What Aikido Has Done For Me
by Marty Miceli
Ouch! Writing for me is almost as painful as Ramin s shihonage. So when Sensei Turner asked me what aikido has done for me I decided I would use this space as a thank you note. As anyone knows, studying aikido is not a one-dimensional exercise. I have developed physically, mentally, and emotionally. Now, do not get me wrong, I was not some 90-pound weakling or emotional sap who sat by his computer all day, reading books. When I began studying aikido, I thought I was an average Canadian boy.
When I started last November, I weighed close to 200 lb. Now, in July, I weigh 175 lb. Weight loss was not my goal when I began but I sure am happy about it (hey, Rhoda, maybe we can market aikido as a weight-management program). This is not the only physical benefit that I got from my training. I am more limber, feel stronger, and with Sensei talking about posture and "spacious arms", I now catch myself when I am slouching and make myself sit up straight. Or, if I am leaning on the wall, I make sure I get off and support my own weight. I have become more conscious of my physical self.
Mentally, aikido has given me another tool for solving problems. When a situation comes up that needs attention I now look for the center and try to find balance. In the past I might have dived straight in and charge full blast ahead like a bull. This usually created more and bigger problems than it solved. When I look to the center and try to find balance, it gives me more time to find the correct answer or at least one that works.
Before starting aikido, I had found myself with a lot of time and no constructive activities to occupy my attention. I tried Zen meditation but it just did not do it for me. So I joined the YMCA and decided to play squash often. I also wanted something to get me up in the mornings and I saw aikido classes at 7:00 am. I said, "What the heck, I will give it a try. With a little self-discipline, I can do it." Well, the rest of the story you know, I now try to train every day, expecting to become not a martial arts expert, but a better person. My training in aikido has helped me to focus and keep my concentration.
None of this would have been possible without the people in the dojo. I want to thank my peers for letting me practice with them and the senior students for spending the extra time with me; and, of course, I would like to thank Sensei Turner who, through her guidance and personality, has given me an opportunity to grow as a human being.
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