Aiki Dojo Message - Strive to Fail By David Ito Sensei, Aikido 6th Dan Chief Instructor at the Aikido Center of Los Angeles “Success is not achieved by winning all the time. Real success comes when we rise after we fall. Some mountains are higher than others. Some roads steeper than the next. There are hardships and setbacks, but you cannot let them stop you. Even on the steepest road you must not turn back.” - Muhammad Ali The best Aikidoists are defined by their failures not their victories. Failure teaches us way more than success ever will. Aikido training teaches us how to use failure in a positive way. Our defeats and failures are the true story of our lives. We are celebrated for our successes, but success is just the reward for our hard work and it doesn’t necessarily teach us anything. We learn the most from our failures. That is why the Japanese believe in the proverb shippaihaseikounomoto (失敗は成功の元) or that “failure teaches success.” In the eyes of a martial artist, failure is a good thing because they understand that true power resides not in winning but in resiliency. Resiliency is “the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.” In Japanese, the word for “strong” or “powerful” is tsuyoi (強い) but it can also mean “to be resilient.” We see this understanding of tsuyoi in the martial arts term utarezuyoi (打たれ強い) which advocates that we must be able “to take a hit” but it also means “to be strong in the face of criticism or adversity.” When we think of resiliency the proverb that comes to mind is nana korobi ya oki (七転び八起き) or “To fall down seven times, but get up eight.” The idea is that success is really in being able to get up one more time. In Aikido class, we put this proverb into practice every day. Taking ukemi is the physical manifestation of this proverb. With every throw, we are desensitizing ourselves to the act of falling down and every time we get up, we are reinforcing the practice of resiliency. The more we practice, the more resilient we become. Later in our training, we start to see our resiliency grow not only on the mat but in our daily life as well. In Aikido and in life, our defeats and failures come to define us, they become the true story of our lives. The true story of our lives is not about what we won or who we beat but what we overcame to get there. Hyakusenrenma (百戦錬磨) is “a veteran who is schooled by adversity in 100 battles.” Most of us lose way more than we win. True success is in getting up one more time especially when we don’t want to and thus the only thing which will teach us this strength is failure. That is why the best Aikidoists are defined by their failures not their victories. Today’s goal: When life or your opponent knocks you down, just get up one more time. This post appears in a slightly different form @ https://aikidocenterla.com/blog/2024/3/29 Watch our 2 Minute Technique series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiXORPL-lO6CxvDYf8RXbmKN_Pbw1XPWP Watch our podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiXORPL-lO6Ak4vwXgRtzWY7ohjMTmJhQ Read our blog, the Aiki Dojo Message: http://www.aikidocenterla.com/blog Read our Newsletter: http://www.aikidocenterla.com/newsletter Follow us on social media: Facebook: Aikido Center of LA: https://www.facebook.com/aikidocenterla Ito Sensei: https://www.facebook.com/aikidoteacher Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aikidocenterla/ Ito Sensei: https://www.instagram.com/teacher.aikido/ For more information about Aikido http://www.aikidocenterla.com Rev. Kensho Furuya: http://www.kenshofuruya.com If you enjoyed this video, please support Furuya Sensei's vision and our non-profit foundation and the Aikido Center of Los Angeles. https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=85D4U4CXREWN4 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW7BoEg2HlQ

2005 episode of East Meets West with Susan Hirasuna Rev. Kensho Furuya interview and Aikido and Iaido demonstration ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpV8jsmzXoE

The Aiki Dojo 2 Minute Technique - Ryote-tori Ken Watanabe Sensei, Aikido 6th Dan, Iaido 5th Dan explains the basics of ryote-tori (両手取り) or “both hands being grabbed.” Ryote-tori is a mid level technique because both hands are being grabbed and so the nage has to be able to use not only both arms but also their entire body to negotiate the attack too. Let us know if you want us to do a full length video on this or any other topic. Enjoy! Watch other Aiki Dojo videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9vvYixlUoaeJhHyEsPuCrA Watch the Aiki Dojo podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiXORPL-lO6Ak4vwXgRtzWY7ohjMTmJhQ Read our blog, the Aiki Dojo Message: http://www.aikidocenterla.com/blog Read our Newsletter: http://www.aikidocenterla.com/newsletter Follow us on social media: Facebook: Aikido Center of LA: https://www.facebook.com/aikidocenterla Ito Sensei: https://www.facebook.com/aikidoteacher Furuya Sensei: https://www.facebook.com/kensho.furuya Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aikidocenterla/ https://www.instagram.com/aikidokodokai/ Ito Sensei: teacher.aikido Almaraz Sensei: teacher.kodokai Rev. Kensho Furuya: kensho_furuya Tiktok: Aikidocenterla https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRSsRcEp/ For more information about Aikido In the US http://www.aikidocenterla.com In Europe https://www.kodokai.es Rev. Kensho Furuya: http://www.kenshofuruya.com If you enjoyed this video, please support Furuya Sensei's vision and our non-profit foundation and the Aikido Center of Los Angeles. https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=85D4U4CXREWN4 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=804M9RI4uB8

The Aiki Dojo Podcast - Aikido and Spirituality This is the PREVIEW to the Aiki Dojo podcast episode where we discuss Aikido and the role spirituality plays in its practice. Aikido is not a religion, a dojo is not a church and the teacher is not a guru. However, Aikido does have a heavy spiritual component. People often think that Aikido is more of a spiritual martial art because there is no competition. It is true that Aikido does not have competition but at its core it is still a martial art. If this is the case, then what role does spirituality play in the study and practice of Aikido? Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/ili6xp7FZEI Listen here: https://anchor.fm/aikidojo/episodes/Aikido-and-Spirituality-e1tk0d4 The Aiki Dojo Podcast goal is to translate traditional Aikido and traditional martial arts training into the modern world. The podcast is hosted by David Ito Sensei who is the Chief Instructor of the Aikido Center of Los Angeles and he brings brings over 30 years of Aikido training to the podcast. The podcast is co-hosted by Mike Van Ruth, Aikido 4th Dan, and Bill D'Angelo, Aikido 4th Dan. A new podcast drops every 2 weeks. Let us know if you have a topic that you would like Ito Sensei and the team to discuss in the next podcast. Enjoy! You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes or Spotify or wherever you download your podcast. The latest episode of the Aiki Dojo Podcast is out. This episode deals with the topic of how Aikido influences us in our daily lives. Watch our 2 Minute Techniques: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiXORPL-lO6CxvDYf8RXbmKN_Pbw1XPWP Read our blog, the Aiki Dojo Message: http://www.aikidocenterla.com/blog Read our Newsletter: http://www.aikidocenterla.com/newsletter Follow us on social media: Facebook: Aikido Center of LA: https://www.facebook.com/aikidocenterla Ito Sensei: https://www.facebook.com/aikidoteacher Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aikidocenterla/ Ito Sensei: teacher.aikido For more information about Aikido In the US http://www.aikidocenterla.com Rev. Kensho Furuya: http://www.kenshofuruya.com If you enjoyed this video, please support Furuya Sensei's vision and our non-profit foundation and the Aikido Center of Los Angeles. https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=85D4U4CXREWN4 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_sjm-vadlM