How many find yourself totally absorbed with concentrating too much on unimportant things, when you should be focused on what really matters? With a high degree of certainty I would venture to say we all are guilty. The same tendency equally occurs in the practice of martial arts. For that matter, it is applicable across the board.

Teaching is not an easy task. It requires you to honestly assess what and how you teach. Some of the questions I ask myself are: How are the students moving? Do I like what I see during their execution? Are they demonstrating what I have illustrated through Show-n-Tell? Or, have they gone off the reservation to some place that causes you to ask yourself, “Where in the name of Sam Hill did that come from?” Off the reservation is a clear indication something is wrong between what you are teaching and the students understanding or interpretation. There are others too, but we’ll save them for future posts.

Over the last several classes I have noticed excellent and improved execution among our students with good progress being achieved in their waza. However, during the last several weeks there have been moments I began questioning my instruction. I have noticed there is a tendency among some of our students to unduly concentrate on the end result. Not a good thing and its my responsibility for allowing it to manifest.

The end result is not the area where a student’s attention should be focused on during practice. When we focus on the end result, we neglect to pay attention to our initial movement, our control of uke, our distance, our cuts, and many more too numerous to list. These are the elements and principles. When the requisite elements and principles are properly applied, the end result is a natural occurrence. It just happens!

During last evening’s practice the class was segregated with the seniors to one end of the mat, the remaining students came with me to the other end. They were paired, then we immediately began working on various techniques, repeatedly executing while only concentrating on the requisite elements and basics leading up to the final result, but not concluding the fall. As they tirelessly practiced and practiced, I went up and down the line having them do this or that with me as their uke with no end result. This was not only a good workout for me, but it seemed to help the group. I was pleased, yet we need to continually be vigilante in our teaching to focus on the beginning and middle of our waza, not the end result.

That’s it for the moment from our small corner of the world.

Until the next time, we’ll be on the mat…

Dojo Etiquette Reminder: It is improper and rude to engage in conversation with others while the teaching instructor is leading warm-ups in cadence or addressing the class as a group.

So you want to study a martial art?

Maybe you have been considering it for sometime. Perhaps only recently you have thought about starting but your life is not perfect at the moment. You want to wait on this or that, or defer it for a better time. Here’s a question. How long have you been saying this to yourself? If we waited for a better time or when everything was just perfect in our life, what would we really experience? Not much!

Consider the following: I am going to school to get my degree without external distractions. Then I am going to firmly establish myself in a good career and create financial security before starting a family. When I marry we’re going to wait 10 years before having children, because it’s important to have a solid relationship with your spouse before the children come along. Guess what? You are now about 50 years of age, maybe older. What have you missed?

Here are several I hear regularly: I need to loose weight before starting something new. Or, I need to get in shape and improve my cardio endurance before undertaking anything physically demanding. I am not sure this is the right thing for me. How do I fit this in my schedule? I am afraid of what people may think of me because I am out of shape. I have asthma or I become winded easily. Here’s my favorite, I am too old! Let’s face it, we talk ourselves out of a multitude of things or just plain procrastinate. There’s a very simple way to overcome this. Just Show Up!

The study of martial arts is more than just learning how to kick, punch, grapple, or throw someone to the ground. The true study of martial arts is the study of life. It’s about developing and improving your life skills.

The martial aspects of practice not only helps with improving your physical wellness, flexibility, endurance, strength, and coordination to name several, it affords you the opportunity to develop or improve your awareness and confidence. It’s designed to better aid you to function with improved effectiveness in our society. It enhances your ability in dealing with adversarial situations. Studying martial arts is a way of life. It’s about creating balance, finding your own space, achieving harmony, and learning how to live within your own circle of peace. It’s about learning to be a more productive and positive member of society. How and what this looks like is left entirely up to you.

Whatever your reasons for wanting to study, just know you are welcome. Come as you are because everything else will always follow its natural course. Yet you will never know until you make the decision to show up! Just Come! That’s all you need to do.

Your individual growth and development will be according to your own personal design. We offer you the environment, the support, and the encouragement from our students and instructors to join us for whatever your reasons.

Remember, everything in life begins with the first step. Just Show Up!

Mata ne…

We  have added new Kenpo Pics to our Gallery Page.

You have to watch out for those back kicks when you are working out, you know!

Stay Alert & Roll Easy!

It was a great personal feeling to be on Big Blue Tuesday evening just working out in Aikido at a nice steady pace.   Working up and down the line with the crew has been sorely missed, though my right hip has the tendency to remind me to take it easier for a tad longer.  In any event, there is much to be said about having students do nothing but execute, execute, and repeatedly execute while you are correcting on the fly.  Especially when you don’t give them the opportunity to over think what they are doing.  It’s an interesting process if you know what I mean.  Shihan Jerome will be snickering when he reads this post.

Sometimes there is a tendency to spend entirely too much time trying to teach the movements of a technique through nothing more than a demonstration, followed by talking it to death.  This is wasted time and energy.  Greater attention is necessary with concentrating on the essential elements along with the principles, and how they either make the execution ineffective or effective.  Principles & Elements are the requisite focus of teaching.

Before I close this very brief offering, I wanted to share that my reasons for continuing to do what it is that I do after all these years was reaffirmed Tuesday evening.  Mark the “Switchblade” said to me as we were getting ready to workout, “Sensei, it’s very good to have you back on the mat, but take it easy with the hip and don’t over do it.  We want you around for a very long time”.  As he spoke these words, I noticed in his facial expression and heard in his tone, sincerity and deep affection.  I experienced the same with others that evening, not that superficial and insincere banter I have so often experienced in other venues.  We truly are family and we find tremendous value in our associations and friendships.

Thank you Koji Crew and Shihan Jerome for directing me to the Lost & Found.

Shihan Legion’s has scheduled kyu testing for the Aikido Suenaka-Ha Ashland Dojo for Sunday, November 7th, at 4:30 PM.

We look forward to joining Shihan Jerome and the Ashland Crew on this special day for Suenaka Style Aikido.  Our very best are hereby extended to all the proposed candidates.  We wish you a positive and exciting experience.

Aside from Ashland Testing, if you haven’t noticed, Shihan Legions is now maintaining a blog, The Do of Aiki.   You may find it under our Virginia Links in the sidebar.   Surf by and see what my Ol’ Friend is writing about these days.  You will find it interesting and very insightful.

We look forward to seeing everyone on the mat!

Stay Alert; Roll Easy!

Lately, I have been wondering why students continue to train in the martial arts.  Can it truly be for self-defense or self-protection as some would lead you to believe?  Even after all these years, I’m afraid I don’t have any good answers.  Is this a sad commentary on a Chief Instructor?  Dunno…

As far as this subject is concerned, I have been asking myself the same questions.  Among the numerous questions I have been exploring lately are:  Why do I continue to teach?  Why do I endure the physical aches and pains, which only increase as we age?  What keeps me coming back?  Is it the people?  Is it the physical activities?  Or is it simply just the fellowship and friendship that one enjoys from being associated with such a phenomenal group of people as we have at the Koji Dojo?  You know something, I don’t truly have a good answer for this at the moment.  At one point I could give you some lofty philosophical reason, imbued with “warm & fuzzies” to the Nth degree.  Yet, at the moment, I seem to be at a loss with why I continue to do what it is that I do.

Feel free to leave a comment about why you started to train if you are new, or if you are an Ol’ Dawg, why do you continue to study.

As the river slowly navigates its winding path, I too will have to navigate through the real reasons why I continue.

Until the next time, remember the essence of the study of any martial art is about living!

Mata ne…

We have added several new pictures to our Gallery.  Stop by and visit with our students and see what they have been doing lately.

As always, feel free to leave a comment or just give us shout to let us know you visited.

Good classes overall at the dojo today.

Aikido Open Workout went at a nice steady clip this morning.  Mostly seniors working through advance level requirements, with one newer student in the midst of it all working on basic techniques.  Good energy overall.  Proficiency and movement were on point with the seniors, while Titan (our newer student), is on the mark with his learning curve.  The only observation I have relates to locks.  When you have control of ikkyo, nikyo, or one of the others, it is important not to ease off the control and pain compliance.  When you back the lock off, you open the opportunity for uke to kaeshi your technique.  In practice, make sure you maintain the lock sufficiently that you know you have it, and it is adequate enough for uke to know that you know you have it applied properly.

Kenpo Group was most excellent.  The primary area of emphasis today focused on recognizing ‘set points’ and the importance of developing position/positioning versus blocking.  It was a good start in class today, but don’t become discouraged.  It will continue to improve as we move along.  The last area which we stepped up was our Kenpo Freestyle.  Not exactly a free-for-all, but we took one technique and worked it in a randori environment.  The main observation from freestyle today is the importance of continuous movement that flows, without jerking motions.  Jerking tend to cause one to allow their mind to rest.  It’s similar to turning on and turning off the water faucet in the kitchen.  Start. Stop. Start. Stop.  An abiding mind if you will.  Should be unfamiliar with this term, may I suggest you check out the book The Unfettered Mind. I believe everyone walked away from class today with an improved sense of understanding with some of the essential elements of Kenpo.

Thanks to everyone for the participation and hard work this Sunday.  We’ll see you on ‘Big Blue’ this week.

Hawk Out!