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The
Dojo
| Dojo
is literally "the place where one studies the way". The term is not
synonymous with our Western gymnasium: it includes at the same time the framework
of work and the spirit in which it is carried out . |
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Choose
a Dojo, a professor, a Master ("senseï" in Japanese), evaluate
the technical coherence suggested, and avoid any mercenary attitude or mystisism.
Judgement is the first quality of a martial art practitioner.
"Montei,
Monka, Monjin" signifies " the one who has crossed the door and receives
teaching in the house of the Master". That means that the professor, as in
any traditional art, is free to agree or not to teach with such or such individual. |
Knowing that, the student must know that it does not have only rights, but also
duties to be respected within the dojo. Aikido is not used to satisfy the ego
of the consumers of martial arts or sporting practice. The cost of inscription
do not gives any authority on the professor and the right to receive its teaching
. Becoming a member makes of the person more than a simple customer , but
requires of him to take an active part with the life and the promotion of the
dojo. A dojo cannot survive without the efforts of its members to make of it a
lifeful and dynamic place, open on the community. So it constantly needs new members
in order to avoid the worst, a dojo always made up of the same people, which is
synonymous with sclerosis and death. All the participants have thus the load to
make advertising promotion of the dojo. |
| The
dojo has its rules and its symbols: the course begins with a bowing in direction
of the Kamiza, the place of honor, where figure the photography of the founder,
then one bows to professor of the dojo, which will transmit on his turn, therefore
to show the way .
From this moment on, the student leaves his concerns outside.
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A
course
Pedagogy
is in adequation with the Eastern spirit: teaching goes from the global to the
particuliarl, i.e. the principles which are applicable in all circumstances towards
their emanations which are the techniques. A
course has three phases: - -A
preparation phase.
This phase is known as preparation and not heating.
Its role is to prepare the body with a muscular activity but more especially to
prepare psychologically with a discipline with martial characteristics. Breathing
and stretchings (Tai chi)
-
A technical phase.
Let us recall that there are no courses reserved to
the beginners. Each one will be able to adapt the exercises according to its own
physical condition.
In addition, and which many practitionner
are unaware of, techniques can be approached according to three levels of work
:
GO NO KEIKO (GO TAI) :
Application of a technique starting from
a static position. The adversary puts us in a difficult situation and we seek
the solution.
JU NO KEIKO (JU TAI):
To envisage how the adversary will
attack, dynamic work, one synchronizes his work at the speed and the force of
the attack. The initiative of the attack (even guessed) remains with the adversary
.
RYU NO KEIKO ( RYU TAI) :
Our work is imposed, we force aïty to
attack as we wish and when it is wished. The adversary does not have any more
any initiative, before he thought of attacking he is already controlled. It is
this level of work which is presupposed in the famous sentence of O' Sensei:
" Even before the adversary has attacked, he is already controled"
- A
return to a state of calm phase: massages, stretchings (shiatsu, sefuku)
| The
martial practice is a way of preserving its health. Its study invites to be interested
in Eastern practices traditionally associated the martial arts: Kwatsu (to bring
back to the life), Seifuku (handling, kinesitherapy), Shiatsu (Japanese massage),
techniques respiratory, acupuncture, etc. The
objective of the professor is to guide the student towards autonomy, to give him
the elements to produce its own aikido according to its physique, its age, its
research. |
"Practicing
must always proceed in a pleasant and convivial atmosphere"
(One of the six precepts for the practice of the aikido. UESHIBA
in 1935) |  |
| A
martial arts for everybody. The concept of
force is not expressed in aikido by physical exploits but by an optimal use of
energy qualities available: there is not obstacle with the practice except serious
medical indications.
With
the adulthood, we have a satisfying repertory of effective gestures and body practices.
The principal difficulty will be to "unlearn" rather than to learn. If
there is no higher age limit, the generally allowed lower limit is 7 years old. |
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| For
a majority of aïkidokas the principles of aikido find echo in their everyday
and professional life : better management of conflict situations, relational ease,
self-confidence, concentration. Others will find in practice a discharge system
with the daily stresses. The
frequent changes of level, upright-ground, will reinforce the pelvic belt and
the lower limbs. The various movements often use the articulations: gradually
the aïkidoka increases its articular amplitudes, in particular on the level
of the shoulders, the wrists and ankles. In
all the cases, whether the technique is undergone or carried out, the objective
will be to put all the segments of the body in the same direction (straight back)
which will have positive prolongations in the everyday life: correction of bad
postures often at the origin of aches in the back . The
diversity of the situations suggested, the realization of the movements as well
on the right as on the left, will support coordination, the perception of the
body in space, and mainly in the child will stimulate the psychomotor development.
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