show up for class and follow the examples of the instructor. Eventually, after consistent and persistent training, the student of aikido understands that the instructor can only teach a limited amount. The student's true success in aikido depends on one's ability to research, understand, and apply the aikido concepts to one's technique and training.
Training in aikido occurs long before you set foot in the dojo. That is the formal training. To get the most out of training, you must develop a good training philosophy. This chapter will present insights into and guidelines for developing an advanced aikido mindset, the hierarchy of training skills, training goals, physical motor training, training psychology, etiquette, dojo training relationships, keiko, shugyo, misogi, takemusu-aiki, and thoughts about the future.
DEVELOP AN ADVANCED AIKIDO TRAINING MINDSET
The appearance of an "enemy" should be thought of as an opportunity to test the sincerity of one's mental and physical training to see if one is actually responding according to the divine will. When facing the realm of life and death in the form of the enemy's sword, one must be firmly settled in mind and body, and not be at all intimidated; without providing your opponent with the slightest opening control his mind in a flash and move where you will — straight, diagonally, or in any other appropriate direction. Enter deeply, mentally as well as physically, transform your entire body into a true sword, and vanquish your foe. (UESHIBA, M. 1991, P. 31)
Wherever the head goes, the body follows. To get your body to train, first you must get the right training mindset. There are a few mindsets that can help a student of aikido, or any art in life, progress faster. The idea is not always to simply train more, but to train more effectively and wisely. One of the best training mindsets is to accept that one is learning a martial art, that it will take time to learn, and that you will make mistakes regularly, which give you the opportunity to train and learn.
Train as if your life depends on it. As a martial art, train as if you intend to use aikido someday to protect your life or the life of loved ones. Do not train as if your life is currently threatened, but train as if someday it may be. Take your training seriously with the proper intent and intensity for practical real-world applications.
As a spiritual art, train as if your spiritual life depends on it. No matter what your training partner does, you must uphold your own level of ethics and behavior. One's spiritual development depends on sticking strictly to one's work and progress. No one can do it for anyone else. We can help our training partners, but we cannot do it for them anymore than they can do it for us.
Train as if you enjoy it. O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba stressed taking training in aikido seriously as a discipline and a dangerous martial art. He also wanted aikido practiced in a joyous manner, celebrating the spiritual nature of the art. Research also suggests that one learns better and maintains training longer if the process is enjoyable.
Train with intense intent. As mentioned, two items that are very important in training are the intent and the intensity with which one trains. Intensity follows intent. If your intention is to spend time socializing with your fellow students, then the intensity of your training will be minimal. If you train with the intent only of achieving physical fitness, you will train with a higher intensity than is the case when the intent is socializing, but not enough to be able to defend yourself. If you train with the intent that you will be able to defend yourself someday if you need to, you will train with a higher level of intensity. Decide what your intent is and train with the appropriate intensity to achieve it.
Train consistently and persistently. Progress does not just come. Acquiring skill requires consistent attendance and persistence in training.
At first, train with a goal in mind. This will help focus your training. Training without a goal in mind is like taking a journey without a destination. You may travel around in circle and get nowhere. Next, train just to train with no specific goal or intent in mind. This is more process oriented, rather than content or intent oriented. Training with no specific goal means that you have a direction set, to progress, but no real destination as in reaching a specific goal or rank. Eventually, the training comes on its own. Training becomes the intent, content, goal, and process all in its own right. The destination and journey become one. Training is not something that you do. Training becomes identity and who you are.
Train to make a statement. Initially train as if your behavior while training is making a statement about who you are. What do you want people viewing your training to think about you? Train in such a way that your behavior communicates that statement.
Train for self-improvement and to improve others. The higher principles of aikido stress the common good and best interests of everyone. Therefore, to train just for self-improvement is still very selfish and does not demonstrate or apply the higher spiritual principles of aikido. One must train the self, but one must also lose the self in order to help improve others.
When practicing as tori (the one executing the technique), stay relaxed, calm the mind, and follow the instructions given. This will lead to self-improvement. When uke (the one initiating the approach and attack and receiving the technique), give honest intention and intensity to the approach and attack so that the tori can practice and improve. Do not give too little intensity and intent. This makes the practice useless. Do not give too much or you are not training, but fighting for your life. This becomes a contest of muscle and ego, not a training environment for self- and others improvement.
Train slowly and pay attention to details. The best way to progress rapidly is to progress slowly. The best way to make big changes is to pay attention to the little things.
Train in technique and concepts. Train in both the physical techniques that apply the concepts and the concepts that make those techniques effective and efficient.
HIERARCHY OF TRAINING SKILLS
The hierarchy of training skills is similar to the hierarchy of training goals. One can either use the techniques to illustrate and learn the concepts and principles or use the concepts to direct the techniques.
Using the techniques to illustrate the concepts is all too often the usual standard operating procedure. This bottom-up thinking is a way to rationalize and justify what one is doing by finding an overall strategy that will explain the tactic or technique. In most martial arts, the tactical techniques of doing battle by hitting and kicking to overpower another suggests, dictates, or even promises that this route will bring about peace. Some people need to see the little picture before they can see the big picture. Some people will need the concrete before they can grasp the abstract. Some people will learn better by first having some verbal instructions and having an internal frame of reference.
Using the concept to direct the technique is the process of finding the higher belief, concept, or strategy that one sets for oneself in order to find a way, tactic, or technique that is consistent and congruent to it. Aikido is one of the few martial arts to have a belief or strategy of peace and harmony that then dictates taking the strikes and damaging techniques out of the training and application. Some people need the big picture before they can make sense of how the little pieces fit together. Some people will need the abstract before they can grasp the concrete. Some people will learn better by just seeing and imitating the technique, by having an external frame of reference.
The goal in aikido is the loving protection of all people. The strategies for accomplishing this goal are achieved through the concepts, such as irimi (entering) and awase (blending), redirecting, kuzushi (unbalancing), nage (throwing), and controlling. The application of these concepts and principles is achieved through the execution of the techniques of aikido. Therefore, the best goals are those that are in the highest and best interests and safety of all people. The best strategies are those principles and concepts that maximize the chances of achieving this goal with the least amount of damage. In other words, do the least to achieve the most. The best techniques
