A Lighter, Leaner Pack

Posted on 23/07/201308/08/2024 by Matt Hill

helping you go further on an adventure, in everyday life and in martial arts.

Anyone who has had to carry a pack over any distance will know the value of making that pack as light and lean as possible. Imagine this scenario:

You park up at the car park and check off the kit list: basha, bag, roll mat, hammock, stove… all done. As you are closing it you see a spare set of trainers. Better throw them in just in case, my feet might get wet or hot you think. You also throw in a trusty top, an extra wooly jumper just in case it turns chilly; an extra pair of wooly socks, a couple of extra snack bars (not mars bars of course) and a light rain jacket for those occasional downpours.

Okay pack ready and I am now set for any eventuality you think.

You put the pack on and almost buckle under the weight. You brace yourself and set off on the trail with the pack digging into your shoulders. Its okay you say to yourself, I will get used to it.

The Fork in the Trail
However, ten miles in and the pack is really starting to weigh you down. The straps are digging in, your back is covered in sweat, your feet have ‘hot spots’ and all that extra stuff that you put in is taking its toll. And what’s worse? You haven’t used any of it. You come to a fork in the path. You have heard about a glorious spot about 8 miles further up the trail to the left. People have waxed lyrical about how stunning it is and how good they felt when returning from the spot. It is a small secluded glade by a pool at the bottom of a waterfall that almost no one goes to. It is quite a steep path with some loose rock and all uphill. Any other time you would do it but after walking so long with such a heavy pack you are thinking of taking the more traveled route down to the riverbank. Not as spectacular, quiet or secluded but still nice and rewarding.

Then you catch yourself in mid thought. When am I next going to be taking this trail? The last time was over a year ago. No, I am going to do it. You make the commitment and suddenly feel a surge of adrenalin and energy. You move into the bushes and take out everything except what you will need for the trip. Out come the spare shoes, rain jacket, wooly jumper, socks, extra snack bars and you hide them under a bush. You put the pack on and it feels so much lighter, almost half the weight. Buoyed by your decision and commitment you step onto the trail again with a fire in the belly and a spirit of adventure. The warriors spirit of knowing how fleeting and precious every experience and moment is. This day will never come again and you have the knowledge that you are seizing life by the horns.

The principle of sufficiency
I know that this resonates with many of my experiences. In the Army we would go to huge lengths to lessen the weight of the pack. Cutting the bottom half off toothbrushes, cutting a roll mat in half, squeezing half the toothpaste out so that you only had what you needed. Cutting towels in half, trimming the edges of the map. It sounds crazy I know, but all of these things added up to a significant lessening of weight. We were ruthless with it. Take care of the ounces and the pounds will look after themselves was the maxim. It was also mentally important to know that you were as lean as you could be. When you know you have extra clutter it is not just the physical weight, but mentally every step reinforced in your mind that you were carrying more than you should be.

Lightening your pack in life.
The worries of everyday life can be seen in the same light. Worrying about meeting the costs of our ever increasing outgoings for things that we know that we don’t really need. Meeting the demands of commitments to friends, family or co-workers that we couldn’t say no to even though you know that you should have. Wading through a life cluttered with stuff that we haven’t used in years. Items from old hobbies, an office and drawers overflowing with manuals for things we don’t even own anymore. Go through them and ruthlessly de-clutter. It will feel great afterwards.

Lightening your emotional pack
Then there is the mental fatigue of carrying anxiety, stress, worry, and tension. These mental things very quickly become physical. Worries and fears quickly become physical tension. Usually in the back, neck and shoulders. These sap your energy levels, drive, motivation and enthusiasm. They cause poor posture, knotted muscles, headaches and worse, and they rob you of your vital energy. Spend just 10 minutes sat on a bench or at an airport watching people as they walk. The majority won’t be walking naturally and at ease. Most will be hunched in the shoulders, back, legs or hips. Most of the time this will be worry or anxiety related tension rather than an actual physical injury.

A lighter pack for martial artists
Lightening our pack is vital as a martial artist. It is possibly the most important aspect. In training we work to create an environment where the training pushes our buttons. It triggers our fears, tensions, anxieties, pride, ego, frustrations and other unwanted ‘heavy’ emotions. It gives us the tools to be aware of these emotions and simple reliable methods of removing them. In battle, be that a combat situation, self defence situation or a high pressure negotiation, we need to be free of these inhibiting emotions. We need to be relaxed, fluid, loose and creative both physically and mentally. We are often blissfully unaware of the fears and anxieties that are running constantly through our minds. Our body and our movements are the physical barometer for them. Unchecked these fears and tensions inhibit spontaneous, natural, creative movement and a response that is ‘just enough’ and appropriate to the threat.

Daily Ablutions
As well as normal cleaning, the warrior would need to ‘wash’ themselves daily of these unwanted emotions. The tightness, headaches and knots are the roadmap of the fears and thoughts of the mind. Daily training and simple breathing exercises help you to firstly notice and then remove these tensions. The amazing thing is that once you notice and remove the physical tensions, the mental ones go too. Think of the body as your alarm clock. Once you start to do this you will find yourself much more aware of the daily tensions and be able to drop them, leaving you with more energy, feeling more relaxed, moving more smoothly, being more creative and much, much healthier.

Attention to keeping your pack light whether for a trip, in daily life or in a martial situation will make a huge difference.

De-cluttering your pack is an on-going process. It gets easier the more you do it, a bit like weeding a garden. In the beginning the best advice would be to tackle one area at a time. There are really 4 things to de-clutter:

1.     Your ‘stuff’ (old clothes, papers, manuals etc. for things you no longer need use, or even own)
2.     Your finances (BIG cause of anxiety.   The key thing for stuff you have is to ask yourself, do I need it, do I use it, and is it worth it?)
3.     Your schedule (is it filled with things that you should have said no to but couldn’t? Things that are not aligned with your key priorities?)
4.     And finally and most importantly your mind of fears, worries, anxieties and stresses that you don’t need.

Now watch your lighter leaner life fill with opportunities and adventures that truly matter to you. The view from the waterfall is exhilarating.

I am organizing a trip to Sweden in September this year that will focus on two of these topics. A lighter pack for an adventure and lightening the emotional weight of fears, tension and anxiety. Let the stunning Swedish forests and some simple effective, reliable exercises melt away your tensions, worries, anxieties and stresses.

For the ideal chance to get a better understanding of the unique breathing exercises in a martial arts setting come and see the hugely talented Martin Wheeler in Melksham on August 10^th and 11^th.

Shinrin Yoku – The healing effect of Forests

Posted on 17/05/201319/02/2014 by Matt Hill

As our lives get busier, time seems to go quicker. We have less time, more stress and seemingly ever greater responsibilities.

In 2008 we crossed the Rubicon. For the first time in human history more people lived in towns and cities than in rural areas. This is compounded by the fact that the average worker now spends 8 hours a day in front of a screen. They then go home and relax by watching on average 3 hours TV or the Internet.

Research tells us this is not good for us, that this behaviour makes us more aggressive, more depressed, less patient, slower witted and fatter. But we already know that. What research hasn’t been able to tell us is why, or how we can fix it.

The answer really is simple and obvious.

If you knew of a simple, scientifically proven way to lift your mood, make you 50% more creative, increase your production of cancer fighting cells by 40% and keep all these levels high for a month afterwards, would you take it? You bet. Read on for the answer.

I’ve often wondered why I take such pleasure from being in nature. I teach my classes outside whenever I can and get immense satisfaction from taking people into forests for weekend experiences. What I couldn’t really explain was why people seemed to ‘get’ things so much quicker in an outdoor environment than they do in a dojo. It is almost as if there is a secret accelerant in the air.

Why does a weekend in the woods would have such a profound impact on people? I thank Japanese researchers for giving me the answer.

Miyazaki San, a Japanese physiological anthropologist and vice director of Chiba University’s Center for Environment, Health, and Field Sciences, located just outside Tokyo has been at the centre of Forest Therapy for the past decade. In that time he has taken more than 600 people out into the woods and monitored their reaction to their surroundings.

The results are startling.

The findings show that leisurely forest walks, compared with city or town walks, yield a 12.4% decrease in the stress hormone cortisol, a 7% decrease in sympathetic nerve activity, a 1.4% decrease in blood pressure and a 5.8% decrease in heart rate. On subjective tests, study participants also report better moods and lower anxiety.

Is that really a surprise? When you consider that we have spent 99.9% of our evolutionary journey in nature and we are still physiologically tuned to it. The more time we spend there, the better we feel. Consider how you would feel…

Listening to the sound of running water and birds singing
Smelling fresh pine, wild garlic, bluebells
Feeling the sun on your back and the wind in your hair
Seeing sunrays through a canopy or a beautiful waterfall
And have you ever noticed that food tastes better outside – think barbeques and picnics or fresh fruit plucked straight from a tree.

As much as the forest gives us, it is also what it takes away that cleanses us. The anxiety of checking your smart phone, sweating the little things and lack of perspective that every day life brings.

Japanese Doctors have been prescribing a cure for these ailments called ‘Shinrin Yoku’ or ‘forest bathing’. Literally spending time in forests. You don’t have to do anything else. Researchers are building a body of evidence that proves at a cellular level what we already innately know.

So if we know it, why don’t we do more of it?

I think that it is too easy to stay comfortable and easily entertained. I confess that I am as guilty of this as the next person. I maintain numerous social network platforms, spend most of my day in front of a screen and yes, I relax in the evening in front of one too.

So how do I get my dose of forest medicine? I try to build in to my life as many reasons as I can to go outside. Building a business around the outdoors has been instrumental, as has having dogs and a family that loves the outdoors and wild swimming – so in no particular order:

I have dogs,who LOVE walks in the forest.
I have cultivated a love of wild swimming in my daughters and have a wife who loves walking
I make conscious decisions to live near woods.
I teach my general classes outside whenever I can.
I teach private lessons outdoors whenever I can
I run woodlands experience courses where people literally rediscover the pleasures and benefits of being outdoors.
If I have to choose a business hotel when travelling I will click the ‘countryside hotel’ option wherever possible.

I am sure that very little of what I’ve said will astound you. You will have felt it yourselves I’m sure.

All I would say is try to find ways to get out into nature and just be there.

An afternoon or a long walk will bring you lasting benefits. Even better would be a few days. The Japanese prescribe 3 days. If you would like to get some real benefits try a few days on a woodlands course and on top of the health benefits improve your martial arts capability way beyond where it is now. You will be immersing in at least 6-7 hours of training a day and far from leaving you depleted you will be energised in a way you will have rarely if ever felt.

Three days of this gives you about 21 hours of training with more time spent in discussion with like-minded people. Most people spend about 3 hours a week in training – 12 hours a month. You will be getting about 2 months worth of training in a weekend.

Add to this the compound interest of the training being condensed into a short period. without the skills fade that comes between sessions. You then have incredible value.

There are limited spaces for this years Devon Camp in June. Click here to find out more

P.S If you fancy something even more thrilling There is a four day course in Sweden in some of the most beautiful forests and lakes that I have ever seen. Once again spaces are filling fast for this so don’t wait too long to book. Click here to see a video of it

If I was to leave you with one message from this it would be that If you want to feel better, spend more time in nature. It really is that simple….

I hope to share some of those great forest experiences with you.

Stonehenge Course write up – Sensei and the Stones – by Karl Durrant

Posted on 10/04/201310/04/2013 by Matt Hill

Sensei and the Stones

It was a fresh morning, the journey to Stonehenge was certainly a lesson in night driving especially taking some unknown B roads. I arrived alert and excited it was 0530 Sunday 24 March 2013 I was here to watch the light come up and to practise aikido within the centre of this mystical site.

Being lead by Matt Hill of Wiltshire Martial arts the organisation of the event was very smooth and energising. Matt was on hand to liaise with the site staff and made sure all student attending the event had what they needed. This is an example of leader ship that is not commonly seen in martial arts, often it is the student serving the master. With this being my second course with Matt it is clear that his teaching to allows others to see themselves, not to see him.

From dark to light I began to see the face of fellow student clearly during the sunrise. The group stood in silence for a few moments in preparation to meet the stones.

Moving to the site car park, people adorned hakama and gathered weapons. After a quick security briefing we ventured through a tunnel to the site of our morning practise, the inner circle of Stonehenge.

With a briefing from Matt, we opened practise with a few minutes of sitting meditation. With my eyes closed I focused on the background hum of wind and traffic. Then all of a sudden it stopped, like someone pressed the mute button, after a few seconds all that could be heard was bird song and the wings of resident crows. Reviewing this later I found it was mutually experienced by all.

After meditation people had already began to feel the warmth that the stones provide. Moving onto tai-jitsu and awase practice the fresh weather was soon ignored for mindfulness, breathing and movement. Working with new people I felt nervous of my ability, this is common when stepping out of my comfort zone. But here in the circle I was safe as I had the pleasure of sharing this experience with some helpful and patient fellow Aikido students.

Before we knew the final kokyo-ho exercise came, grabbing my camera to get some final pictures my plans soon changed as Matt wanted to practise with me. A great end to a fantastic practise session. The morning was not over yet.

Heading back to the car park everyone was buzzing about the session and discussing the “mute button” during meditation. Some could not stay for breakfast so after goodbyes, the remainder gathered their cooking equipment and lead by Matt,headed for the woods 1 mile away.

Walking and chatting with new faces and future friends I began to feel a positive commonality in our experience. Arriving at the woods people naturally sat in groups of 3 and 4. Getting their stoves out and pans ready, a number of people , including me, realised that the wind was stopping their bacon from frying. I gave up on mine and settled for large mug of tea and some breakfast bars.

I noticed that Matt did not sit with any particular group while having his breakfast, once done, he made an successful effort to mingle with everyone. This demonstrated to me a key leadership ingredient, the ability to treat everyone equally allows for natural group cohesion.

Overall the experience will take a lot to equal, but the one thing I took was the lesson that a good leader stands behind ready to catch any who may fall.

KF Durrant.

Denmark Seminar with Matt Hill – 13-14 April 2014

Posted on 02/04/201303/10/2024 by Matt Hill

Aikido Seminar with Matt Hill hosted by Thomas Jessen
Svendborg 13-14 April 2013

Main focus theme of the seminar

Removing Tension from the body and psyche
Tension in the body tires you quickly, inhibits natural, spontaneous movement and thinking disrupts your mental and physical balance and reduces speed and power. We will look at how to raise your awareness of the tension in your body and how to let go of it and find dramatic increases in your speed, power, creativity and endurance.

It is just as beneficial to remove tension for health reasons and this is will be a natural consequence of the training.

Powerful and effective atemi
We will also look at striking techniques including: precision, placement, relaxed and hidden strikes, striking as part of your natural movement and striking to break your partners balance.

We will also do some rarely seen work from kicks and stamps.

The training is sequenced, logical and methodical so it is ideal for practitioners of all styles and all levels from beginners to advanced students.

There are now only 11 spaces left for the course – book now to avoid disappointment.

I sincerely look forward to training with you.

Yours in Aiki,

Matt.

Some recent testimonials:

Sensei Matt – Thank you for a very inspiring course at Stonehenge yesterday, I can’t really explain what I felt afterwards only that I felt very relaxed, all the tension had disappeared from my shoulders and neck but also I had a feeling of rejuvenation and, although tired from the early start and lack of sleep from the night before, re-energised and clearer thinking. Hope this makes sense because as I say it is difficult to explain. I would also like to thank you for your friendly welcome, it was great to meet you for the first time and I hope it will not be the last. – David Spuffard

“A weekend session with Matt Hill is a definite must for anyone who wants to call themselves a martial artist and who wants to explore the infinite ways of Takemusu“ – Mats Stromgren

Lots of energy in a very relaxed manner – Daniel Heed

Matt is a brilliant Instructor and very inspiring to train with! – Patric Noordstrom

Good, physical training and lots of fun – Karin Keereweer

Dont be afraid! – Malou Klock Stromgren

Matt will leave you thinking about your Aikido for the rest of the year – Robin Karlson

Finding a connection between what you want and what you need – Alula Kassa

Its like taking your understanding of Aikido and adding a jetpack to it – Mikael Zall

Devon Woodlands Systema Camp 27-29 June 2014

Posted on 31/03/201303/10/2024 by Matt Hill

Deeply relaxing, a wholesome immersion for the mind, body and spirit.

Health, defence and outdoor skills.

Set in a stunning area of Devon this course is much more than just a Systema course or camp experience. The course is deeply relaxing, invigorating, rejuvenating and wholesome for the mind, body and spirit. For three days you will live a very simple existence. Training, eating, sleeping, relaxing and learning all in the company of like minded People.

INSTRUCTOR: Matt Hill – Systema HQ Certified Instructor, 5th Dan Aikido, Parachute Regiment Captain.

A bit about the course.

You will immerse yourself in training for 6 hours per day. However, you will be suprised to find that rather than wearing you out this will restore you to an even greater level of physical and mental health and well-being. You will be studying the unique combat and health methodologies of Systema with its ancient practices of physical and mental training and wellbeing. I will also cover vital bushcraft skills including safe knife handling, basha set up and knots, waking and putting a fire to sleep and much more. The course is:

ALL INCLUSIVE Basic food and all essential equipment is supplied. You can bring your own if desired. *there is limited indoor accommodation for those who require/desire it.
COMPLETE RANGE of training including weapons, empty handed, multiple attack, awareness, striking, stretching, meditation and health promotion
ALL TERRAIN training in the forest, fields and water and practice by day and night,
SUITABLE FOR ALL LEVELS Ideal for beginners and advanced students due to the progressive nature of the training course building from basic concepts to advanced levels. *It is also suitable for all fitness levels as there is transportation to the campsite and all training areas are a short walk from the main camp.

Here is a video clip of highlights from last years course:

Comments from previous courses:

“An immensely enjoyable experience, that will not only put you back into the heart of nature but may also help to put you back in touch with who you really are”
– Danny Hamilton Mills

“Thank you Matt for a very enjoyable weekend and a life changing experience”
– Gergana Milkhanova

“Sensei Matt’s Woodland Intensive Aikido Course was well balanced, unique and highly memorable ““ I could not have hoped for more in a weekend!”
– Isabelle Vinet

“The woodlands course gives those that wish to see a glimpse into what is important”
– Mark Wood.

‘I would recommend this seminar to anyone involved in martial arts’
– Nicky Charles

‘This is my first seminar with Matt Hill. I have learn’t so much that I will keep with me.’
– Dave Hartley

Read more testimonials here: https://www.matthill.co.uk/testimonials/

There are only 30 spaces on the course. Book now below to secure your place.

Cost is just £149 for the 3 day course.

Devon Guarantee

Or via bank:

Barclays Bank
Wiltshire Martial Arts
Sort code: 20-05-06
Account Number: 10699853

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” – Henry David Thoreau

I sincerely look forward to welcoming you to the course.

Matt Hill.

Sensei Tim Buswell Rememberance Course – Knife Defence – Matt Hill 16 March 2013

Posted on 06/03/201308/08/2024 by Matt Hill

Knife Defence Seminar with Matt Hill – More than just knife taking techniques

Most of us have an innate fear of knives. Ever since we were children we have been told by our parents not to touch knives because they are sharp and dangerous.

Last year in the UK there were 29,613 knife or sharp instrument attacks. This constituted 39% of all homicides.

Your ability to move and act when faced with a knife is infinitely more important than your proficiency with a technique. We will be covering this in depth.

We will be covering:

The distances involved with knife attacks – out of range, in range and close.
A broad range of physical and psyche training tools and and exercises will be used designed to assist with fear control when facing a knife or knives.
Progression from slow basic exercises all the way up to pressure testing exercises
Defence against all kinds of knife attack including slashing and covert attacks

We will build safely and logically and in a way that generates confidence.

This is an Ideal course for all experience levels from complete beginners to advanced students as the main focus is not reliant upon technical proficiency.

Location: St Mary’s Catholic Church Hall , 211A Wimborne Rd Poole BH15 2EG

Registration: 09:00 – 09:45

Contact: Sensei Andy Channer – 07747 481121

Click below to secure your space. Prices are £30 on the day or £25 if you book in advance through Paypal below.

The use of weapons and changing form in Aikido – Printed in Aiki Journal Feb 06th 2013.

Posted on 12/02/201308/08/2024 by Matt Hill

I am often asked questions during my teaching about the use of weapons and why the form changes when it is supposed to be, ‘preserved exactly as O’Sensei taught it.’

O’Sensei brought his study of the spear, sword, knife and aiki jujitsu together to form a martial system that he called Aikido. Some ask why we practice with weapons. There are many reasons ranging from the practical fact that as O’Sensei lived in a world where there were such things as swords, knives and spears and therefore we have to learn to cope with them. Weapons Also reveal aspects of our Aikido that practicing empty handed alone cannot.

Some of these aspects are:

The different distances involved that we need to automatically adjust to
The sharp clarity of utilising hito-e-mi and hanmi
Calmness of mind when attacked with a sword, knife or spear (ease with other weapons will be a natural consequence, but it is still good to try other weapons)
The sharpness, focus and precision that comes from facing these weapons

The kumijo, kumitachi. Ken tai jo and katas have changed and developed over the years because they were not meant to be rigidly set. As with all of our Aikido, it is the principles that are important not the order in which we practice the movements. Take a mason as an example. First he has to learn how to make a solid building block (this is our suburi). Once he has mastered this with the correct moulds and mixes, etc., he has something robust that he can use to build with. If the bricks are not made well they will crumble under pressure.

Once his basic building blocks (aikido’s suburi) are correct, and the aikidoka understands the importance of the principles of construction: deep foundations, angles, supports etc. (aikido’s hanmi, awase, ki-no-nagare, kokyu, treat many as one, train hard fight easy (i.e. sincere, strong attacks) etc. The master mason can then build any form that he wants to. We can see this evidenced in the glorious cathedrals all across Britain. In aikido, these cathedrals are mirrored in our end goal of Takemusu. Takemusu (literally take – technique and musu – birth) is the stage attained where aikido is so much a part of us that our every movement (martial or not) is spontaneous and just right, where you transcend mastery into being a maestro.

So one should not be concerned that form changes, to mix maxims, ‘form is temporary; principles are permanent.’ Indeed, they are still changing. All through O-Sensei’s life, Saito Sensei’s life and now his son Hitohira Sensei’s life, their form has developed. (Please excuse me here for only using the Iwama tree, but it’s the only one about which I can talk from experience) The principles however, have remained constant.

Some examples of this are the 31 count kata movements numbered 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 that are recently all practiced as one continuous movement. Similarly numbers 15 and 16, 20 and 21 and 25 and 26 are already linked together without any pauses to form one flowing movement. Of course, in reality they were only separated to make learning them easier. This can be found throughout our aikido where we ‘chunk’ movements down to make learning simpler.

On the 1st kumitachi some practise cutting the body in the first defensive movement whilst other sword schools cut to the wrist as the sword strikes. Which is correct? Answer both and neither, it is whatever works in a situation. In mastery of the basics we must be rigid, in real time application flexibility is all important.

I hope that this goes someway to answering the questions of why weapons are practiced and why form changes.

The 40 Aikido and life lessons that 2012 taught me

Posted on 01/01/201314/02/2013 by Matt Hill

Here are 40 of the best lessons that I have learnt, had reinforced or found a new angle on in 2012: Hope they ring a few bells for you:

If you’re not improving something at each session, you’re going stale and backwards.
If you want an A-Level dojo, you can’t afford to settle for B-Level practice.
Practice Atemi in your aikido.
Practice against free attacks, punches, kicks, grabs, rugby tackles – taking the speed out of the training. This is where Takemusu lies.
Regularly practice multiple attack work – it is vital to efficacy and understanding O’Sensei’s magic.
When doing techniques look for complete precision. When doing randori look for takemusu.
Get hit – done right this can be therapeutic, honestly! And it is very good for your budo.
Transform your fitness and you’ll transform your Aikido.
Don’t waste time in bickering about other styles, train instead.
Exercising for 20 minutes first thing in the morning is a game-changer. As a teacher try to give your students exercises that they can do in their own time.
It is when you least want to get up and go training that you are going to get the most out of it personally.
Don’t do it if you’re not having fun. It is the job of the teacher to make training stretching and fun and the job of the students to bring enthusiasm to it.
If you’re not scared a lot you’re not improving and growing very much.
It’s never been easier to be of service to a large amount of people in aikido (and few things are as rewarding).
People are craving transparency, authenticity and community. Give it to them through your dojo.
Progress comes in hills and plateaus. Understand this and your approach to training becomes much more relaxed. (I’ve been working on integrating this lesson for years).
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax (When you relax, your brain shifts into alpha state–the time when real breakthroughs and those profound realisations present themselves).
Change is hard at the beginning, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end. (And without change, there is no progress).
Dream big in your Aikido – plan a trip to Iwama, or Japan or a big seminar – push your boundaries. Aim for that which you think is out of reach.
Pursue excellence versus chasing perfection.
Celebrate small wins in your club and with your peers and you’ll unleash a huge amount of momentum and positive energy.
“There is no purpose in wanting or pursuing many techniques. To master a technique, one needs to make each technique, one by one, his/her own.” – O’Sensei, Budo.
“I don’t fear the man who has done 1000 kicks once, I fear the man who has done 1 kick 1000 times.” – Bruce Lee
Begin with the end in mind: We should not lose sight of the fact that our aim in aikido is not to master techniques but to master the principles of aiki through the techniques.
Delete ‘victimspeak’ from your training. No more “I can’t” and “It’s not possible” and “It’s so hard.” More “I will” and “This is awesome” and “I can”
If you inspire one person each session, your class hasn’t been a waste. It’s been a blessing.
Live an amazing path in Aikido but enjoy your life, family and friends along the way. What’s the point of becoming an Aikido legend but a failed human being.
Look people in the eyes when you talk to them on the mat. Smile at people when you train. Say “please” to respect them. And “thank you” to appreciate them.
Don’t be on time–Be early.
The person who tries to master everything at once achieves nothing. Focus. Focus. Focus. **More on this with the goal planning to come
Spend time in silence each day. You’ll never do O’Sensei level work if you’re over stimulated by technology.
Your behaviour on the mat broadcasts your truest beliefs.
To have the results only 5% of Martial artists in the world have, have the guts to do what only 5% of the Martial artists in the world are willing to do.
World-class begins when you think you’ve done a great session but know you can do a better session.
Everyone’s in Aikido Human Resources. And we are all there to develop the talents of the people we train with.
Mediocrity is a mindset. Avoid the mental viruses of negative people.
Problems and loss of motivation come to test your commitment to your goals, hopes and dreams.
Begin to feel energised through your practice – be like a dynamo. You should generate Kokyu energy.
At the end Budo is as much about what you take out as what you put in. Rid yourself of tension, fear, doubt, redundant and superfluous movement and unnatural or incorrect movement. Your movements need to be precise, calm and powerful.
Use your time in Aikido to make the world a better place.

Enjoy your training and let 2013 take your Aikido to new heights.

Inspired by Robin Sharma’s 50 lessons of 2012. If you haven’t read his stuff check out, ‘The monk who sold his Ferrari’ – awesome book.

In Aiki,

Matt.