  Please share with us your, stories, ideas, tid bits, questions, and revelations. |
Aikido from a Beginner's Point of View
By Victor Hung, Florida Aikikai
Editor's Note: The Beginner's Corner is devoted exclusively to articles and submissions from students who have recently started along the path of Aikido. We would like it to be a forum to express and share hopes, fears, successes and frustrations from the unique perspective of a beginner. Such a forum can be a tremendous support for fellow beginners. It can also help more advanced students remember their past trials and tribulations and help them achieve the elusive "beginner's mind". The fresh observations and sincere questioning that characterizes the beginner's experience can promote a deeper understanding and awareness for all of us in the Aikido community. So please share with us your, stories, ideas, tid bits, questions, and revelations.
My first day of class in Aikido, probably like any new beginner, I did not have a clue on what to do, what the others were doing and what all those Japanese words (hammi, irimi, tenkan, ikkyo, nikkyo, etc.) meant. Thanks to my gymnastic skills, I could "do" forward and back rolls; however, one of the advanced students was instructed to "take care" of me and to show me the correct way of doing the forward and back rolls and the basics. I apologized since because of me he could not attend his regular class, and his reply stuck in my head forever: "do not apologize, this is another way of learning Aikido". I will never forget his advice to buy The Aikido Handbook by Greg O'Connor. I will encourage to every beginner to read this book before they join any Aikido Dojo. Dojo etiquette is very important and everybody need to learn this from the beginning. My first experiences were sometimes frustrating since I could not perform as uke and not even as nage. Most of the advanced students avoided me during practices or simply ignored me. Finally, I started "chasing" and "choosing" my partners once the instructor finished showing the technique. And even after class, I used to ask any of the students to show me the techniques again, specifically how to do the proper ukemi. I was really pushing hard, I was coming every day and sometimes taking two classes per day. After several months, things changed. Suddenly the advanced students showed more interest in teaching and guiding me the right way. This approach was really encouraging and motivated me to stay and strive to learn as much as I could. As a 4th kyu student, I try to approach every beginner and practice with them as much as I can, trying to encourage and motivate them. Like a beginner, I understand their frustration and lack of interest from some of the advanced students to approach them. In my first year, I have seen a lot of beginners dropping off because they are not motivated. For beginners of any age and gender, PLEASE do not feel discouraged, disconnected and most of all: do not feel you are interrupting your partner because of your lack of knowledge of a certain technique. Remember: "teaching is another way of learning Aikido". Ask for help, chase and choose your partners. The Dojo atmosphere is so harmonized that you will feel integrated with everything. For advanced students, PLEASE be open and remember how it felt when you were a beginner and show us, the beginners, what motivated you to continue and be where you are right now. We as beginners need you as much as you need us. Finally, and I believe this is one of the drivers of Aikido, is to enjoy every class and have fun all the times. |
