FAQs

Where do I enter the mat?

In our dojo, students should enter the mat from the shimoza side of the mat directly across from the kamiza. It is most appropriate to enter at the approximate location where you will be sitting at the start of class. 

Where should I sit? 

Students line up at the beginning and ending of each class in a straight line at the edge of the mat opposite the kamiza and in order of rank. That area is known as the shimoza. The newest students or lowest ranking students should arrange themselves close to the entry door side of the mat, the side that is the lower left hand side of the mat as they are facing the kamiza at the front of the mat area.  The most senior students sit at the far right hand side of the shimiza.

How to bow?    

When entering the dojo building, do a standing bow facing the kamiza before removing your shoes,

When stepping on the mat, before class, take a step or two onto the mat, sit in seiza, and do a formal seated bow.  Place your left hand down in front of you on the mat; then place the right hand down aside the left hand forming a small triangle. Bow forward by bending your arms at the elbows. Sit back up until the arms are straight; lift the right hand and place it on your thigh, and then raise left hand to the thigh, then sit up straight.

Just before exiting the building, do a standing bow facing the kamiza.

What’s all this bowing about? Well, aikido is a Japanese martial art. In Japanese culture, a bow is gesture used in many situations to convey greetings, or thanks, or to show respect toward an individual.  Please always use this gesture respectfully.

What if it is against my principles to bow?

Certain cultures and certain faiths prohibit bowing to another human being as that gesture holds religious significance to be used for God alone.  In my dojo, students who hold such beliefs are not required to bow. I ask that they substitute the bow with a gesture of etiquette that is acceptable for them to use. The action of the gesture itself is not the important factor. The sentiment behind the gesture is what is important. That sentiment should be respectful. 

How to address the instructor?

“Sensei” is the proper title to use when addressing an aikido instructor. The term sensei translates roughly to ‘teacher’ or ‘someone with experience who has come before’.

Other titles commonly used in aikido that you may hear may include:

• O-Sensei (Great Teacher) referring to Morehei Ueshiba, the founder of aikido.
• Sempai – leaders or mentors within the dojo
• Kohai -  Students mentored by Sempai
• Yudansha – the group of black belts
• Mudansha – the group of white belts
• Dan – black belt   This term often is used with a prefix identifying the rank of the black belt   eg Shodan = 1^st degree black belt or Sandan = 3^rd degree black belt.

Can I come in after class has started?

Always try to arrive on time for the start of class whenever possible.  It is my attitude to welcome in students who arrive late.  I understand that we are sometimes at the mercy of conditions beyond our control. I want all of my students to have as much practice time as they can.  If you arrive late, get changed into your uniform then stand at the edge of the mat until the instructor leading the class invites you to attend.  When invited onto the mat, use a seated bow before joining into the ongoing activity.

If I have to leave the mat during class, what should I do?

If possible, please tell the instructor before leaving the mat.  As an instructor, I want to know that my students are doing well. If I notice that someone is no longer on the mat, I want to know that they are okay.  I do not want to worry that they might have been injured and moved off alone.

As classes are not very long, please refrain from stepping off of the mat during class just to grab a drink unless you have a medical condition that requires immediate fluid intake. 

What should I do if an injury occurs?

Aikido is a very physical activity and sometime injuries do occur.  If your partner gets injured during a class, help them as best you can.  Make sure that the instructor is aware of the accident. Use ice packs, bandages, … from the refrigerator and first aid kits. Remember to use proper ‘universal precautions’ if dealing with any blood.  Latex Gloves are available in or near the first aid kit. Please also remember to wash any blood off of the mat using a hydrochloride solution.

If, heaven forbid, there is a major injury, get someone to call 911 immediately to get emergency care without delay.

Technique names and brief descriptions

UNDOs  (exercises) 

• Ikkyo undo
• Funakogi undo
• Sai undo
• Saichayaku undo
• Ushiro tekubitetori undo
• Ushirotori undo
• Happo undo
• Zengo undo
• Tenkan undo

ATTACKS NAMES and descriptions

• Katatetori    - wrist grab using one hand
• Katatetori Aihanmi    -   crosshanded wrist grab   ie. Uke’s right hand grabs nage’s right hand
• Katatekosetori -  same as Katatetori Aihanmi    Cross handed wrist grab
• Katatori – grab lapel of gi shirt with one hand
• Ryotetori – two hand attack grabbing  both opponent’s two wrists
• Ryokatetori – two hand attack grabbing opponents lapels
• Tsuki – punch aimed to hit your opponent’s midsection few inches above the belt.
• muntsuki, - punch aimed at opponent’s chest
• mentsuki – punch aimed at opponent’s head
• Shomenuchi – open handed strike cutting down to the top of the opponent’s head
• Yokomenuchi – open handed strike cutting to the side of the opponent’s head
• Maigiri – front snap kick
• Ushiro tekutebitori – grab opponent’s two wrists when standing behind the nage
• Kubishimi – choke hold usually applied with one hand on opponent’s wrist and the other arm wrapping around the opponent’s neck.
• Hijitori – two hands grabbing elbow when standing behind opponent

TECHNIQUE NAMES AND DESCRIPTIONS

What is in a name? For folks like me who know little of the Japanese language, initially seeing a list of aikido technique names can be confusing. Here are some hints to help you decipher the terms.

Technique names fall into two categories.  Some techniques are simply called by a number labeling scheme.  For example, ‘ikkyo, nikkyo, sankyo….’ translate to ‘first technique, second technique, third technique and so on.  The second category of labels uses terms that describe a part of the movement. ‘Kotegaishe’, for example, roughly translates to wrist twist.  But wait one minute, you might be thinking right now that those two labeling schemes don’t seem overly confusing. Well, just to make this a bit more challenging, not all techniques have a unique standard label. Kokyunage has become a catchall term commonly used to describe many techniques. 

Commonly, the names used to identify an action will start using the attack name followed by the technique name.  The phrase Tsuki Koetegaishe, for example, would be used to describe applying a wrist twisting maneuver responding to a punching attack.

Most aikido techniques can be applied in response to any of the strikes or grabbing attacks.  All of them also have both omote and ura variations.  An omote variation will usually be performed by stepping forward in the direction the attacker is facing. Omote refers to moving ‘in front of’ the attacker.  An ura variation will normally be performed by completing the move using a tenkan or pivoting action that will result in spiraling the attacker to the ground.  The omote or ura term will be tacked on to the label and used as an adjective to further refine the description on a technique. So Tsuki Koetegaishe Ura would describe the wrist twist based movement responding to a punch attack that ends with a pivoting body movement to throw the attacker to the ground.  Got it?  It is not that confusing once you here the names a few times. 

I recommend that students repeat technique names to themselves silently as they are completing a throw.  This repetition generally helps new students become familiar with terms quickly.

 I will work on details for this section later.  For the moment, I will keep each of these descriptions brief. Look up these terms in a search on www.youtube to get a quick reference example or look them up in your favorite aikido reference books. I do not intend my descriptions here to ever be detailed enough to offer anything more than a reminder of what you learned at the dojo.. Later I may add some images to clear this up

·         Ikkyo        
first technique  
 big circle, get hip into corner, shoulder lower than wrist, walk them down to ground. For safety, never go to your knees for the pin until the uke’s chest is on the ground. When applying the hold down at the end of this technique, remember that it is only an immobilization, not a submission.  This hold down should not be painful.

• Nikkyo
  second technique
  Form uke’s arm into a ‘Z’  Position you feet so that they form a straight line with uke’s two feet. 
  Turn your hips to face in the direction the Uke is facing, turn your hips to make your upper body face your uke so that you can ask him or her what they were looking at, when you make that turn, bring their elbow back   Perform the take-down by bowing slightly while applying pressure to the uke’s arm.  ‘Nice Shoes’.
  Remember to keep your arms relaxed during this move in order to amplify the effectiveness of your power.
• Sankyo
• Yonkyo
• Gokyo
• Rokyo
• Koetegaish
• Shihonage
• Iriminge
• Tenchinage
• Kokyunage
• Jujinage
• Koshinage
• Kaitenage
• Sudori

TEST REQUIREMENTS AND THOUGHTS ON TESTING

Is rank important? My first response is No it is not. Working toward the goal of attaining a particular rank however for most people is a useful motivator. I highly recommend that students use the pursuit of rank as a catalyst to improve their mastery of the art.

Remember that you are making an investment in yourself. If you, like the majority of people today, find that testing makes you nervous, use the event of your test to overcome that nervousness and increase your self-confidence.  The dojo is a safe laboratory. If you prepare for a test and do not do well, what have you lost?  Through preparing for your test, you most likely improved your skill level significantly. The trial of taking aikido tests publicly can generate dividends for you in life. The experience can build confidence that can be useful in many corners of your life.  Think about pitching an idea to your peers during a meeting at work. An idea presented with confidence will be more readily heard and accepted than one offered meekly.  So if taking an aikido test increases your general confidence then your confidence may start to influence many areas of your daily life.

Lastly, please never use rank to compare yourself with another person. That will do nothing but injure someone.

SEMINARS

Different senseis have different experience. They each have much to offer.

Always attend with an open mind.  You will probably see some things done differently than the way that you practice them back home. Do not let that get in your way. Try to perform techniques in the exact way that they are being demonstrated regardless of what you are used to.  You won’t be disappointed.

Seminars are also wonderful opportunities to meet up with people who hold a similar passion to yours.  Go and get acquainted.

Remember too to bring home what you have learned and share it with your home dojo so that those who could not attend the seminar can still benefit by it.

For the children’s program

Physical work is good  but something was missing?

Aikido classes are physical.  Our classes challenge my students’ strength, flexibility, and coordination. Most of the practice session helps students learn how to master their physical world …But the focus solely on the physical aspects of the world leaves a void.  What did it offer the students to teach them about their emotions or about the moral structures making up their world around them?  What lessons could prepare students to better interact with their world?

With those questions in mind I set out to find a way to stretch the student’s mind as much as their muscle. I want to help them decide the way they want to act and think.

Aikido contains and reflects a rich philosophy of compassion toward people but most of the children I was dealing with had an innate feeling of trust and love toward most everyone. Aikido’s ideals of love and the power to connect with the inner strength of the universe were too esoteric for me to convey to those young minds.

Parables and koans to fill that void

The koans were an effort to introduce moral lessons and ideas to the students.

I wanted to do more than just tell stories to introduce those ideas so I assigned homework. Each week the students were challenged to analyze how the recent koan or parable related to their life. During the week they would return and explain what they had thought of.

Tell the story

Short immediate discussion

Assigning a question to help the student analyze the theme of the story.

Reviewing the answers throughout the week

Some of the most enjoyed koans follow.

Each will also have a list of questions I have used to help as a sort of study guide

Koan 1 and question guide

Koans:

• Black nosed Buddha
• The crow’s beautiful voice
• Is it full?
• We shall see
• The four students
• Two wolves- which one wins
• A man, two tigers and one strawberry
• The mice that taught the monk to smile
• Two brothers and their uncle   to give or receive
• Too much stuff to carry – can’t have fun
• If your tears could turn to pearls, how much would you be willing to cry to become rich