Aikido Stance Explained: Adaptable, Not Fixed

A clear explanation of Aikido stance, why over-fixating on foot placement creates rigidity, and how adaptability, soft knees, and center awareness support real stability and readiness.

Continue Reading...
Why Your Aikido Doesn’t Feel Smooth Yet — And How to Fix It

If your Aikido feels stiff or disconnected, the issue may not be technique. In this post, Lia Suzuki explains how micro-pauses, dropped awareness, and missed transitions interrupt flow — and how to restore smooth movement.

Continue Reading...
How to Practice Aikido Alone — Training Methods That Actually Work

Can you really improve Aikido without a training partner? For most of my life, I assumed the answer was “not really.” Then the pandemic happened. My dojo in Los Angeles shut down for 15 months, and like many of you, I found myself training in my living room with nothing but a camera, a project...

Continue Reading...
Stop Chasing Techniques: Why Depth Creates Real Aikido Skill

Most Aikido students think that learning more techniques will make them better. But after nearly a decade training in Japan, I learned that real Aikido skill comes from going deeper into a few essential movements — not collecting more waza. In this post, I share stories from my training with T...

Continue Reading...
🌀 How to Move From Your Center in Aikido (Real Balance & Power)

Learning to move from your center is one of the most important skills in Aikido — but also one of the most misunderstood. In this week’s video, we look at why techniques often feel shaky, weak, or disconnected, especially under pressure, and how arm-driven movement creates tension long before ...

Continue Reading...

Level up your Aikido.

Join 1,000+ Aikido-ka* getting weekly video tips and early invites to my seminars in LA, Japan, Europe, and beyond.

*Aikido-ka = people who practice Aikido.

Get Weekly Videos