********************************************************************* Competition ********************************************************************* From: James Acker --------------------------------- Maybe competition works for some.... There was a time when I was kind of good at shooting pool. (pocket billiards). I really loved the game, and seemed to be getting deeper and deeper into my awareness at the game. I played a lot and was amazed at how much there is to the it. I found out that someone (if you could quantize ability) about half as good at the game could beat me...if I competed. That is if I cared most about winning. It took me a while to realize that there is nothing I can do while my opponent is shooting, so I could enjoy it if he was racking up the points cause I truly love the game. It's beautiful to watch. Then when it's my turn, instead of thinking "I've got to get XX points now or he wins" and sweating, all I thought was "I would love to see that shot go in" or beter yet, sometimes not thinking, but still concentrating, and getting into the game. I won a lot doing it that way. Thinking about a beautiful run. I think it's similar in my aikido. When I stop and think about it....I need to keep myself focused on really doing the thing, because I have seen good aikido and I think it is quality. If I can remember to concentrate on that, instead of the result (throwing, or quickly getting to the pin) I think I could improve a lot. I do catch myself looking around, judging "wow, that guy over there did iriminage like I should have!, damn what am I doing wrong" hearing my little voice critisizing or thinking I'm better than I am "wow, they did it much worse than I did" whan false pride kicks in. That's life. I even sometimes catch myself doing it during stretching. The good news is I think I catch it most times and see that kind of thinking for what it is. Useless. Instead of the good/bad kind of thinking, I can say "that technique was really impressive. How is she doing that?" and try to see the essence. It's all in the attitude. I don't think you can eliminate competitiveness in most people. We probably all want to be "really good" at aikido or else we wouldn't be spending so much time at it. But keep in mind that the process of learning is really a fun part too. If I could take a magic pill and suddenly, without training, could be at the level of O'sensei....I don't think I'd do it. (I wouldn't mind a pill that let me improve a little quicker though...). There are people now (after 8 months in aikido) that started at the same time as I did and are much better than me at it. Good for them! I sometimes feel I should be getting better faster...but I! am learning aikido. Maybe they are in better shape/quicker learners/train more often ...who cares? Once in a while I do. Sometimes it motivates me, some times it depresses me. Sometimes it doesn't matter at all. I'm not competing, but in a small way I am a competeing sometimes. Then I get over it and think "if I could just learn that turning motion right" and forget all of the other. Then I'm having fun! From: "Michael G. Morrissey" -------------------------------------- From: Verdon_S > ... > > After reading all these postings about how there is a lack of competition in > aikido I have finally decided to post something on this topic. I may be > venturing way out on a limb and may get flamed and branded as an uncouth > barbarian, but here goes anyways. I am not so sure that there is absolutely > no competition in aikido. I would hope that most practioners of aikido are > trying to learn more about the subtleties of aikido, i.e. pushing yourself > to learn more. If this is true isn't it possible that each person is at > least in competition with him or herself? Also, most techniques are > initiated by uke, and this usually means that uke is in someway attacking > nage. This in itself suggest that there is not absolute and total > cooperation between uke and nage. Now there is cooperation in the sense > that uke is attacking so that nage can execute the technique and can learn. > In addition the intensity of uke's attack should be at a level so that nage > can still perform the technique, but also at a high enough level of > intensity so that nage will learn more about the technique. If there was > total and absolute cooperation between uke and nage then uke would not > attack nage. > > ... > > Steve Verdon > verdon_s@bls.gov While reading your post, I was reminded of something which you've probably read: In his book _Aikido_For_Life_, Homma Sensei notes that the relationship between uke and nage is less like an attacker and an attackee, and more like a knife and a whetstone. I find this analogy particularly accurate -- and useful to keep in mind while practicing. - Michael From: Lewis Alderton ----------------- I remember reading somewhere ( I can't remember where tho' ) that Professor Tomiki wanted to introduce an element of competition to keep young people interested in Aikido during those first few years when many of us don't really know why we are doing Aikido or what Aikido is doing for us. It is MY impression from the article that Tomiki intended competition elements of his aikido to be phased out as individuals progressed. I also recall ( for what it's worth ) that O Sensei was not too keen on introducing a competetive element. From: Hal Davis ------------------- I've not done a lot of reading on this subject, but I'd like to make two points. First, I don't know how much Professor Tomiki really wanted to introduce competition, but I understand there was a lot of pressure from the University where he taught to make the aikido club much like the judo club which was already going and hopping. I am sure that O-Sensei frowned on competition, and Tomiki started it more than a decade after O-Sensei made Tomiki the first 8th dan in aikido. The possibility of competition has caused many in the aikido community to dismiss all Tomiki-derived aikido as a separate martial art, not "true" aikido. Second, to focus exclusively on the existence of competition is to ignore a great many wonderful things that Tomiki brought to aikido. At least two U.S. aikido organizations (Fugakukai and Jiyushinkai) have kept most of Tomiki's work and discarded the competition. Even hard-core Tomiki folks tend to spend comparatively little time on competition and preparing for competition (from my correspondence with folks in the Japan Aikido Association USA). Tomiki's great contribution to aikido is his ordering of the curriculum. Most accounts I have read of O-Sensei were that while he was a martial arts genius, inventive and skilled, he just wasn't all that good at instruction. I've never studied other systems, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that Ikkyo does not naturally lead to Nikkyo, which does not naturally lead to Sankyo, etc. Tomiki, on the other hand, was a professional instructor, and not just of martial arts. He discarded the numbering system for techniques (e.g., ikkyo, nikkyo) and named all the techniques descriptively. He organized katas which started with the simplest techniques, worked on a theme, then progressed logically into response and counter-response. For instance, the first kata we learn is the Ju Nana Hon Kata, with 17 techniques. Techniques 2-7 all have the same initial tori hand positioning. Number 2 assumes uke responds by raising his elbow, number 3 assumes he leans back, number 4 assumes he tries to jerk his hand away. The point is that the techniques build logically, develop themes, and incorporate much of the prior technique. I also think I remember seeing Tomiki credited with introducing colored belt kyu gradings to aikido (which may be different from your style, but many folks find that system useful and worthwhile).