100%

Many thanks to Aikido de la Montagne, we had an Aikido Summer Camp in Montréal this year.  Summer camp is a much anticipated annual gathering of Aikido practitioners, where we meet and train with friends old and new.  It is a flagship event that brings the community together.

A couple of our students who have practiced for less than a year courageously attended the entire week of camp.  Facing the many instructors, partners, movements and techniques that they had never dealt with before, not only did they cope well, but they rose to the occasion, almost instantly elevated their training and progressed very rapidly.  It was really impressive.

Contrary to the young blood, I sat out to watch many classes so as to preserve my newly operated knee.

As I was watching practice, I noticed the movements of many kyu graders have very limited extension.   They move awkwardly, but forcefully, with rigid arms like a baby T Rex inside an egg.  Their energy never reaches beyond their "eggshell" -- the shell being the interface with their partners.  

Whether they are uke or nage, it is not good news because it means that they are inside an egg that is in the hands of their partners!  

I reminded our students, "You are no longer a baby dinosaur inside an egg.  You have hatched!  Be big and powerful.  The world is your playground.  Extend yourself.  Be the center of the universe!"

I also noticed that many students are hesitant.  They act like they are constantly second-guessing themselves.  They are holding tight onto something.  They are afraid to let themselves go.

I practiced with some young people exhibiting such behavior.  I encouraged them to just have faith in themselves and throw me the best they could.  Those words must have touched something in their hearts because several people teared up.  One of them ended up crying and had to step off the mat . . .  

After Summer Camp, I talked to our student about the phenomenon.  

My advice to them:  Always give 100%.

A student said, "I can't always throw hard, especially when I pair up with a smaller person or a beginner.  I don't want to hurt them."

"I didn't ask you to throw people hard.  I just tell you not to hold back." I explained.

What I said may sound self-contradictory, but it is not.

Half of an adult is not a child.  A less than full cup of 'grande' is not the same as a 'tall' cup of coffee.  Make your assessment and keep giving what you think is the suitable strength, speed and energy for your partner at the moment.  Whatever you give should always be 100% of what is appropriate, instead of a half-hearted something else.

The two behaviors -- the forceful baby T Rex and the constant second-guessing --  are, actually, the two sides of the same coin.  

As nage, when people feel that they are not strong, their sense of insecurity and self doubt soar.   Some think they can compensate by adding force in order to move ukes.  The force they direct towards ukes actually help their partners feel more grounded and stronger.  That, in turn, put themselves in an even weaker position.  Very quickly, they descend into a catch-22.  They would have been better off by simply doing their moves without worrying about their partners and just let their partners follow them.

O Sensei says, "You do not come to Aikido to learn how to be stronger because you are already strong enough.  You come to Aikido to learn how not to be weak."

Just give your 100%.  Trust me:  You won't be weak.