In this way the hakama can act as a continuous reminder of the personal qualities that can be embodied as the result of long term budo practice. This is traditional wear for Budoka, and the seven pleats symbolize the seven virtues of the Samurai: At dan (black belt) level students also wear a hakama, a kind of pleated skirt. Students wear a keikogi, similar to a Judo uniform. The other, renshu, refers to the drilling or constant repetition necessary to master the art. The word practice in Japanese has two different meanings, the first, keiko, literally means ‘to reflect on times past’ and refers to the long line of budoka who have gone before us and the ethical issues involved in training. We also bow when we enter the dojo, literally ‘place of the way’, to remind ourselves that this is a special practice and to prepare our awareness. This is a matter of respect for each other, but also a heightening of the awareness that what you are about to do carries an element of danger and should be approached accordingly. Such riai, and other elements, are present within every technique, and it is the embodiment of riai, which form the real basis of martial competence, not the number of techniques learnt.Ĭlasses begin and end with bowing to each other, rei, as does every technique. Some examples of these principles are timing, distance, balance, and focus. Since there are an endless number of possible techniques, mastery through memorization is pointless. The study of Aikido should actually be the study of riai, the fundamental principles at the core of all Budo. Nevertheless, training for mind and body coordination still requires improving your senses and perceptions. Nowadays, the teachers will demonstrate a technique 3 or 4 times, but will also offer some explanation. As you can imagine this developed the students powers of observation tremendously, but is mostly more suited to cultures where copying exactly is a normal means of learning. The students would then be asked to do the same thing. In the early days of Aikido the techniques had no names, O-Sensei would simply ask for an attack and then respond. However, this can also sometimes make it harder for people who like to learn in a linear manner. In Aikido these three are practiced simultaneously, making it a more natural, less rigid way of learning.
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