WATCH: AIKIDO Seminar structure to engage younger generations while keeping space for older practitioners
►► How to prepare for an Aikido seminar AND get the most value from it. Download my FREE Aikido Seminar Prep Sheet → https://www.lia-suzuki.com/seminar-prep-sheet
Today’s video will be a little different from my others, in that I’m not showing how I do a certain technique. Instead, I’ll be showing how I integrated Aikido-ka of different age groups in one class at a recent seminar I gave.
In the USA, the average age at most Aikido dojos is pretty high. Aikido Journal reported a couple years ago that 81% of Aikido practitioners in the USA are over the age of 40.
I’m happy to report that my dojo in Los Angeles is an exception to this rule. We have one person over 40. The others currently are between about 28 and 38, with a couple teenagers in the mix, as well.
When I was in my 30’s, I absolutely needed to get a workout at the dojo. I didn’t want to listen to O Sensei quotes, take water breaks, etc. I wanted to MOVE. I wanted to take ukemi till I couldn’t get up again. I wanted to put a drenched dogi in my bag at the end of the day to take home to wash.
When I started teaching, I realized that different age groups need to learn in really different ways. I developed a way to teach that would satisfy the younger people, while not making the older ones feel, well, too old.
So I thought I would include some footage in today’s video that I don’t normally share. It’s from our New Year’s seminar in Los Angeles a few months ago, where we had lots of young white belts and then just a couple more experienced, older black belts.
Instead of showing how I do a particular technique, in this video, I show how I integrate different age groups and experience levels to keep it safe for everyone and exciting for younger people.
Towards the end of each day, I like to give the young people a chance to just get thrown and thrown and thrown. So I invite some black belts to form a centerline in the dojo and controlled, safe jiyu waza. The other participants form a line along the wall and those who want to get thrown, jump forward to bow to one of the blackbelts, volunteering for ukemi. We usually throw someone 10 or 20 times before thanking them and inviting a new uke.
We stop at a designated time limit - usually about 5-7 minutes, and do kokyu ho while the body is warm and loose.
If I feel compelled to do so, I make some kind of speech, sharing a story from my time in Japan or something else I feel might be motivational.
Then we bow out.
After we bow out, I encourage people to go to their sempai or sensei to get thrown even more and I put a time limit on it. (So get it now!)
I hope today’s video will give you some insight, inspiration, and motivation to help you make the most of your training and take your Aikido to the next level.
Let’s check it out.
- -
SEMINARS
►►Come train with me in Los Angeles. Or join one of my seminars!: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/seminars
FREE DOWNLOAD
►► Improve your body alignment immediately. Body Alignment Checklist for martial artists → https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist
#aikido #aikidoseminar #aikidoka #aikidolife #martialarts #japanesemartialarts
