⏺ 7 Tips for Beginner Martial Arts Students

By Anne Felicitas

Do you yearn to roll on mats? To throw your attacker effortlessly?

But does fear restrain you from trying a martial art?

Well, you’re in luck because I recently tried the martial art of Aikido.
And I’ve compiled a list of strong 7 tips for beginner martial arts students that will allow you to have a fun first experience!

1. Don’t fear mistakes – The number one fear people carry to the mat is failure. “What if I make a complete fool of myself!” you may cry. “What if I fail and disappoint my sensei?” Don’t let this fear consume you.
Instead of fearing mistakes, welcome them. Remember your sensei is there to help you. Learn from your mistakes and know it is a part of learning. If you mess up, shake off your embarrassment and try again. 

 2. Don’t fear falling – In Aikido, you’ll learn to fall fifty percent of the time. Don’t be afraid of falling because your sensei will teach you how to fall correctly without hurting yourself. Besides, the mats are there to catch you.

3. Trust your partner – Students alternate practicing throwing and being thrown. Often, your partner will practice throwing you. Trust your partner and don’t be afraid. Your partner will not hurt you. If you are new, your partner will throw you gently.

4. Wear comfortable clothing – If you don’t own a martial arts uniform (“dogi”), wear something comfortable and stretchy such as a loose T-Shirt and leggings for girls, and basketball shorts for boys. Wear something you don’t mind sweating in, something that can allow you to move freely.

5. Be attentive – Your sensei will demonstrate a move once. During this time, be attentive. By being attentive, you will least likely forget the move and progress as quickly as the experienced students.

6. Tie your hair back – Long hair is distracting. During training, it can fly into your face, into your partner’s face. It can get caught in a grasp; it can get stepped on when you fall. To prevent these inconveniences, tie your hair into a braid or ponytail.

 7. Alert your sensei and/or training partner if you’re in pain – Pain is inevitable especially for first time trainers. This pain often comes the day after when your body aches from a good work-out. However, if you feel excruciating pain during training, pain that immediately occurs after falling or rolling, alert your sensei. This pain may be caused by doing a move incorrectly. By alerting your sensei, your sensei may allow you to skip certain moves that caused your pain and show you how to do it correctly without pain.

Take these tips and use them wisely.

Now go forth and do Aikido!