Lines
Why do you go to Aikido Summer Camp? Everybody has their own motivations. Some Aikido fanatics go to binge on Aikido practice. Some go there to see senior teachers in order to improve themselves. Some like to practice with different partners for exposure and exchange. Outside of Aikido, people also get to see old friends that they, otherwise, don't get to see often. Over the years, my motivation has been all of the above. To me, these days, the most meaningful part of going to camp, however, is to help beginners practice.
So often, beginners huddle together at a corner or at the edge of the mat. Many of them are very hesitant to actively tap on someone for practice. As a result, if someone is left out as the "odd person" on the mat, it tends to be a beginner.
Before our students attend Summer Camp for the first time, I always give them a prep talk: Do not hesitate to sit at the front during demo so that you can see. Pay attention to people around you. If you spot anybody you like to practice with, go sit next to them at the end of the round so that you can invite them to practice with you the next round. No need to be shy. You have as much right to practice with a black belt as everybody else. A good black belt would not diss you. They should feel honored and happy that a less experienced student pick them. It is trust. It is a compliment.
It, of course, can be satisfying to find young pups for some "rock and roll" Aikido. Because these students are young and adequately experienced, one can chuck them around without holding back. Not only do they live, but they actually love it! It is a good opportunity to hone their ukemi so that they survive all different styles of throws at fast speed. If you need to get something out of your system, whether as uke or nage, it is the way to go. When teachers tell us to practice in lines, it is hard to not notice groups of like-minded people gather together to swipe each other off the feet or to toss each other to the moon.
I rejoice in their fun and happiness. However, I do not join these lines often. Can't tell you why. Maybe I just don't have enough "stuff" in my system. I don't feel a need to get anything out. Instead, I enjoy practice with less experienced people. I do not try to teach them. It is not my class. I just want to help them practice what is being taught while I practice. Beginners can be the purest mirrors.
Just like in any field, it is important for Aikido beginners to have good experiences. At where they are, they probably have experienced a lot more "wrongs" than "rights". They need to know that they are already strong enough. They need to believe that they already have Aikido inside of them; they just need to bring it out. They should not stress over these things. That is when a sempai becomes valuable.
If a newbie pairs up with a more experienced person who can manage his own half well and can cooperate, the newbie does not have to worry about how to "make the technique work". Because the sempai (more senior person) knows the shape of the technique, he can offer guidance through his body movements. The newbie can focus solely on moving himself. The easy and smooth repetitions that yield good result is a way better confidence booster than any praise or pat on the shoulder. People can feel it. They know. Once they internalize the consistent feeling from good rounds, that good internal feeling will act as a guiding light to lead them to more good rounds. Everything grows from there.
During one of Yamada Sensei's classes, I was in a line with ONE other person. Matt has only been practicing for less than a year. He is a big, tall, strong man. He told me he was into wrestling and many other power activities. If he wanted to use brute force, he probably could turn me into a pot of pulled pork. Yet, he didn't. It was so obvious that he was determined to learn Aikido through body movements and self control. I was really impressed.
At one point, Yamada Sensei came over to offer us assistance so Matt got to watch and feel many more times what Sensei was trying to teach. Surprisingly, the entire time, nobody came to join our super short line. Matt and I got to practice at the pace we wanted and worked on whatever we needed to work on many, many times. It was one of my best lines ever.
So often, beginners huddle together at a corner or at the edge of the mat. Many of them are very hesitant to actively tap on someone for practice. As a result, if someone is left out as the "odd person" on the mat, it tends to be a beginner.
Before our students attend Summer Camp for the first time, I always give them a prep talk: Do not hesitate to sit at the front during demo so that you can see. Pay attention to people around you. If you spot anybody you like to practice with, go sit next to them at the end of the round so that you can invite them to practice with you the next round. No need to be shy. You have as much right to practice with a black belt as everybody else. A good black belt would not diss you. They should feel honored and happy that a less experienced student pick them. It is trust. It is a compliment.
It, of course, can be satisfying to find young pups for some "rock and roll" Aikido. Because these students are young and adequately experienced, one can chuck them around without holding back. Not only do they live, but they actually love it! It is a good opportunity to hone their ukemi so that they survive all different styles of throws at fast speed. If you need to get something out of your system, whether as uke or nage, it is the way to go. When teachers tell us to practice in lines, it is hard to not notice groups of like-minded people gather together to swipe each other off the feet or to toss each other to the moon.
I rejoice in their fun and happiness. However, I do not join these lines often. Can't tell you why. Maybe I just don't have enough "stuff" in my system. I don't feel a need to get anything out. Instead, I enjoy practice with less experienced people. I do not try to teach them. It is not my class. I just want to help them practice what is being taught while I practice. Beginners can be the purest mirrors.
Just like in any field, it is important for Aikido beginners to have good experiences. At where they are, they probably have experienced a lot more "wrongs" than "rights". They need to know that they are already strong enough. They need to believe that they already have Aikido inside of them; they just need to bring it out. They should not stress over these things. That is when a sempai becomes valuable.
If a newbie pairs up with a more experienced person who can manage his own half well and can cooperate, the newbie does not have to worry about how to "make the technique work". Because the sempai (more senior person) knows the shape of the technique, he can offer guidance through his body movements. The newbie can focus solely on moving himself. The easy and smooth repetitions that yield good result is a way better confidence booster than any praise or pat on the shoulder. People can feel it. They know. Once they internalize the consistent feeling from good rounds, that good internal feeling will act as a guiding light to lead them to more good rounds. Everything grows from there.
During one of Yamada Sensei's classes, I was in a line with ONE other person. Matt has only been practicing for less than a year. He is a big, tall, strong man. He told me he was into wrestling and many other power activities. If he wanted to use brute force, he probably could turn me into a pot of pulled pork. Yet, he didn't. It was so obvious that he was determined to learn Aikido through body movements and self control. I was really impressed.
At one point, Yamada Sensei came over to offer us assistance so Matt got to watch and feel many more times what Sensei was trying to teach. Surprisingly, the entire time, nobody came to join our super short line. Matt and I got to practice at the pace we wanted and worked on whatever we needed to work on many, many times. It was one of my best lines ever.
Comments
Post a Comment