Is Aikido Hard?
Inryoku Volume 4 Issue 6
By Josh Paul Sensei, AOSB Head Instructor
The days you want to avoid the dojo are the most important to go. We give ourselves many reasons to avoid the dojo: we’re tired, sore, overworked, hungover, worried or rushed. There are social and work events we may or may not want to attend, sports teams, meals, trips, and a general sense of vague obligation. We fear missing things, and are often conflicted about what’s most important.
Of course, going to the dojo frequently and repeatedly is not easy. The stories we tell ourselves about who we are, how we feel, and what we need to get there are persuasive. The adage that 90% is showing up is hardly flippancy. Showing up is a challenge, and learning to overcome that huge obstacle is in many ways the first step along the path.
Training is about challenging ourselves to do something we thought was physically, mentally, or logistically impossible. The path is about pushing ourselves through sleepiness, busyness, and anxiousness. It is sometimes about saying no to a boss, client, or partner in favor of something that benefits us, and to discover something new about ourselves and the world in the process. This doesn't preclude self-care. It is a recognition that sometimes self-care is trying a little harder.
Rank tests are much the same: an opportunity to do something that previously seemed undoable. The preparation offers an opportunity to find within ourselves increased intensity, focus, and proficiency — qualities that are often attributed solely to advanced practitioner or to the seemingly “more talented.” That is, we tell ourselves that something is unachievable because we're not good enough or skilled enough or deserving enough. These are all things we encounter and struggle with in our aikido, both on and off the mat.
AWA head instructor Andrew Sato Shihan. Photo courtesy Hannah Ponder. @hahnponder
My teacher Andrew Sato Shihan says, “My commitment to training, rigorous mental and physical training, follows a path that starts at the kitchen table helping my kids with their homework, and continues through the laundry room, the ball fields, and the recital hall. It passes through the grocery store, the kitchen, the office, and the florist, even when this level of commitment only provides a few hours of training at the dojo per week.”
Over time our commitment to training permeates all our thoughts and actions — it becomes a lifestyle.
Aikido is hard.
Recent Promotions!
Youth Promotions
There are too many youth promotions to list, so please check out this video of smiling faces. Generally, youth exams are held twice annually, so each new rank is an achievement not only in technical ability, but also patience and perseverance.
Adult Promotions
We are very proud of Isabel and Giuseppe S. on their promotion to adult 6 kyu. Isabel and Giuseppe, now 14 and 13, joined the dojo in 2014. This is their first promotion as adult students.
The transition from youth to adult training, like the transition from childhood to young adulthood, is difficult and demanding. One of the most unique and rewarding experiences in the dojo is watching students like Isabel and Giuseppe grow and mature from preschoolers in our children’s program to skilled adult students.