Beginners Begin

I was pleasantly surprised to have a good handful of beginners turn up for the start of the beginners' course. What was very disappointing was that no regular members of the club turned up at all. This makes it rather difficult to teach as you have to use the beginners as ukes. Aware that they are not necessarily comfortable or safe to breakfall correctly one tends not to demonstrate the techniques most effectively, leaving them looking a bit stale and unimpressive.

It is a bit of a catch 22. If I don't demonstrate effective technique they won't think my aikido is up to much; if I do the technique effectively and the uke falls badly and injures themselves I will be in trouble and probably scare the others away anyway.

OK. I appreciate that many aikido techniques can be done to absolute beginners without losing effectiveness but that is not how I felt last night.

Luckily Tony turned up toward the end of the class and joined in so that helped matters.

The beginners themselves were great - keen and relaxed and willing to try out something new. I hope they come again next week!