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🎥 WATCH: Why Fixing Your Feet Slows You Down

by Lia Suzuki
Dec 30, 2025
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Many Aikido practitioners work hard on their stance—yet still feel slow, heavy, or slightly behind the moment.

2 person attack (Ni-nin gake)

In this week’s video, I clarify a common misunderstanding: stability doesn’t come from fixing your feet or locking into a position. In fact, over-focusing on foot placement often creates rigidity and delays movement.

I explain where real stability comes from, when a wide stance does make sense (and when it doesn’t), and why soft knees and alive feet are essential for being ready rather than braced.

Let’s check it out.


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🎥 WATCH: Aikido Stance Explained: Adaptable, Not Fixed

2 person attack (Ni-nin gake)

🌿 Your Practice Prompt

During your next class…

  • Take Kamae and notice whether your knees are softly alive or quietly locked.
  • Let your feet respond instead of holding them in place.
  • Observe whether you feel immediately ready—or braced and waiting.

đź’¬ What changed when you focused on readiness instead of stability?

Share your experience—I read every reply.

- -

Lia Suzuki
Author
   â€˘ The Teacher
   â€˘ Mastering The Shoto
Director: Aikido Kenkyukai International USA

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đź—“ Upcoming Seminars


2026


  • January 9-11
    New Year's Seminar
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Los Angeles, California, USA
  • March 6-8
    Orange County Aikido
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Orange, California, USA
  • March 20-21
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Kaosung, Taiwan
  • March 22
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Taipei, Taiwan
  • March 27-29
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    Senseis Sakabe, Johansson, Lin, and Suzuki
    Kumamoto, Japan
  • May 28-31
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    Senseis Hiroshi Ikeda, Lia Suzuki, and Bruno Gonzalez
    Los Angeles, California, USA
  • June 13-14
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    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Wexford, Ireland
  • July 20-21
    Marple Aikido
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Marple, Stockport, Cheshire, UK
  • July 15-19
    AKI USA Annual Summer Camp & 30th Anniversary Celebration
    Senseis Daiyu Takeda, Lia Suzuki, and others
    Los Angeles, California, USA
  • September TBD
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    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    - - September 17-18: Yudansha Seminar
    - - September 19-21: Mixed Levels Seminar
    Bonn, Germany
  • September TBD
    PSV Heidelberg Aikido Sansuikai Dojo 
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Heidelberg, Germany
  • October 2-4
    Mountain West Aikido - Livingston
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Livingston, CO, USA
  • October 9-12
    Redlands Aikikai
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Redlands, CA, USA

2027


  • September
    Ima Juku Aikido
    Lia Suzuki Sensei
    Baarn, Netherlands
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Softness in Aikido is often misunderstood. From the outside, it can look effortless — even gentle. But anyone who has trained for a while knows that the softness you see in experienced practitioners isn’t weakness at all. It’s responsiveness. In this week’s video, I talk about what actually makes Aikido feel soft and why that softness only works when it’s supported by structure, alignment, and ...

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