an then ac c ept life and allow it to be as it is. When you lose the desire to c hange life to fit your individual needs and wants, you lose your ego mind and you c an relax into and enjoy life just as it is... this is true mastery of balanc e and harmony.

YOU CAN CHOOSE HARMONY

Aikido teac hes you to get in touc h with and understand the patterns that you go into to protec t yourself, both physic al and emotional, and that there is an alternative to this behavior. Consc ious response and c hoic e, rather than unc onsc ious reac tion. Knowing what it would feel like to have your own feelings 'violated', you then do not go out and violate someone else's. Y ou c an also be aware t hat most people ac t aggressiv ely or def ensiv ely bec ause t hey are responding unc onsc iously to their own vulnerable feelings. Wit h an awareness of t he ot her person's int ent and blending wit h t hat , y ou begin t o ent er int o t he

experienc e of Aiki. So, in Aikido, rather than bloc k and punc h or hurt and maim, you blend with the energy/intention/movement of the aggressive ac t and redirec t it to a more benefic ial c onc lusion. Being c entered, extending Ki energy, blending, and leading are basic to Aikido training. T he nature of Aikido movements are designed so that you ac tually move from a different plac e, from Center with Ki, and c an address the nature of the interac tion, rather than getting c ompletely c aught up in the attac k. Aikido then bec omes a form to let go of the things inside of you that awakens you to the harmony and true nature of all things big and small, personal and spiritual, and apply that knowledge and experienc e to anything you wish to in life. Breathe deeply, relax and let all of your worries just go - you don't need them anymore!

“ Foster and polish the warrior spirit while serving in the world; illuminate the Path in ac c ordanc e with the divine will “ Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei


AIKIDO SUCCESS BLUEPRINT

SUMMARY In this Ebook we looked at some of the key areas to work on in order to fast- trac k your training for Aikido suc c ess and mastery. Y ou must have a good level of general health and fitness, for your Aikido training time to be foc used on improving your skill levels. T he founder of Aikido, taught many different ways of understanding Aikido during his lifetime. He began with a hard, powerful Aiki- Jujutsu style, and after many years developed the soft, flowing style. All of the following styles c ame direc tly from the teac hings of Master Morihei Ueshiba... 1 - T raditional Aikikai - as taught by the Ueshiba family.

2 - Ki Aikido - as taught by Koic hi T ohei. 3 - Y oshinkan Aikido - as taught by Gozo Shioda. 4 - Iwama Aikido - as taught by Morihiro Saito. I rec ommend that you read and watc h a selec tion of Aikido Books and Dvd's to help you dec ide what Aikido path is best for you... what are you drawn to? there your answers will be found!

“ T he sec ret of Aikido is not in how you move your feet, it is how you move your mind. I'm not teac hing you martial tec hniques, I'm teac hing you non-violenc e “ Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei

CHOOSE YOUR AIKIDO INSTRUCTOR

Choosing the right Aikido Instruc tor is one of the most important dec isions you c an make, and what you dec ide c ould be a fast- trac k to suc c ess or a bloc ked path. In my opinion, 7- 10 years of training and a 2nd Dan with a rec ognized organization is the minimum you should c onsider enough experienc e in your Aikido Instruc tor. If the instruc tor has not taken the time to c omplete a rec ognized aikido instruc tor training c ourse, then you should not c onsider training with them, they are not qualified to teac h you. Find out who taught them and researc h (google) the bac kground of the instruc tor, their instruc tor, and the organization. If they do not have a solid history, it is not wise to train with them. If they are not First- Aid qualified, then your safety is at risk, as sometimes training ac c idents happen. Find out if they have a c riminal rec ord, as this may affec t your safety and sec urity. T he c lasses may be very disc iplined or very relaxed, or somewhere in between, the main point to notic e is that the students and instruc tors must show respec t for eac h other. If any 'bullying' takes plac e that is not c orrec ted by the instruc tor... leave. T here must be a training syllabus that you c an work with, a list of tec hniques for eac h grading level. T his way you will know how far along the road you are, at any given time, although many traditional c lasses do not have belt grading's below blac k. If visits to other dojo's and seminars are not available, be suspic ious, you don’t want to be isolated. Visits and seminars are essential to learn a variety of ideas. An Aikido Instruc tor may have experienc e of other martial arts or self defense, this c ould be helpful. A more mature instruc tor will have more life experienc e and likely to have important life skills and other info to pass on to you. Some instruc tors have a more balanc ed approac h to their teac hing, and are not just passing on tec hniques that they were taught, but also aiki princ iples and health and harmony issues. Onc e you have made your dec ision on whic h aikido instruc tor to train with, you may want to begin

with a short period of instruc tion to make sure that what is offered meets your partic ular needs.

" Aiki is the power of harmony, of all beings, all things working together. Relentlessly train yourself - followers of the way " Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei

FOCUS YOUR MIND

It is diffic ult to learn all of the aspec ts of the art of aikido in a short spac e of time, but is it possible to fast- trac k your training and avoid unnec essary delays and bloc ks along your path to aikido exc ellenc e? Y ES, I believe there are several key ways to ac hieve this. T he human mind c an only c onc entrate fully on one thing at a time, so the less it has to think about the faster it will learn new things. Y our mind foc uses on what it needs to c omplete the task that you put before it, so take away some of the distrac tions that may c ome up. 1 - Be very enthusiastic to ac hieve a high level of skill and aim for your goals. 2 - Y ou should be fit enough for it not to be an issue during training. 3 - Y ou should be relaxed, have good stamina, c ore strength and flexibility. 4 - Y ou should be willing to help your training partners and students on the path. 5 - Help your instruc tor in any way you c an and get involved in the c lub or organization. 6 - Release and let go of any worries, anxieties, or problems in daily life while training. If you solve the above issues, then you will be able to foc us your mind power on the key skills required for peak performanc e in the dojo and fast- trac k to higher peak performanc e levels. T he human mind learns new things by thought and repetition. So the fastest way to learn is to foc us your thoughts on what you are doing and repeat it over and over again until it bec omes a fixed skill. Y ou must c ontrol your mind and disc ipline it to work for you. I rec ommend that you foc us your mind on one thing at a time, study it, learn it, and digest it, until it bec omes a habit and then move on.

" Standing amidst heaven and earth, c onnec ted to all things with Ki, My mind is set, on the path of ec hoing all things " Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei

REMOVE EGO

FROM YOUR AIKIDO

In Aikido we train to put the ego aside and rise above our animal mentality. We aim to be better today t han we were y est erday . We don't t rain t o t ry and appear bet t er t han ot hers by put t ing ot her people down, but aim to esc ape our built- in animal instinc ts (lower self), and bec ome truly human (higher self). Bec ause of the fluid nature of Aikido, students should not resist the flow of the tec hnique's movement. A beginner in Aikido will be able to advanc e muc h faster if they learn how to safely rec eive the tec hniques as soon as possible. T his involves going with the movement and learning how to protec t themselves and fall safely. Many people are resistant to tec hniques in a more subtle way, and this is the ego c oming through from the subc onsc ious mind. Gradually after plenty of prac tise and experienc e in Aikido it is possible to almost remove ego c ompletely. T his is an enlightening experienc e where training bec omes easier, relaxed, fun and more enjoyable. T hrough c ontinuous, regular training we learn to c reate positive new habits. We are then more interested in the training experienc e of our fellow students, always trying to help improve eac h others skills. T his takes our training to a higher level, where we c an develop fast, as there is no resistanc e on the path to self- disc overy. If we c an learn to ac c ept the pain in our training and move instantly away from it then it is very brief, and useful for learning. If we do not adjust to pain immediately it c auses resistanc e in us.

" With your right hand showing yang and your left hand showing yin, lead your opponent " Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei

AIKIDO UKEMI & BREAKFALLS

Aikido training is based on two partners prac tic ing pre- arranged forms (kata) rather than freestyle prac tic e. T he basic pattern is for the rec eiver of the tec hnique (uke) to begin an attac k against the thrower (nage), who c ontrols it with an aikido tec hnique. Both halves of the tec hnique, that of uke and nage, are c onsidered essential to aikido training. Both

are studying aiki princ iples of blending. Nage learns to blend with and c ontrol attac king energy, while uke learns to bec ome c alm and flexible in a disadvantaged, off- balanc ed position that nage puts them in. Uke c ont inuously seeks t o regain balanc e and c ov er weak areas, while nage uses posit ion and t iming t o keep uke off- balanc e and vulnerable. In more advanc ed training, uke will sometimes attempt to apply reversal tec hniques to regain balanc e. Of the two roles that exist in aikido, the one that most aikido students foc us on is the role of the nage, whic h is t he easiest t o underst and and put s us in t he 'winning posit ion'. We hav e been t aught all of our lives to win, and losing makes us feel bad. In reality, winning and losing are two parts of the same positive and negative energy. We win, we lose... this is life itself. We c an see both, not as mistakes, but as a lesson to learn more about life and develop experienc e and c harac ter. Ukemi prac tic e involves rolls and other breakfalls. Here are a few reasons why we prac tic e ukemi in Aikido, and why it is so important... 1 - T o stay safe, not only to avoid injury in the c onfrontation, but to be aware of what is going on t hroughout t he whole enc ount er t o be able t o f ind and respond t o openings and, perhaps, t o esc ape. 2 - T o experienc e the throw, to understand what the 'other' side of the enc ounter is and to observe the other person's tec hnique, partic ularly if nage is a senior student or teac her. 3 - T o learn to listen with your body, as to throw well requires sensitivity to your partner. Often we are so c aught up in the ac tive role of nage that we forget to be rec eptive to our partner and move in a way that harmonizes with uke. By being uke we get a c hanc e to be sensitive to body movement. 4 - T o assist your partner to learn. Being a good uke means maintaining the c onnec tion with nage, and allowing nage to experienc e that c onnec tion and to really experienc e the tec hnique. Being a good uke allows nage to perform the tec hnique without worrying about injuries. 5 - T o c ondition the body. Ukemi requires work, and mind foc us to stay c onnec ted, flexible and aware. An essential ingredient of ukemi is awareness. T he uke is able, with experienc e, to respond quic kly to any ac tion. T rue ukemi c omes from serious training with harmony and balanc e between partners. And above all, don't forget to enjoy your training, relax and smile!

" Do not look upon this world with fear and loathing. Bravely fac e whatever the God's offer " Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei

LEARNING AIKIDO TECHNIQUES

T here are mental distrac tions to the learning proc ess, and that your mind learns new things by thought and repetition. Y ou must c ontrol your mind and disc ipline it to work for you. I rec ommend that you foc us your mind on one thing at a time, study it, learn it, digest it, and then move on to the next.

T ake a basic tec hnique and work on it over and over again until you bec ome an expert on one tec hnique. T hen, just repeat the proc ess with the next tec hnique, and so on. After a few months you will have many quality tec hniques in your arsenal. Carry on this proc ess for years, and you will bec ome an expert in the art of aikido. T his is how many instruc tors have developed to suc h a high level of skill. Y our mind, in many ways is like a c omputer that c an be programmed to work fast, effic iently and without errors. Of c ourse, like a c omputer, if you do not set your mind up c orrec tly by using a simple filing system, to store tec hnic al information, all sorts of problems c an oc c ur. And a good way of doing this is to c reate a Folder c alled Aikido Blueprint, whic h will have other folders inside maybe c alled... Aikido Rules & Etiquette, Aikido Breakfalls, Aikido T ec hniques, Aikido Princ iples, Aikido Self Defenc e, Aikido Freestyle and maybe Aikido Misc ellaneous. Now you have 1 main folder with 7 folders inside, as you begin to build and store the information inside. Make it simple and to the point, any info that is vague, just put it in your Aikido misc ellaneous folder. T o easily remember eac h folder, you c an assoc iate them with c olors, images, sounds, numbers, etc . T his is how the memory experts do it in order to ac c ess the information fast. Of c ourse if you are performing freestyle you will not be using your brain to ac c ess info, but reac ting naturally to your c irc umstanc es. Now its time to open your Aikido tec hniques folder, and store the very basic tec hniques inside... Kokyu- ho, Kokyu- nage, Shiho- nage, T enc hi- nage, Irimi- nage, Kaiten- nage, Kote- gaeshi, Hiji- jime, Ikkyo, Nikyo, Sankyo, Y onkyo, Gokyo, etc . Also inside this folder are two sub- folders, one with the attac ks... Katate, Kata, Y okomen, Shomen, Mune, Ushiro, etc . and the other with positive or negative movements... ic hi (forward, positive, ac tive) Ni (bac kwards, negative, reac tive). Onc e you have all of these files and folders developed in your brain, and as you gather new information, you will know exac tly where to store it for easy ac c ess. Y ou c an be an Aikido expert, and the sure way to ac hieve it is to foc us your mind, train hard and train smart. Of c ourse you will greatly improve your speed of learning if you also relax deeply, enjoy your training and have fun.

" Aikido is the manifestation of love " Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei

ANALYZING AIKIDO POSTURE AND FORM

We found that c reating and developing a good posture, one that will hold up while moving takes a lot of c onc entration, in the beginning. So, what is good form? It is a way of holding yourself that allows you to move freely without losing your balanc e. Having good posture will also allow you to apply power to your training partner (opponent, attac ker), at any time throughout the movement.

In reality, the posture you dec ide to prac tise needs to be able to func tion under extremely stressful situations. For example a real street fight or c ombat situation does not allow you the time to get into posture. Y ou need to reac t instantly to the c irc umstanc es you find yourself in, whic h will not be ideal. T here are two basic aikido postures... migi Hanmi Kamae (right) and hidari Hanmi Kamae (left). Here are some of the postures, stanc es, and spec ific positioning you will take with your attac ker during training... Shizentai Kamae (natural), Migi Hanmi Kamae (right side forward), Hidari Hanmi Kamae (left side forward), Ai Hanmi Kamae (same), Gyaku Hanmi Kamae (opposite), Ma- ai (safe distanc e), Hand Positions - Gedan (low), Chudan (natural), Jodan (high). A natural standing/walking posture has weight over the front foot, in the middle and over the bac k foot, c hanging as you move from plac e to plac e in daily life. Whether moving or standing still in Aikido, your body should feel strong and resilient, without undue tension or stiffness. Y our hands should be extended in front of you with your fingers slightly spread with ki (energy) projec ting out through your fingers. In all Aikido movement, be sure to keep your weight low and your movement fluid and even. It c an help to visualize all of your motion as being c entered around a point a c ouple of inc hes below your navel — this is c alled your hara, c enter of gravity or 'one point'. Avoid lifting your weight up and down as you step, your hips and shoulders remain at the same level as you move, and your spine remains upright. T o get lower, keep your bac k upright and bend your legs, but don't bend over at the hips. T his way you maintain your posture, without the risk of losing your balanc e. Aikido posture takes time to get used to, and at first does not feel natural, so you have to train until it does feel natural. T he various sc hools of Aikido all have their own ideas on what good posture is, and should be there at every point throughout the tec hnique. As a keen student you should look for key positions within a tec hnique and aim to join them together.

" T he great universe is itself the way of ai-ki " Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei

AIKIDO PRESSURE POINTS

We saw t hat t here are many areas of t he body where int ense pain dev elops when t hey are at t ac ked. At these points, energy c an be transmitted into a nerve very effec tively, and as a result, they are known as pressure point s or nerv e c ent ers. In M art ial art s, nerv e c ent ers or pressure point s are used t o disable and t o def eat opponent s. However, the same points are used in ac upunc ture to heal the body by restoring balanc e and harmony. Different pressure points respond to different kinds of stimulation. Some respond to striking, others to pressing or rubbing. In addition, the angle at whic h a pressure point is attac ked is c ritic al to proper

ac tivation. In many c ases, the full effec t of pressure point ac tivation c an only be felt if the angle of attac k is suc h that the entire nerve plexus or c onnec tion is stimulated. Nerve c enter pressure point attac ks are very effec tive in self defense situations. T hese points are used to c ontrol or to quic kly inc apac itate an opponent. Ac tivation of a pressure point c an c ause exc ruc iating pain c apable of making almost any adversary bac k down. When the pressure point is released, the pain subsides, therefore, c omplianc e c an be gained without inflic ting serious injury. Many Aikido tec hniques have the potential elements of pressure points available in them. T hese c an be very useful in reduc ing the strength and foc us of your attac kers, in order to suc c essfully esc ape or apply a c ontrolling tec hnique. If the tec hnique c hosen, is the c orrec t c hoic e in the c irc umstanc es, and has perfec t timing, then pressure point strikes will not be nec essary, but its good to have bac k up skills. In Aikido, 'Atemi' is the term used for a distrac ting strike to give you an advantage over your attac ker. When distrac ted the attac ker may foc us on your hand, or their pain, rather than their strike or grasp. Some c laim that the best way to unbalanc e an attac ker is to deliver a real strike, espec ially where there is potential for strong resistanc e, as in a real street c ombat situation. Atemi does inc lude a wide range of applied forc e, from striking without touc hing to striking vital points with the intent of c ausing unc onsc iousness. Knowing the different effec ts that a strike on various parts of the body c an have, will improve your tec hnique. It is interesting to know that the hand positions in nearly all aikido tec hniques are ready for pressure point applic ation. If used c orrec tly you c an make your tec hniques twic e as powerful and more effec tive, even on those 'resistant training partners'.

“ When you bow deeply to the universe, it bows bac k; when you c all out the name of God, it ec hoes inside you “ Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei

STUDYING AIKI PRINCIPLES

Princ iples are the key lessons you learn from any study or ac tivity you take part in. T he aim is to free your mind so you c an perform your aikido tec hniques in a flowing, relaxed but powerful way. Y ou c annot do this if you are bogged down with mental baggage, and using princ iples of aiki c an free your mind. Aiki Princ iples teac h a deeper understanding of Aikido. T he aim of Aiki is to lead the mind and the body will follow, and as an instruc tor the best way to lead the mind of your students is through motivation, inspiration, enc ouragement, and disc ipline. What did the founder of Aikido, Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei prac tise on a daily basis? After all this is what he thought was most important... right? During his personal training he would perform a series of Aiki Exerc ises, Misogi Purific ation rituals, Kototama sound vibration c hants and inc lude many hours of pure prayer to divine spirit. T he aim of

these prac tic es was to purify and harmonize his mind/body/spirit, and balanc e his energy c enters. If you are thinking of joining an Aikido c lass, are a student or an instruc tor you will be working on a variety of ways to c ontrol your attac kers through the use of their own energy. T he following may be a typic al c lass struc ture to develop aiki skills... Aikido Class Blueprint Rei (bow), Mokusu (breathing meditation), Warm- up, Ukemi (breakfalls), Kihon Dosa (basic postures), Waza (Basic T ec hniques, Advanc ed T ec hniques, Applied T ec hniques), Kokyu Nage (breath throw), Kokyu Ho (harmonizing exerc ises), Cool- down, Mokusu (breathing meditation), Rei (bow) Aikido Attacks and Techniques Ai, Katate, Ryote, Mune, Kata, Hiji, Eri, Shomen, Y okomen, Shomen T suki, Ushiro, Ikkajo (ikkyo), Nikkajo (nikyo), Sankajo (sankyo), Y onkajo (yonkyo), Gokajo (gokyo), Iriminage, Sokumen- Iriminage, Kote - Gaeshi, Kaiten- Nage, Kokyu Ho, Kokyu Nage, Jiyuwaza, Kaeshawaza, Bokken Happo Giri, 31 Jo Kata etc . Assessing Students Ability Etiquette, Attitude, Mindset, Disc ipline, Effort, Conc entration, Relaxation, Kamae (posture), Ma- ai (distanc e), Ki- ai (shout), Atemi (distrac ting strike), Ukemi (breakfalls), Kihon (basic moves), Evasion, Balanc e- taking, Immobilization (c ontrol), T hrow, Waza (tec hnique), Jiyu- Waza (freestyle tec hnique), Awareness of surrounding environment, Coac hing Potential etc . It is essential to instill disc ipline in students regardless of the qualities and c harac teristic s they bring to the Dojo. Disc ipline is often something the ego does not enjoy, but... c ould save lives one day. Aiki Principles T here are so many princ iple lessons learned during your aikido training, and here are many of the ways I have improved my training experienc e, and ability. I rec ommend you look through them, try them out and if useful to you add them to your arsenal of skills, or if useless, throw them out... Aiki is Hidden in the Open, and What Y ou See is Not What Y ou Get. Y ou T hink Where Y ou Feel, Flow like Water, Sensitivity, Don't T ry to Make it Work, Allow it to Work... Just Do it. Aikido tec hniques are learnt Big to Small, Slow to Fast, T ensed to Relaxed, and Stylized to Realistic . Kamae (basic posture) is for T raining and Shizentai (natural posture) is for Sudden Attac k Defenc e. Skeletal Loc king - sequential loc king to affec t the spine indirec tly.

Mind Moves Body Keep One Point, Relax Completely, Keep Weight Underside, Extend Ki. Breath Control, Relaxation, Non- Resistanc e, Allow, Avoid Direc t Conflic t, Connec tion, Circ les, Leading the Mind, Ki Energy Extension, Balanc e T aking, Pain Inc entive.

There are 3 Methods of Training Ac c umulating T ec hniques, Analyzing Form, Understanding Princ iples.

Strong Posture Mind on Hara, Control Weight by Relaxing the Centre of Gravity Down, Weight shifting (push with rear foot - pull with front foot), Establish a momentary base and pull your weight to it,

Methods of Power Alignment, Relaxation, Foc us, Intention, Ki- Extension, Penetration, Ac c eleration.

Relax/T ense... Sudden T ension gets Uke's Reac tion in a Predic table Manner, Sudden Weight Dropping & Relaxation Compliments the Direc tion, A Very Relaxed Applic ation Creates a Void for Uke to Fall Into the Emptiness, Contrac tion - breathe energy in, Expansion - breathe energy out, Sudden energy in and out, c hange of pac e, vibration.

Balance Taking Being Aware of Angles of Pressure to the T riangulation Points, T hrow Uke by Created Co- operation, Prepare Uke T o Unwillingly T hrow Himself, Prepare and Base uke by Double- Weighting before off- balanc ing.

T hese are just some of the princ iples you may wish to work with, and you will be surprised how many of them c an be inc luded in your normal aikido training ac tivity. T o truly understand these princ iples then you must work on them. In 2009, I will be writing a c omprehensive 'Aiki Princ iples Software Ebook', in full detail. T his will c over all of the princ iples listed here and many, many more. I may even add a series of video tutorials... so stay tuned! Of c ourse, I am available for private lessons on the South Coast, West Sussex, UK. ;- )

“ T he Art of Peac e is medic ine for a sic k world. T here is evil and disorder in the world bec ause people have forgotten that all things emanate from one sourc e. Return to that sourc e and leave behind all self-c entered thoughts, petty desires, and anger. T hose who are possessed by nothing possess everything “ Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei

AIKIDO LIFE LESSONS

Aikido has a philosophy that c an be applied to everyday living. T hrough physic al training, you learn to harmonize with the energy of your uke (training partner), using flowing dynamic motions to 'c ontrol' them. From here you learn to balanc e your own energy with the world around you. Although many people think of martial arts as a set of fighting tec hniques, Aikido was c reated to help its students bec ome better human beings by prac tic ing non- aggressive ways of dealing with c onflic t. What you learn in aikido c an be applied to life outside of c lass and vic e versa. T he ultimate goal of Aikido is to develop habits allowing you to bec ome more effec tive in daily life. In your training you learn never to go against the power of your attac kers, so in life you c an avoid c lashing with energy by being more passive when c onfronted by aggressive people. If someone is intentionally argumentative and you do not respond, their aggression has nowhere to go. T his c alms them down, where you c an take c ontrol of the situation and steer it in another direc tion. Y ou prac tic e tec hniques over and over so that you c an c hange the ways that you instinc tively respond in diffic ult situations. In aikido, you c onstantly think about how life applies to prac tic e and

how prac tic e applies to life. Sinc e life is filled with c hallenges, aikido prac tic e is a c onstant exploration to solve them. Aikido's emphasis on mutual respec t fosters a supportive learning environment that helps promote self- c onfidenc e and poise, developing mind, body and spirit. Y ou prac tic e being both uke and nage in the dojo, and sometimes it is important to attac k. While at other times it is important to relax during an attac k, allow it to happen, then redirec t that attac king energy in another more harmonious direc tion. Y ou c an be in either the role of the attac ker/uke, or the defender/nage, on the dojo mat. Y ou as a human being c an also play both parts in Life. Sometimes you are just straight up attac king life and doing it well, setting goals and then ac hieving them. It is important to extent right through life, and keep moving forward... breathe deeply, relax and enjoy.

“ Create eac h day anew by c lothing yourself with heaven and earth, bathing yourself with wisdom and love, and plac ing yourself in the heart of mother nature ” Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei

AIKIDO HARMONY

T here are many paths to harmony, but the art of Aikido has the power to c reate real balanc e in your life. It examines, through c ombat, the many different aspec ts of life energy, and there are two main princ iples inv olv ed, and t perf ec t balanc e bet ween t hese t wo energies c reat es harmony and peac e. 1 - Positive Energy, Y ang, Fire, Male, Hard, Direc t etc . 2 - Negative Energy, Y in, Water, Female, Soft, Indirec t etc . In order to c reate true balanc e and harmony, first you must establish your c enter of gravity, whic h is about an inc h below your navel (belly button). T his is the c orrec t plac e to foc us your physic al and mental energies. T he Japanese c all this the 'Hara' or 'Seika- no- itten' (one point) and is where your life energy is loc ated. To focus your physical energy... align your body by standing or kneeling with your spine straight, push your hips forward, shoulders bac k and down, breathe deeply and c ompletely relax into this post ure. T hen take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. As you breathe in, tense your musc les, as you breathe out, c ompletely relax down and release all of your tension. After doing this several times, tension will leave your body and you c an c ontinue with deep breathing while fully relaxed. To focus your m ental energy ... c onc entrate your mind on your c entre or 'one point' and imagine energy as a ball of white light getting smaller and smaller OR as ever dec reasing c irc les. With this, it is important to keep your mind busy, so this proc ess is c ontinuous and never ends. After some c onsc ious effort and willpower, your mind will learn to do this naturally, and you will be c entered and in harmony. Eventually you will begin to feel a strong c onnec tion with people, nature and

the universe. When you feel c onnec ted you c an read the attac kers intention and reac t ac c ordingly. Onc e you have reac hed this level you will naturally avoid direc t c onflic t in your Aikido prac tise and your daily life. Like water you will flow with and not against the natural life- stream. Y ou c an then ac c ept life and allow it to be as it is. When you lose the desire to c hange life to fit your individual needs and wants, you lose your ego mind and you c an relax into and enjoy life as it is... this is true mastery. Aikido teac hes you to get in touc h with and understand the patterns that you go into to protec t yourself, both physic al and emotional, and that there is an alternative to this behavior. Consc ious response and c hoic e, rather than unc onsc ious reac tion. Being c entered, extending Ki energy, blending, and leading are basic to Aikido training. T he nature of Aikido movements are designed so that you move from a different plac e, from Center with Ki, and c an address the nature of the interac tion, rather than getting c ompletely c aught up in the attac k itself. Aikido then bec omes a form to let go of the things inside of you that awakens you to the harmony and true nature of all things big and small, personal and spiritual, and apply that knowledge and experienc e to anything you wish to in life.

“ Foster and polish the warrior spirit while serving in the world; illuminate the Path in ac c ordanc e with the divine will “ Master Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei

Well that's it, I hope you enjoyed the Aikido Suc c ess Blueprint Ebook, and found some valuable prac tic al information and tec hniques that you c an use in your aikido training sc hedule. By using these ideas you will have many of the tools nec essary to fast- trac k your Aikido skills to peak performanc e levels! Warmest Regards

T ony Wilden Aikido Health Centre P.S. Kindly take the time to give us a positive and honest review of this ebook. In return for allowing us to use your testimonial on our site and in our promotions... Y ou will get a Fantastic Free Gift worth $47 http://www.aikido- health.c om/testimonials.html P.P.S. Visit our health sec rets page for amazing information to boost your energy levels using the six essential ingredients for real health and well- being - http://www.aikido- health.c om/health- sec rets.html

" Sinc erity! Cultivate this virtue and realize the profound truth that the manifest and hidden are one " Master Morihei Ueshiba

A IK ID O H E A L TH C E N TR E Harmony of Mind-Body-Spirit

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“ When you bow deeply to the universe, it bows bac k; when you c all out the name of God, it ec hoes inside you “

Master Morihei Ueshiba

EBOOK DISCLAIMER

At the Aikido Health Centre, throughout our Web- pages, in our Ebooks and online Harmony Newsletter, our intention is to supply valuable, unique and original information and resourc es to help you to take c ontrol of your own health and well- being. Use of this knowledge with the professional advic e of your instruc tor, health c are advisor or Doc tor is rec ommended for c omplete peac e of mind. (c) 2009 Tony J Wilden – Aikido Health Centre - All Rights Reserved

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