Is Aikido Enough?

Should I do something else to supplement my Aikido training? This is something I hear a lot and there are arguments on both sides of the fence. Some say “Aikido is enough – you don’t need anything else!” Could this just be selfish words from an instructor that doesn’t want to risk losing a student? Others may say “It’s all exercise, it’s all good.” I think there is some truth to both of these statements however there is more to examine.

For the first 12 or so years of my Aikido training I did Aikido 2-6 times a week. The only other activity I did was zazen. I was careful not to do anything else that might hinder my training. My Aikido teacher did zazen so I did it too. For me, the 2 arts worked hand in hand. Actually I feel that doing zazen helped my Aikido more than Aikido did – if that makes sense. So while Aikido and zazen worked well together, something like Aikido and boxing probably wouldn’t. If you’re serious about getting something deep out of Aikido, if you have the free time to do another activity, at least make sure it’s not congruent to your Aikido goals.

After 12 years of Aikido training, I felt like I had internalized much of the principles. Then I tried a lot of different arts – shodo, pottery making, kendo, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Bikram Yoga. It was fascinating trying to apply the principles I worked so hard to understand and make part of myself to other arts. The breathing I had developed made it easier to get into the groove of shodo. The “kiai” we develop in Aikido & zen is ever so important in Kendo. Being relaxed yet strong – extending ki – allowed me to be strong but not tire too quickly in jiu-jitsu. Maintaining strong posture is important in Aikido and an integral part of yoga. The principles we talk about in Aikido are not limited to just Aikido. After all, they are universal principles, and you can see them being displayed in many different arts. It really shows the depth of your understanding if you can apply them in different – non-aikido – settings.

So is Aikido enough? I think it depends on how much time you have to devote to activities & how many Aikido classes there are per week in your area. If there are 5 classes a week then why not do Aikido 5 times a week? At that rate you’ll progress so quickly and you’ll soon find what you’re looking for. If you have more time per week and there aren’t that many Aikido classes, you might consider trying something else out. Just make sure it supplements and doesnt’ detract from what you’re trying to develop.

Losing your temper

I was talking to one of my aikido students recently about how to avoid losing one’s temper. First of all I think it’s important to point out that in some situations yelling or cursing might be appropriate. The key, in my opinion is the mindset. Let me explain…

So this student – Bill - would sometimes find himself in a conversation that for some reason or another would heat up and get tense. Before Bill knew it he was screaming and yelling and this particular conversation ended badly. Both parties were upset. Feelings had been hurt and who knew how long it would be until they were on speaking terms again. Hearing Bill’s part of the conversation, I felt bad for him. He was put in a tough situation. I told him that you can’t always control what another person says or does. You can, however, control what you say and do. “But I can’t!” was his response. “I got so angry that I couldn’t control myself!”

Isn’t it interesting, the words we use to desribe anger in the physical sense? We use words like uptight, tense, and blood boiling to name a few. All of these words describe the physical reaction in the body. “Whether you realize it or not” I told Bill, “you didn’t lose your temper instantaneously.” “It was a gradual process.” “Maybe it took 5 minutes and maybe it took 10 seconds, but it did not happen all at once.”

“How can I become sensitive to my body to feel that?” Bill asked. “Well that’s where training comes in.” I explained. For myself, it’s aikido and zen. Maybe for other people it’s calligraphy or painting. The point is, we need to do something where the focus is looking inward. When you’re doing something as “simple” as meditation, there’s not much else to do but focus on your breathing and posture. When you start to become more in tune to your body you will in fact feel the gradual changes that take place. Then if you start to feel your pulse increase, your face get hot, and your shoulder muscles start to tighten, well then you can consciously make an effort to change these reactions. Maybe you take a deep breath, maybe you laugh, maybe you walk away!

Sensing that Bill was catching on but didn’t completely understand, I thought about what his interests were outside of aikido. Cars. Bill likes cars. “Bill if you look down at your temp gauge on the dash and you notice that it’s getting hot what would you do?” “Well,” Bill replied “I would pull over at a gas statio and check the radiator probably.” “So you wouldn’t keep driving it to the red mark on the gauge?” “No!” Bill laughed and said “that could damage the engine.” “Well” I replied, “a car is a system – just like the body is a system – the problem is you need to work on building a temp gauge through regular training!”

Classic Terry Dobson seminar re-released

This DVD is one of Terry’s last seminars before his untimely passing. I remember watching it on VHS back when it was available by mail order in Aikido Today magazine. I hadn’t seen in it probably 10 years or so but it was just as moving now as it was then. Terry had a great way of interacting with the students. For example one lady grabbed Terry’s wrist and then Terry complimented her on her strong grip. “Are you a farm girl?” He asks? Sure enough, she replies affirmatively. He seemed to have this way of speaking – of really speaking – to the people he came across.

Being one of O-sensei’s last students, Terry was exposed to the softer – more spiritual side of the art than those that trained earlier on with the founder. Terry comments that O-sensei never taught techniques directly. He would demonstrate and the students would have to figure it out for themselves. This is very different than the way modern students are taught step by step. Throughout the seminar, Terry emphasizes blending and turning. He doesn’t get caught up on small details regarding footwork, etc. I think this approach makes the art feel like something anyone can learn. Not just the young and not just the coordinated.

A nice bonus feature is also included with this DVD. Brief interviews are shown of students and training partners of Terry. Producer Shari Dyer and author Ellis Amdur, among others, share some insight into the character of Dobson.  A great DVD of one of the true pioneers of the art.

Back from Japan

Last week I had to make an emergency trip back to Japan – not for happy reasons, but nevertheless it was nice to spend some time in the land of martial arts, amazing food, and cherry blossoms.

I lived in Japan for 3 years (99-2001) and I go back to visit every year. It’s nice to see what changes and what stays the same. Japan is a very dynamic country and the people are always looking for something new. Old restaurants disappear and new ones take their place. Houses are knocked down and pachinko parlors sprout up.

Besides seeing family and friends, one of the best things about Japan is the food. A trip to an izakaya (pub/restaurant) is a great way to try a lot of different dishes. On the other hand a trip to a convenience store is also bound to deliver new varieties of snacks to enjoy. Here are a few foods and snacks that struck me last week:

No need to feel guilty about not eating crust in Japan

"Happy Refresh!" with Calpis Soda

Octopus with wasabi - delicious...

Wasabi & Seaweed flavor chips - beats Doritos any day

BBQ bamboo shoots - this is so Japanese.

'L's and 'R's still prove to be a challenge for the Japanese.

What are you worrying about?

Recently I heard a good philosophy about worrying. I forgot who it was – maybe Dale Carnegie? Anyway, the gist was this:

80% of what you worry about are about things will never happen

Of the remaining 20%, 10% are things you have no control over.

The last 10% is made up of things you do have control over.

So why don’t you take this opportunity to stop worrying about the 90% that doesn’t matter?

What does this have to do with Aikido? The mental state is very important in Aikido – and all arts (martial or not).  If you’re in the middle of a randori exercise and you’re worried about the 2 other guys that are closing in on you, chances are you aren’t dealing with the person right in front of you very well. Good Aikido demands our complete focus on the task at hand. Worry about the past or worry about the future and you lose effectiveness in the technique you’re applying. So the goal is to free the mind from all the trappings. Let your needless worries go. Welcome to the present.

Rank – the 2 Extreme Personalities

Part of martial arts training involves getting rank – a new colored belt that outwardly shows the progress you made in terms of learning and internalizing the particular skills and techniques. In my 20+ years of training and teaching, I’ve seen 2 extreme kinds of personalities regarding rank. I’ll call them Mr. Belt and Mr. Modest.

Mr. Belt is all about – you guessed it – the belt. He’s always looking at his classmate’s belts and comparing himself to the others. “Why is that guy a purple belt? I’m only a blue belt but I’m better than him.” he thinks. He dislikes training with lower belts as he feels he has nothing to learn from the beginners. In actuality, helping out a beginner can be a very educational experience. If you can’t teach something easily and clearly, that probably means you don’t really understand it yourself. Mr. Belt will sometimes become discouraged if he’s not asked to test soon enough for his liking. Maybe he will quit, but for sure his attitude will get worse as he feels like he’s not wearing the belt color he deserves. Usually Mr. Belt’s ultimate goal is get the coveted black belt upon which he will promptly quit his martial training or “get too” busy to come to class as regularly as before. You see, Mr. Belt’s motivation for training is completely external. His ego is hungry for the satisfaction that becoming a black belt brings. He “incorrectly” assumes that his training is complete when he gets the black belt. In actuality, the black belt (shodan) is not the end, but only the beginning. When I lived in Japan I heard instructors refer to these young cocky black belts as “shodan jodan” – which roughly translates as a “joke of a black belt“.

On the other side of the spectrum is “Mr. Modest”. He was born under the Bodhi tree and has transcended such egotistical trappings as rank. He is often heard telling his classmates “I don’t care when I test. In fact I like my blue belt just fine”. When it comes to test time he might even say he’s not ready or that he doesn’t even want to test. By over expressing his non-attachment to rank, he comes across as arrogant and snobbish.

The truth is, like it or not, rank is a part of modern day martial arts. Just like diplomas are awarded upon graduation from schools and universities, belt rank is awarded to those of us who train in the dojo. By moving up the ranks you are accepting a responsibility to help the younger belts in their training. Also, when the instructor is looking for someone to help him demonstrate a technique, the color of the belt helps him decide who can properly and safely assist him. For these reasons, rank is a helpful system in the fighting arts. On the other hand, focus too much on the rank and you lose the valuable inner lessons that training can bring.

Our training is a paradigm for life. Real life is not about what kind of car you drive, how big your house is, or what kind of cell phone you have. It’s about your inner training, your learning, your self-development. Don’t worry about the belt. Just train sincerly, train hard, and train consistently. Rank will come – whether you want it or not!

Tempu Nakamura Biography

Tempu Nakamura

Not everyone in the Aikido world knows who Tempu Nakamura was, but this philosopher and lecturer started a health system called the Tempukai which is still active today. Among his many students, one of his most well-known is Koichi Tohei (founder of the Ki Society). Much of Tohei sensei’s philosophy comes from this man. In Japanese there are many books on Nakamura, but unfortunately, not much in English. Aikido instructor and author Stephen Earle has decided to rectify this and he is sharing chapter 2 of the Tempu Nakamura Biography titled Heaven’s Wind.

Chapter 2 recounts the story of a sickly Nakamura who travels all over the world trying to find a cure for his illness and ends up in India where he undergoes severe training with his unlikely spiritual mentor. It’s a fascinating story that we can all find inspiration and admiration from.

Read chapter 2 HERE.

Does Aikido really work?

If you’ve trained Aikido for a length of time I’m sure you’ve heard this question yourself. When I’m asked this  I usually ask the questioner to  “Define ‘work’.” Undoubtedly he replies “Well, you know, would it work on the street?” or something to that effect.

To say something “works” means it fulfills your need. A pen “works” when ink comes out when you slide it across a piece of paper. A car “works” when it moves when you step on the gas, turn when you turn the steering wheel, and stops when you step on the brakes. So when you answer the question “Does Aikido work?” you have to know what the need is. Aikido attracts a wide variety of people. Some are looking for a way to handle physical conflict while others are looking for a path to inner peace. Aikido works to different levels of efficiency depending on the need.

But going back to the original question, typically people are referring to “street effectiveness” when they ask this question. Sometimes the questioner sees this nice high flying ukemi and thinks that it looks ridiculous. He will state that no one on the street would fly through the air like that. And he is correct. No one would take a high fall on the street. What the questioner is not realizing is that the high fall is the escape. It is a training method. We get our wrists tweaked enough in training and by executing proper ukemi we can avoid taking any damage on our wrists. The guy on the street won’t take that kind of ukemi and he would be injured by the joint lock because of it.

Is Aikido the best art for learning how to fight? I would say no, it’s not. But it is one of the best arts for learning how to not fight. Aikidoka learn how to quiet the “fighting mind”. We learn how to see other alternatives than fighting. We learn how to relate to others in a deeper and more meaningul way. And we learn that because in training we can’t rely on our muscles. We have to focus on ourselves. Nothing happens without proper body movement in the dojo. And more often than not, we find that we need to put our focus inside – and minimize our focus on external influences.

Aikido works for me. Does it work for you?

Thailand (the importance of a vacation)

I love to travel. Traveling exposes you to new cultures, takes away preconceived ideas of a people, a country, and a culture. There are so many reasons to take a vacation but at the same time there are so many excuses that come to stop vacation plans – no money, no time, etc.

Last year’s vacation was back to Thailand. This was my 3rd trip to the “Land of Smiles” and it was the best one yet. My wife and I flew into Koh Samui where we spent a week at a beautiful resort called “Zazen”. Koh Samui is a small island that is a tropical paradise. Beautiful ocean, nice people, great food – what else could you ask for?

Mummified monk from the 70's at a temple on Koh Samui

From there we went on to Bangkok – the capital of Thailand. Traffic is a mess here and it’s not too clean, but I still really like this city. It’s very metropolitan and very easy to get around if you use the skytrain. I typically don’t enjoy shopping, but in Thailand even the shopping is fun. Cheap clothes, shoes, and just about anything else you might want.

Girly boy show that happened to be playing at our hotel

If you don’t know the magic that is called Thai Massage, you are missing out. For a few bucks, you can get an amazing massage that some people call “assisted yoga”. Your body is pulled, stretched, and rubbed in a way that I think is the best in the world. After walking around all day, a Thai massage session was on our list about every other day.

Giant reclining Buddha at Wat Po (largest temple in Bangkok)

Our last stop in Thailand was Ayuthaya – which is a town an hour or so North of Bangkok. This was the old capital of Thailand and there are lots of ruins here from temples that were destroyed in wars past. I found it fascinating that tourists can walk and climb all over the ruins. I saw others having picnics and even a wedding amongst the ruins. I like this interactive approach and the fact that everyone seemed respectful of the historical sites.

Temple ruins in Ayuthaya

After a couple weeks in Thailand, I was completely refreshed, recharged, and ready to go back to work and life as normal back home in So Cal. Short weekend trips are great, but for me longer (and by that I mean at least a week) vacations are the best way to recharge. We all get used to our daily routine and for me it takes a few days for my body to get out of that routine. After a week of doing completely different things than the norm, my mind and body are invigorated and stimulated by all the “newness”. Then when I come back home from the trip, I have a whole new fresh perspective on things.

Yes vacations are expensive and they take time to plan, but they’re worth it. The memories of a good vacation are yours to own for the rest of your life. Don’t wait until some time in the future when you retire, hit the lotto, or some other far off date. If you can manage to, start planning that vacation now – your mind and body will thank you for it.

Some good practical self defense techniques

Here are some good “street-practical” self defense moves I came across online.

I hope you all can learn something!