Are you or your students struggling with Ikkyo? Discover how one simple shift in focus—from force to space—can lead to smoother, more effective technique. Lia Suzuki Shihan explains how to avoid common mistakes and deepen your understanding of this fundamental Aikido movement.

In this behind-the-scenes look at our 5-Day Aikido Summer Camp in Los Angeles, you'll watch how we use kokyu ho and seiza-based techniques to restore grounding and build resilience midweek. A great resource for Aikido instructors and students alike, especially when you're feeling fatigued or unce...

In this advanced Aikido training session from our Los Angeles Summer Camp, we troubleshoot common issues with ushiro ryokatadori kotegaeshi. Learn how moving from your center and creating "heaviness" from the beginning can help you execute kotegaeshi smoothly, even when uke’s movement is less tha...

Discover how to overcome common challenges in ushiro ryokatadori ikkyo. This in-depth lesson from our Los Angeles Aikido Summer Camp focuses on using center movement and heaviness to keep uke’s momentum, leading to smoother and more effective techniques. Whether you're struggling with uke not com...

In this special session from my 5-Day Aikido Summer Camp in Los Angeles, we tackle one of the most common problems in ushiro ryokatadori: what to do when uke doesn’t fully come around. I share a progressive drill that allows nage to explore how to use gravity, body weight, and center-lowering to ...

In this video from my 5-Day Summer Camp in Los Angeles, we tackle a common issue in Kokyu Ho: the feeling of being "locked down" during practice. By analyzing ryotedori attacks and focusing on body structure, we can deflect our partner’s energy and transition into more fluid movements. Watch this...

In this blog post, Lia Suzuki shares an in-depth look at ryotedori shihonage, focusing on how to adjust your body structure and movement for effective defense and counterattacks. Recorded at her 5-Day Summer Camp in Los Angeles, this training session provides both foundational insights and advanc...

This week’s blog post takes you inside our Los Angeles Aikido Summer Camp, where we explored iriminage through both empty-hand and shoto practice. Discover how weapon work enhances your understanding of core techniques and adds nuance to your Aikido.

From my Los Angeles Summer Camp, this advanced Ikkyo workshop shows how moving between empty-hand and shoto training can sharpen your awareness and technique. Discover how switching modalities helps you feel and move through space more effectively. This is Part 2 of our Ikkyo exploration—don't mi...

In this behind-the-scenes look at our 5-Day Summer Camp in Los Angeles, we dive deep into the foundations of ikkyo. By alternating between empty-hand and shoto, we explore how this hybrid approach opens up new pathways for flowing around resistance. Discover how this method can shift your underst...

Are you or your students stuck in predictable Aikido patterns? This Iriminage variation, featured in our Aikido Summer Seminar, challenges practitioners to stay adaptable and sharpens both execution and ukemi skills. Discover how breaking routine can elevate your training!

Explore the power of centering and heaviness, via #NiNinGake (2-person attack) techniques in Aikido.

Join me as I share experiences from our 5-Day Aikido Summer Camp in Los Angeles, delving into the benefits of this unique exercise for developing center-based techniques.

Discover how working on...