Learning To Be Silent

By Robert Carrera

Many people I know think that my martial art training is just a hobby. I continuously have to tell and show them that what I do is much more than just a hobby, it’s my life. Ever since I started my training, I have changed as a person in so many ways. For a long time I felt that there was a space, a void in my life, something missing. As soon as I started my training in the art of Aikido that space seemed to be filled. I seemed to become enlightened, completely reborn as a stronger, more confident individual. My training has also opened my eyes to an amazing, beautiful culture as well as many different ideologies. I have learned so much about the Japanese culture and have learned to appreciate the art of Aikido so much more. 

Several people I know think that learning a martial art will only make you want to fight more, just because you think you can take on the world. This to me sounds like any typical teenager. In actuality, I believe that martial arts do the exact opposite. I think that learning an art of fighting, at least for me, has made me realize that solving conflicts without violence is much more self rewarding. Solving issues without violence makes one feel like a bigger person, and gives one a feeling of self accomplishment, because it takes self control for someone to just turn the other cheek.

The great Bruce Lee taught Jeet Kune Do, an art that he said was fighting without fighting. I have come to believe that many different martial arts are the same way. Martial arts are not supposed to be learned just so you can go out looking for fights or for becoming so arrogant that you think you will never lose a fight. Martial arts should only be used in defending one’s self. As Bruce Lee once said, “showing off is a fool’s idea of glory.”  I believe that it is relevant to many of the more cocky martial arts students.

When learning a martial art I believe it is also necessary to learn the philosophy and ideology of the great thinkers from the culture. In my training I have found that the quotes and thoughts of Mr. Bruce Lee and O’Sensei to be very helpful. Without knowing the internal ideas and beliefs of a certain martial art you can never master it. Bruce Lee also had a quote that I believe is relevant: “I hope Martial Artists are more interested in the roots of martial arts and not the decorative branches, flowers and leaves.” This quote changes everything I saw martial arts to be. I always thought that the flashy martial arts were the most interesting and efficient. When I read this quote for the first time I saw Lee’s true genius and realized the true dedication it takes to master a martial art.

Many martial arts teach direct forms of fighting and emphasize the necessity of being stronger than your opponent. Whereas in Aikido we are taught to use the other persons strength and energy against them, thereby putting less strain on ourselves. Again I look at a quote from Lee as he tells a student to be like water, “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless-like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put water in a tea pot, it becomes a teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”  This quote to me has been very influential to me in regards to my training.

All the things I have learned and all my enlightenment I credit to my teachers and Sensei. So thank you Sensei Dee Seabolt, Jerry Akel, John Miller, as well as my fellow students for helping me, Ryan, Maggie, Kevin, as well as my brother PJ. So thank you all for everything you have done.

I spent the morning reading Debra Crampton’s blog, Riding Between Heaven & Earth. For those who may not know, Crampton Sensei is an Aikido 5th dan and instructor at New York Aikikai.

The blog is a great read; what particularly drew my attention, however, was this post: the weaker sex.

Don’t mess with Miss Whitley.

Our next kyu tests are scheduled for Saturday, November 21, in both the children and adult classes. As always, our test schedule is posted on our class calendar.

For our adult students, we are implementing the new 6th kyu requirements from the United States Aikido Federation. If you haven’t printed a copy, please do so. Remember, Friday open mat is the best time to work on test techniques, outside of our regular classes.

Good luck!

By Maggie Schill

At this point in my training, if there is one truth about Aikido I have been able to discover, it would be this: Aikido is circular, not just in movement, but in concept.  Uke is as fundamental to nage, as surely as nage is to uke.  To focus on one is to learn the other.

I’ve heard instructors tell me how important ukemi was to my Aikido.  In the past I thought this meant I should take good ukemi for the sake of my nage.  It was my gift to nage.  I thought ukemi was about helping my nage look good and train more effectively.  However, my experience at Winter Camp 2009 has altered my opinion.

On the last day of Winter Camp 2009, I took Yamada Sensei’s morning class.  There, he demonstrated a throwing technique that required a huge extension and a low cut.  Sensei separated us all into groups and told us to have at it.

Unfortunately, in my group I was the first Aikidoka in line.  There were about fourteen uke waiting for me to throw them, but I just couldn’t figure the movements out.  After about four failed attempts, I was unbearably embarrassed over my 5th kyu inadequacies.  Sensei approached me and grabbed my uke from me.  He demonstrated the technique for me once more and spoke sharply: “Extension! This is why I failed the shodan!”  I was completely embarrassed.

I tried the technique two more times, and failed.  I ran to the back of the line, forgetting to bow the next nage in, feeling utterly defeated.  With my pride crushed, I readied myself to take the best ukemi I could for the nage in my group.  I thought I could prove I’m not a totally useless Aikidoka by taking great ukemi.  Maybe I could win back a little bit of my pride.

As uke, I exaggerated my movements, expended a lot of energy, and did everything in my power to maintain connection.  I’m sure my ukemi wasn’t the best; especially in comparison to all the black belts and deshi present at Winter Camp, but it was my best.

Finally, the line went around until it was my turn as nage again.  I bowed in with great apprehension.  I was sure that my second time up would just be a repeat of the first, and I prayed to God that Sensei wouldn’t be around my group to see me fail again.

My first uke approached me.  I met him, and to my surprise, I knew the movements.  I understood then what Sensei meant about extension in this technique, and I understood why I couldn’t get my uke moving without it.

With my first uke I ran through the movement slowly.  With my second, I got more of my hips into it, and by my fourth uke I felt like I wasn’t a total embarrassment.  My fifth uke was an older black belt.  He grabbed me, moved with me, and said: “There you go girl, you got it.”  His words were encouraging.

This experience has convinced me of the interplay between uke and nage.  The art is circular.  The parts are interconnected.  If you learn one aspect of the art, you are in a sense learning them all.  Not until I was thrown some fourteen odd times did I understand what Sensei was trying to tell me.  Not until I was forced to feel the technique did I understand what I needed to do to make my uke feel the technique.

So in closing, the lesson learned is this: Ukemi is not just a side note, or a means of making nage look great.  Take as much of it as you can, and be grateful every time it is your turn to be thrown.  If you want to be a great nage, become a great uke.