We follow certain ground rules during practice in order to benefit from and enjoy training, create an atmosphere of mutual respect, and maintain safety.
* We remember that each attack in Aikido practice contains the element of life and death. The original intent of Bujutsu was to kill, with one blow, an enemy who was trying to kill you. Since all techniques can be lethal, observe the instructor's directions and do not engage in contests of strength. Train in a friendly, cooperative manner, paying heed to the life and death element in every repetition of every technique.
* Aikido is an art in which you prepare for multiple attacks. You learn to deal with the many as if they were one. Therefore, train yourself always to be mindful of opponents in the four and the eight directions. Maintain a mental and physical attitude that relates to all directions, not just to what is in front of you. With this in mind, you will maintain a good posture when performing weapons and Taijutsu techniques.
* Training should take place in a pleasant and enjoyable atmosphere. When grounded properly in the basic fundamentals and correct spirit of intent, Aikido should have a light feeling to it.
* The teaching of your instructors constitutes only a small portion of what you will learn. The development of the more practical and mature skills will depend almost entirely on your own motivation and practice. Be careful about trying to learn too many techniques too soon. One by one, make each technique your own.
* Begin each workout with basic movements that strengthen the body without overexertion. Spend the first 10 minutes warming up, and there will be no fear of injury, even for older people. Enjoy yourself in training and strive to comprehend its true purpose.
* Training in Aikido develops Yamato Damashii, strengthening one's mind, body and spirit. The techniques are transmitted from person to person, on an individual basis, and should not be disclosed freely to the public. Instruction should not be made available to persons who would cause harm to others.
Dojo Etiquette - Reigi
The basic ground rules for beginning students have been covered in other publications. Two excellent examples are A Beginner's Guide to Aikido, by Larry Reynosa and Joseph Billingiere, and The Aikido Student Handbook by Greg O'Connor (see Reading List for names of publishers). Pat Hendricks has an excellent, smaller handbook that she makes available to her students. Most dojo etiquette can be learned from observing higher ranking students (sempei). Etiquette is relatively relaxed during regular practice (keiko), but it is important to know that in more formal situations, such as tests or during visits by high ranking teachers, we try to be particularly attentive to etiquette. When visiting other schools, it is better to begin by being formal and then relax as the situation allows.
* Dues support your school. Most of the money goes into paying rent and utilities. An instructor should not have to ask you to pay your dues. If you are gone for a month, please pay your dues before you leave. If you are out of work or unable to pay, please talk to the head instructor about your situation before tuition is due.
* Upon entering and leaving the dojo, you should do a standing bow toward the shomen.
* Bow toward the shomen when stepping on or off the mat.
* Class begins and ends with a formal bow toward the shomen and then the sensei (instructor).
* Arrive on time for class, preferably early, giving yourself a chance to relax and do some preliminary warmups. If you must be late, please bow in alone. If you know you're going to be late, do some essential warmups such as leg stretches and knee rotations, before coming to the dojo. Avoiding warmups will lead to the cumulative development of injury.
* During the class, address the instructor as sensei. Without the proper respect for the teacher and the art of Aikido, the training is not effective.
* Bow to each partner before and after you train. In some dojos this is done with a sitting bow. Also, bow and say thank you to your instructor after receiving instruction.
* Remove all jewelry and keep your toenails and fingernails trimmed.
* Make sure your feet are clean before stepping on the mat.
* The left lapel of the gi is worn over the right. The opposite way signifies Seppuku (hara kiri). Wear a clean gi.
* Women of all kyu ranks can wear a hakama. Men only wear a hakama after they receive a black belt.
* Mats are swept before and after each class by lower ranking students. All Aikidoists should be aware of the cleanliness of the practice area. Each person should be willing to do his or her part to keep the practice area clean. This demonstrates our respect for the art.
* It is considered bad etiquette to leave the mat during a class except for injuries.
* Take off your shoes when entering the dojo, in order to show respect and to keep the dojo clean.
* Treat your partner with the utmost respect. Your partner is entrusting his or her personal safety to you, and we must handle that trust with the greatest care. Respect is spatial as will as mental. One's distancing from another person, known at ma-ai, is a function of respect.
Aikido is more than just a physical form of self defense. It is a physical, mental and spiritual path. Therefore, you benefit the most when each movement is done with your whole mind, body and spirit. It is your spirit of intent that is most important. Spirit of intent is more important than athletic ability or physical skill. It is essential to be physically, mentally and spiritually focused and to have respect at all times.
Bowing is a way of paying respect to Aikido, O'Sensei, the dojo, your instructor and training partners. It is the spirit in which the bow is done that gives it value and meaning.
The formal sitting posture on the mat is seiza, a kneeling position with the right toe over the left. It's done this way because, in the past, if you were drawing a sword you would lift your right leg before the left. In Zazen meditation it is the opposite because you are renouncing the use of the sword. Your knees should be about two fist lengths apart, with your hands resting on your thighs. Your upper body posture is upright. You want to maintain the posture that will keep you in tune with the Energy of the Universe. Sit in seiza while techniques are being demonstrated.
When bowing from seiza, place your left hand on the mat, and then your right. Lower the eyes only when bowing to the shomen. When you rise from the bow, the right hand comes up first, and then the left. When bowing to other students, do not lower your eyes or let your head go so low as to let the person you are bowing to see the nape of your neck. Correct bowing shows awareness and maintains Zanshin (presence, focus and concentration).
If you're late for a workout, you can warm up at the edge of the mat before bowing in. Wait for acknowledgment from the instructor, then step onto the mat and bow in from seiza.
The last five minutes before class should be a time to sit in seiza and meditate. This could be your one opportunity during the day to enjoy this moment of quietness.
After bowing in, the instructor will turn to the class and say, "Onegaishimasu," and students repeat it to the instructor. It means, basically, "If you please." It is pronounced "oh-ni-guy-she-mas."
When bowing out at the end of class, the instructor will say, "Domo arigato gozai mashita," which basically means, "Thank you for sharing the training with me." Students repeat it back to the instructor.
When taking a test, bow first to the shomen, then to the instructors, and finally to your partner. When the test is complete, repeat the three bows. Do not turn your back on your teacher.
Posted at Iwama Dojo
Attention Using force to stop your partner from completing the techniques in prohibited. - Dojo-cho |
Iwama Style This is concerning the Aikido techniques I am presently teaching. The emphasis is on the relationship between the Ken, Jo and open-handed techniques that were taught by the founder for more than 15 years in Iwama from 1945. I am continuing to faithfully protect this traditional Aikido. Now foreigners refer to this as Iwama Style. 1988-7-27 Iwama Takemusu Aiki Saito Morihiro |
* Swords are kept on racks with handles away from the door.
* When you take a sword or jo off the rack or return it, bow it in to the shomen.
* When you are seated on the mat, waiting for class to begin, the weapon is kept on the right, or inactive, side with the handle toward the shomen. The blade of the bokken is faced outward, away from the body.
* When bowing in with the class, place the bokken or jo parallel to the shomen slightly ahead of where you would place your hands. The handle of the bokken should be to your left. After the class has bowed in to the shomen, the instructor will turn to bow to the class. At this time the weapon is moved to your left, or active, side with the hilt toward the shomen. When you bow to fellow students, the weapons is held in your left hand by your left hip. When you bow out, you move the weapon to your right, or inactive, side.
* When handing weapons to other students, keep the blade toward the person you are handing it to.
* Wooden weapons are treated as real weapons. They are never handled by the "blades" and are never dropped or thrown.
* Procedures in handling weapons will vary from dojo to dojo. In Iwama, we placed the jo in front when bowing in, with the bokken behind it. The handle of the bokken was to the left and the blade was facing us. At morning practice, we'd bow in in the dojo and then file out, jump into our shoes and move quickly to the outdoor practice area.
* Training with weapons should be very deliberate and carefully focused. When in doubt, slow down to a pace that assures complete focus and control. Hurried, careless training does not develop skill; rather, it leads to injury. The speed with which your weapon approaches another person is not important. The velocity of your weapon should be slow enough to eliminate the chance of injury. Your timing and footwork are most important in these practices, not the speed of the weapon. Practice power and accuracy of contact on your own using tires or other objects as targets.
What O Sensei accomplished in Aikido was the sum total of his practice. What we accomplish in Aikido will be the sum total of our practice. It is best to train consistently, with a good spirit of intent, over a long period of time. Train with good Zanshin, good mental presence, once you're in class, even if you're not having a great day. If you decide upon a specific training schedule, stay with that schedule as much as possible. It is the consistency in your practice that will carry you through. If there is a schedule change for any reason, it's helpful to advise your instructor. Your approach to training on any given day can be rigorous or relatively light, depending on how you feel. Both approaches are effective. One cannot train hard all the time. It is equally beneficial, and equally strong, to be light and relaxed.
Students may feel that there is not enough time for training and other responsibilities. Aikido teaches you how to relax and accomplish more in a stressful environment. If you are consistent in your training, you may find that you are capable of doing more outside the dojo because of your increased energy level and relaxed state of mind. You learn how to be efficient with your energy. Training in a positive, relaxed manner will develop a level of energy that will move you through the entire day.
Injuries are not common, but, as in any physical activity, they sometimes occur. If you do have an injury, do not ignore it. Talk with your instructor. As you recover from an injury, it is possible to do light movements or falls without injuring yourself again. You can always do something, even if it's observing. There are days when you may be under the weather or injured, and it is important to know that light training done with intelligence can help promote a speedy recovery. Positive energy is very healing, and you can develop a feeling of healing energy flowing through your body.
A good Aikidoist is not a person who has flashy techniques for a couple of years. It is the person who, with a quiet, focused spirit of intent, has pursued his or her goals consistently over a long period of time. This is the only way to achieve the higher levels in Aikido.
Attitude is both physical and mental. Your physical attitude is the relationship of your body's vertical and horizontal axes to the ground. It's your posture, alignment and balance. There is a direct correlation between mental and physical attitude. You can improve your mental attitude by improving your physical attitude. This is a primary function of martial arts and yoga in unifying mind and body. Doing something as simple as walking on a log can improve your mental balance, causing you to shift your consciousness from your ego to your center.
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