Start with the "Why?"
Identify your “Why”?
Why is it you want to train in Iwama Ryu Aikido? I wanted to do it for professional reasons which grew into a love of the art itself. Others will be seeking to attain a blackbelt. It may be that you want to be able to defend yourself or had a particular incident or experience for which you would like to learn martial techniques for the future. It is important to identify your “why” and reflect on this throughout your journey – particularly when times get hard, when the challenges are amounting and you are thinking about quitting.
Chris Noller
Working toward a Blackbelt?
For face to face dojo training, a committed student doing above minimum attendance and training in their own time should achieve a black belt (1st degree – Shodan) in around 3-years of training. For the distance student, depending on the capacity for face-face training and physical contact with other aikidoka and senpai, then around 5-years is a reasonable target. Many students set shodan as their goal – a black belt in a martial art. For Iwama Ryu Aikido, shodan means beginner – you have only learnt enough basics to get started and can survive on-the-mat training. It is at around 10-years of regular and committed training that it all starts to make sense.
Everyone working toward a blackbelt starts the same way which includes Tai no henko – pillar one of the taijutsu (open-handed) techniques.
Self-defense reasons?
The way you will be taught Iwama Ryu Aikido is traditional, slow and builds proficiency over time. If you want to learn self defense, then the focus might be on a few key principles and specific techniques might be what you require. Like anything in life, mastery comes with time and practice. Without this, you wont be able to apply the self defense principles taught when you are under pressure and need it most.
Professional or other reasons?
Discuss other reasons (professional reasons, calmness, self-discipline, health outcomes etc) with your Sensei to explore the journey for you and the plan you require.
A tailored self-defense course in progress using Iwama Ryu Aikido principles and one or two techniques.
Corporate session – team building on the four values of Harmony – Do no Harm – Continual Improvement – Mutual Benefit