Word of the month (July/August 08): Strength

The word of the month for July is "Strength". The Japanese word is "Chikara".

There are many types of strength. A person can have a strong mind: they are very smart. A person can have a strong spirit: they have a strong personality, or great determination. A person can have a strong ability: they are good in a subject like math, or have a great physical skill, like soccer or baseball. A person can have strong talent in an art: like painting, drawing, writing, or even Aikido. Finally, a person can have a strong body: they have good health, or they may be physically strong.

In my personal Aikido practice, it has been my experience that when I developed my physical strength, my mental and emotional strength and my strength of spirit also grew. They are all linked - body, mind, and spirit! If your child has challenges in school, I highly recommend participating in organized sports or physical arts (like dance or martial arts) to help develop their physical fitness and coordination. Even if you just add a family walk after dinner, you will see improvements in your child's fitness and the family will benefit from the relaxed group activity.

For the summer, the Aikido Kids challenge is to build strength by jumping rope every day! I will provide the jump rope, and we will begin class each day by practicing jumping. I have been surprised by how many students don't know how to do this simple skill, so please work with your child to help them master it.

If your child is new to the jump rope: their challenge is to do 50 jumps a day, with a goal of triple that (per day) by Labor Day.

For students who already jump rope: their challenge is to do 100 jumps a day, with a goal of triple that (per day) by Labor Day.

Please help your child create a chart to track their progress toward their goals, and remember to celebrate their successes, rather than nag them about their forgetfulness. Make it your job to help them remember to do the jumping, and help them count their jumps as a way to stay involved in their Aikido practice. They'll love your support and participation.

Zanshin - Awareness (week 1 lesson)

The Power-word for June is Zanshin. Saotome Shihan defines zanshin as the "constant awareness of space and surroundings". As I was teaching the Week 1 lesson, I saw many parents listening carefully to see how I would present this idea!

The youngest students are just learning "awareness" - being awake and seeing what is around you.
The next word they stumbled on was "constant" - all the time.
Some students didn't know "surroundings" - everything all around your body

In the Week 1 lesson, we introduced these words and concepts and talked about using awareness in our daily life. When we lack zanshin, we trip, stumble, bump our heads, break bones, stub toes, spill milk, and run into people. When we have zanshin, we move gracefully, stay safe, and avoid accidents! What a handy ability to have! Finally, we discussed activities/places outside of Aikido when we might need good zanshin: on the playground, crossing the street, at the dinner table were a few examples.

Remind your student that "zanshin" is a skill that can be learned through practice. Gently remind them to "wake up" to their surroundings when you see them drifting off task. Tell them "You have great zanshin!" instead of "You need to focus".