We’ve all met that Aikido student who tries to collect techniques like they’re checking items off a list.
More waza. More variations. More cool moves.
But during my years in Japan, I discovered something very different:
Learning many techniques doesn’t lead to high skill.
Depth does.
Sometimes we’d spend weeks or even months on a single movement, executing the classic version of it, followed by endless variations. And that’s where the real transformation happened.
In this week’s video, I share what Japanese teachers actually focused on, including one moment when Yamaguchi Sensei stopped an entire room of senior black belts — and why that lesson still matters today.
Let’s check it out.
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🎥 WATCH: Stop Collecting Techniques — Go Deeper Instead
🌿 Your Practice Prompt
During your next class…
• Try slowing down one familiar technique and look for something new.
• Notice whether softness or timing changes when you vary your approach.
• Ask a partner afterward: Where did you feel tension? Where did I lose balance?
💬 What did you discover about looseness and connection?
Share your experience—I read every reply.
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Lia Suzuki
Author
• The Teacher
• Mastering The Shoto
Director: Aikido Kenkyukai International USA
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2025
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Aikido Kenkyukai Pennsylvania
Lia Suzuki Sensei
Fort Washington, PA, USA
2026
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Orange County Aikido
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Kaosung, Taiwan - March 22
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Cherry Blossom Seminar in Kumamoto, Japan
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Marple, Stockport, Cheshire, UK - July 15-19
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Livingston, CO, USA - October 9-12
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Redlands, CA, USA
2027
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