Just starting out in Aikido? Welcome! You’re at the beginning of an adventure that can last a lifetime. New Aikido students often feel completely lost at first. Don’t worry! You’ll catch on. Everyone has been where you are know. Keep training!
Aikido Words
Onegaishi… What? If the greetings, terminology, and technique names are driving you to distraction, check out these articles I’ve written about Japanese Words in Aikido.
Aikido Books
Do you enjoy learning in more depth? You might like my recommendations for Aikido Books. There are several I especially suggest for new Aikido students. They really helped me understand training, what it means to train in Aikido, and a little about the culture, history, and philosophy of the art.
Aikido Weapons
At some point you will probably be training with sticks – probably bokken, jo, and tanto. Weapons training will help you develop and embody skills you’ll use in all of your Aikido. Besides, it’s a lot of fun! Check out Ten Tips for Your First Aikido Weapons Class.
Aikido is Challenging!
Learning something completely new, especially as an adult, can be difficult. Not just how to do the new skills, but learning how to watch, how to listen, and what do to when you get frustrated, overwhelmed, or discouraged.
Here’s something to consider when you find yourself thinking maybe your teacher must be wrong, because things aren’t making sense to you: Your Teacher is Always Right
Aikido Exams
If you are curious about how exams might go at our dojo, you can watch My Aikido Exam Videos to get the general idea. Keep in mind that different schools do things in different ways. Test requirements change. Also, I am a student like you. I don’t do everything perfectly, so please do not rely on these to show what will be on your exam, or to demonstrate the correct way to do techniques.
Do you have an exam coming up soon? Congratulations! Be sure to check out Preparing for an Aikido Exam – The Week Before for some practical tips you can use to make your test experience flow a little more smoothly.
