Kurashiki Aikido Association

Isn't there a lot of people who feel that martial arts are scary?

(A)

(1) Great enthusiasm, greetings, and replies

②Strict guidance

③It hurts

④ Winning or losing a game

 

In addition, there may be the following reasons for children to learn martial arts.

(B)

① I want you to be polite

② I want to make you feel refreshed

③I want people to understand their pain

④ I want you to become strong and be a child who can not be bullied

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If you change the perspective of the elements ① to ④ of (A) and (B) as follows, the flavor will change as shown in (C) below.

(C)

① Thank your training partner

②Acquire the correct mind, technique, and body, such as the importance of posture

③There is a limit to painful practice

④ Stare at yourself

　

In my teaching, I am proceeding with practice thinking like this (C).

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① Thank your training partner

In Aikido, you bow to your training partner at the beginning and end of training. Together with the children, we would like to think about why we bow, and what meaning is contained in that bow, and pass it on.

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②Acquire the correct mind, technique, and body, such as the importance of posture

Posture is important in Aikido. At our club, we check the correct posture at the beginning of every practice. A correct posture without straining is refreshing and liberating. Conversely, it is not a good posture to stretch your back while being tense and strained.

In Aikido, we don't use ``hey, yah'' or other kiai, but when we have the right posture, kisei and spirit naturally resides in us, and kiai can be released when necessary.

I would like you to understand and master the power that comes from correct posture and a relaxed posture, not just muscle strength.

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③There is a limit to painful practice

Repeating painful practice over and over again is not only difficult and inefficient but also dangerous. Also, pain makes a person stiff. This is also not good. As well as pain, psychology such as fear, anger, doubt, and confusion also hardens people. Budo is about breaking free from these situations.

I often see people misunderstand that doing something painful or scary is what makes them strong. It is more important not to fall into such a situation.

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④ Stare at yourself

Aikido is likened to "Moving Zen". Emphasis is placed on observing and correcting the collapse of one's posture and disturbance of one's mind that occur when one is in front of a training partner. It's not about winning over your opponent, but overcoming yourself.

From there, we will explore the values of martial arts, such as abandonment, selflessness, and naturalness.

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★And, in the end, I hope that you will be able to express yourself freely and feel comfortable.

　　

Basically, we do not instruct children in a loud voice or force them to give loud greetings or replies. Rather than that, I want to raise the child's self-confidence and smile.

Through Aikido, we believe that if a child's sense of self-esteem is enhanced and their smiles increase, they will naturally acquire etiquette and greetings at their own pace.

Children are growing amazingly every day. I believe that each and every one of them has a soft, fragile and sensitive heart and has great potential. I feel that the time we spend together with these precious moments when they are children is a treasure to me. (Toshiyuki Tanaka)

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