Aikido'Ka

Grass Valley's Family Martial Arts School -- Focus, Fitness & Fun

Eric Kenyon

Aikido and Strength Training

DSC_5090Our head strength and conditioning coach Eric Kenyon asked me to repost an article I wrote some time ago, entitled “Should I Bother Getting Strong to Do Aikido?”

In the almost 3 years since I wrote that article, I have become more convinced of the value of the strength and conditioning training that we’re doing. Not only do these programs work incredibly well for having a happier, healthier life, but they improve aikido immensely.

We now have a significant number of strength and conditioning classes at the dojo. Check them out!

Here’s the link to Should I Bother Getting Strong to Do Aikido?

Intro to Better Movement – June 22 – 26, 5:30 – 6:30 pm

Intro to Movement Class, June 22 - 26, 2015
Intro to Movement Class, June 22 – 26, 2015

While the rest of us are away at Aiki Summer Retreat, we are having a really special 5-day Intro to Movement event at the dojo. The dates and time for Intro to Movement are June 22 – 26, 2015, from 5:30 – 6:30 pm.

Master Trainer, Eric Kenyon, will lead this 5-day event.

Here’s what you’ll get at this amazing event:

  • Learn the 3 indispensable elements to making your  exercise program effective.
  • Learn the 3 common mistakes that can keep you from reaching your physical fitness goals.
  • Learn how to design and execute a safer and more effective physical practice so that you meet your goals.

This event will include demonstrations, and Q & A with founder Eric Kenyon Sfg. Some of his new and long time students will be on hand to offer insights and first hand accounts of their accomplishments while training with Eric.

Participants will get a chance to learn and execute some of the unique exercises which will get you in the shape you want. You will also see Eric’s regular students do extended sessions of their regular training, and his  instructors teaching and guiding students.

Eric will fully answer all questions and inquiries. You can go over time if that is necessary.

If you have never been to Aikido’Ka, please arrive a few minutes early to fill out a waiver.

Price $10.00 per session.

Any questions contact Eric Kenyon at 510-393-2568, or email erickenyonrkc@yahoo.com

Should I Bother Getting Strong to Do Aikido?

DSC_5090Yes and no.

Aikido is a real martial art. Being strong and fast will make your aikido better. But if you try to do aikido strong and fast, your aikido will be terrible.

You see, performing an aikido technique does not take great strength. Trying to apply a technique by force will give your attacker (uke) the opportunity to overpower you or reverse your technique.

The reason we want to be strong and fast as aikidoists is because being strong and fast is a healthy condition for human beings. And if we’re taking our aikido seriously, then we want to take care of ourselves properly. This is why I brought kettlebell training into the dojo and consistently train with them myself.

The extraordinary athlete who brought kettlebells to the United States is Pavel Tsatsouline. Pavel has created a new organization called Strong First. Here’s some of what he has on the front page:

You can be anything you want. A warrior. An athlete. A hard man or woman ready to handle whatever life throws at you. But you must be strong first.

“Strength is the foundation for development of the rest of physical qualities,” stated Professor Leonid Matveev. It takes priority over all others: endurance, flexibility, etc.

Until one becomes “entry level strong,” e.g., a strict bodyweight military press for men or strict pull-ups for women, no priority other than strength can be justified for a healthy athlete. Science and experience have taught us that any athlete, even in ultra-endurance sports, who has not built a foundation of strength will fail to reach his or her potential. Strength has been compared to a glass that can be filled with other qualities; the larger the glass, the more endurance, sport skill, fat loss, etc. it can hold.

What Pavel says here is unquestionably correct.

Gabriel Cuppet kettlebell military press
Gabriel Cuppet is doing a military press with a 35 pound kettlebell. This photo is from early in Gabriel’s strength & training program.

We need to be strong to be healthy, effective aikidoists, athletes, human beings. With strength comes endurance and productivity and physical beauty and fun and long lives. Did I mention fun?

Doing aikido while strong is way more fun than doing aikido while weak. Doing anything while strong is way better than doing anything while weak.

How strong, you ask? That’s part of the fun. You start where you’re at and build from there.

So let’s get strong and have a great time!

Functional Flexibility and the Splits

Tonight was our first regularly scheduled flexibility class and it was really great.

I mentioned to Eric that I’d like to get into the splits, which I’ve never done. I’ve actually never really tried, though when I do a splits-like stretch I do pretty well.

He told me what to do and I got really, really close. When I dropped into the “splits” position on the ground my stretch was darn-near 180 degrees. Amazing.

I’ll be doing the splits in no time. Oh, and I’ll be 57 in less than 2 weeks. Come to the class, you’ll be thrilled you did.

Kettlebells are for Everyone! — Video

In the year or so that I’ve been doing kettlebells, I have become much stronger and fit. It’s funny. I look the same. But, I’m not. I’m much stronger and have more energy and stamina. I’m probably stronger in my upper body than I ever have been, even though I’m almost 57 years old and I’ve been athletic my entire life. That’s really impressive.

I really do have to thank Eric Kenyon for introducing me to kettlebells and teaching them at the dojo. We now have kettlebell classes 4 days a week — Monday – Thursday from 5:00 – 5:30 pm.

Here’s one thing that I really love about kettlebells — Everyone can do them. Everyone. Stay within appropriate exercise — no pain, no fear — and you, too, can gain the amazing benefits.

Here’s a short video I put together from class the other day. You’ll see people of all different ages having fun and getting strong, flexible and healthier.

 

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Kettlebells practice is completely consistent with aikido practice. In fact, when you combine the two, you get a truly amazing path to reach your highest goals and aspirations.

See you on the mat!