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Lia Suzuki’s Virtual Dojo

Lia Suzuki

Weekly reflections on Aikido, movement, and practice—on and off the mat.

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Tuesday · 11 min
Why Your Aikido Training Starts Before the Bow-In
In my first Aikido class in Japan back in 1987, I noticed something in the first five minutes that had nothing to do with technique: the senior students were warming up their attention, not just their bodies, and nobody was chatting before bow-in. In this episode, I break down what that quiet actually does, why it changes what you notice once class starts, and the exact routine I still use to prime myself before every class I take or teach — plus what my teacher Takeda Sensei taught me about listening internally before you ever step on the mat. 🎁 Free resources 📬 Get a new lesson each week Join my Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📥 Eliminate inefficient or harmful movement patterns NOW. Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists → https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist 📚 Grab my books 📘 The Teacher: https://lia-suzuki.com/book ⚔️ Mastering the Shoto, A Comprehensive Guide for Aikido Enthusiasts: https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book 🔥 AIKIDO TRAINING TOURS 🥋 Train • Travel • Grow 👥 Small-Group Training Experiences 💬 Guidance On & Off the Mat 📅 2027 Schedule 🌸 Cherry Blossom Tour • Kumamoto — March 🇯🇵 Tokyo • Yokohama • Kamakura — May 🇩🇪🇳🇱 Germany + Netherlands — September 👉 Join the Tours Interest List: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/aikido-tours
September 29 · 16 min
What Aikido Asks of You Beyond Technique
I've been doing Aikido for about forty-five years, and I've never trained another martial art, so I'm not going to compare it to anything else. What I can tell you is what Aikido has asked of me, and it turns out to be a specific and demanding list. Two students taught me this clearly: one soaked up everything I offered from day one, the other tested me every single night for a year before I saw him really land. In this episode I get into why there's no scoreboard in Aikido, why you can't measure progress by how many people you defeat, and why your partner's well-being isn't an ethical add-on, it's a technical requirement. I also talk about why the cooperation built into training isn't a limitation, it's the entire point, and why the hardest thing there is isn't overcoming someone, it's moving with them. I also get into the qualities Aikido demands beyond skill: patience, sensitivity, the capacity to fail without shutting down. I talk about why ego is a technical problem in Aikido, not just a personality flaw, why you can't hide it in your hands or your timing, and why this is part of what lets people keep training into their sixties, seventies, and eighties. And I'll tell you what one of my students said when a friend at the pub asked him which technique would take over if he ever got in a fight. Thanks for training with me this week. 🎁 Free resources 📬 Get a new lesson each week Join my Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📥 Eliminate inefficient or harmful movement patterns NOW. Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists → https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist 📚 Grab my books 📘 The Teacher: https://lia-suzuki.com/book ⚔️ Mastering the Shoto, A Comprehensive Guide for Aikido Enthusiasts: https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book 🔥 AIKIDO TRAINING TOURS 🥋 Train • Travel • Grow 👥 Small-Group Training Experiences 💬 Guidance On & Off the Mat 📅 2027 Schedule 🌸 Cherry Blossom Tour • Kumamoto — March 🇯🇵 Tokyo • Yokohama • Kamakura — May 🇩🇪🇳🇱 Germany + Netherlands — September 👉 Join the Interest List: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/aikido-tours
September 22 · 17 min
What Self-Development in Aikido Really Demands
When I survey new students about why they came to Aikido, the most common answers are self-development, discipline, focus, managing anxiety, self-defense, and fitness. After thirty years of teaching, I'd say they're right about what they're looking for. They just don't yet know what it's actually going to require from them. In this episode I get into why self-development isn't a skill you complete, it's a quality that develops gradually, the way a child grows taller without anyone noticing day to day. I tell you about a student who nearly went home one night because he felt like a dork training with people younger and more athletic than him, and what happened when he gave himself permission to be a dork for the night. I also talk about the uncomfortable pattern I've noticed with the students who say they came for discipline, why discipline is the practice of returning to what you know when what you're doing isn't working, and why focus is the absence of unnecessary interference, not more concentration. I get into how Aikido helps you manage anxiety by moving you out of a black-and-white world where a technique is either right or wrong, and why freezing, not doing the "wrong" technique, is the actual mistake I'm watching for. Thanks for training with me this week. 🔥 NEW! Germany Tour This September — small-group, in-depth training with off-the-mat discussions and personal mentorship. Heidelberg • Bonn • Düsseldorf • Sehnde. Join the waitlist: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/aikido-tours 🎁 Get a new lesson each week — join my Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📥 Eliminate inefficient or harmful movement patterns now — grab my free Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist 📚 Grab my books — The Teacher: https://lia-suzuki.com/book and Mastering the Shoto, A Comprehensive Guide for Aikido Enthusiasts: https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book
September 15 · 10 min
What a Dojo Reveals Before Training Even Begins
In forty-five years of Aikido, I've walked into hundreds of dojos around the world, and you can tell a great deal about how people train before anyone sets foot on the mat. I remember being invited to teach at one dojo where a beautiful photo of sensei was leaned against a crash mat, half hidden, and the mat itself was dirty. At another, the host running late meant nobody was surprised, because apparently that wasn't unusual. In this episode I get into what I actually watch for before class even starts: whether the mat is clean, who arrives early and what they're doing when they get there, and whether people change and clean the mat without being asked. I also talk about a test one of my sempai in Japan taught me, for telling whether something a host does to impress a visitor is normal or staged. I also get into what I watch for once training starts, including how people attack and receive an attack, and the difference between someone showing off and someone chasing quality. I talk about how students become the culture of a dojo and the culture shapes the students who join it, and I tell you about the bucket of rags test: what happens in a Japanese dojo when it's time to clean the mat, versus what I've seen happen here. Thanks for training with me this week. 🔥 NEW! Germany Tour This September — small-group, in-depth training with off-the-mat discussions and personal mentorship. Heidelberg • Bonn • Düsseldorf • Sehnde. Join the waitlist: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/aikido-tours 🎁 Get a new lesson each week — join my Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📥 Eliminate inefficient or harmful movement patterns now — grab my free Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist 📚 Grab my books — The Teacher: https://lia-suzuki.com/book and Mastering the Shoto, A Comprehensive Guide for Aikido Enthusiasts: https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book
September 8 · 15 min
Why Aikido Plateaus Are a Sign of Progress
I've been teaching Aikido for over thirty years, and I've watched hundreds of students hit the same wall at roughly the same point in their training. I had one student, second kyu or first kyu at the time, who suddenly stopped wanting my suggestions and made excuses whenever I offered a fix. It turned out something personal was going on. He was stuck on that plateau for about six months, and then he came back. In this episode I get into why a plateau isn't a lack of progress, it's progress that isn't visible yet, and why it can feel like moving into a nicer apartment: chaotic at first, boxes everywhere, until it finally settles. I also talk about the real danger on a plateau, which is retreating to what's comfortable, and why that uncomfortable space will still be waiting for you next time if you do. I also get into what actually separates the students who get through a plateau from the ones who don't: training what's broken instead of just what already works, measuring the quality of contact instead of whether your partner fell down, and seeking out the training partner you'd rather avoid. I give you specific things to do in class this week, including why I want you to do ten reps without stopping to analyze after every throw, and how to find the sempai whose Aikido you should be studying based on body type. Thanks for training with me this week. 🔥 NEW! Germany Tour This September — small-group, in-depth training with off-the-mat discussions and personal mentorship. Heidelberg • Bonn • Düsseldorf • Sehnde. Join the waitlist: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/aikido-tours 🎁 Get a new lesson each week — join my Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📥 Eliminate inefficient or harmful movement patterns now — grab my free Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist 📚 Grab my books — The Teacher: https://lia-suzuki.com/book and Mastering the Shoto, A Comprehensive Guide for Aikido Enthusiasts: https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book
September 1 · 9 min
What Yamaguchi Sensei Taught Me About Presence
I was sitting in a coffee shop in Japan with Yamaguchi Sensei and a small group of his students, right after training. I was maybe shodan or nidan at most, and this wasn't even my main teacher, but I was blown away by how he ran that conversation, and by how much it mirrored the way he moved on the mat. In this episode I get into what I noticed about the way he led without dominating, the Zanshin I felt in that conversation itself, and why Zanshin isn't stillness or a pose, it's active, sustained attention that stays with what's in front of you. I also talk about why the quality of his attention was identical whether we were on the mat or around a table, and why that told me something important about what Aikido is actually training in us. I also get into why sensitivity and accurate perception, not just technique, are the most advanced things any practice can develop, and what that has to do with why most of us will thankfully never be in a street fight. I talk about the difference between reacting to a grab after it happens and organizing your body before contact, and I give you one thing to try this week: moving just a moment earlier than you usually would. Thanks for training with me this week. 🔥 NEW! Germany Tour This September — small-group, in-depth training with off-the-mat discussions and personal mentorship. Heidelberg • Bonn • Düsseldorf • Sehnde. Join the waitlist: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/aikido-tours 🎁 Get a new lesson each week — join my Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📥 Eliminate inefficient or harmful movement patterns now — grab my free Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist 📚 Grab my books — The Teacher: https://lia-suzuki.com/book and Mastering the Shoto, A Comprehensive Guide for Aikido Enthusiasts: https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book
August 25 · 11 min
Why Your Aikido Feels Worse After a Seminar
Every serious practitioner has had this experience: you come home from a seminar confused, your technique feels worse than when you left, and you can't fully explain what you spent three days doing. I had a student come back and tell me, half joking, that he knew nothing anymore. I told him that was great, now he could relearn and rebuild. In this episode I get into what a seminar actually does to your nervous system, why feeling confused afterward usually means something actually got in, and why what you're able to verbalize the week after a seminar is almost never what you actually absorbed. I also explain why an Aikido technique is a lot like trying on a shirt, and why body size and three days of exposure aren't enough to fairly judge whether a technique "works." I also talk about the three mistakes people make after a seminar: trying to apply everything before your body has integrated it, judging too fast, and talking about the material instead of training it. I get into what to actually do instead, why I don't recommend taking a week off to recover, and why the full effect of a good seminar is often invisible for three to six months before it shows up all at once. Thanks for training with me this week. 🔥 NEW! Germany Tour This September — small-group, in-depth training with off-the-mat discussions and personal mentorship. Heidelberg • Bonn • Düsseldorf • Sehnde. Join the waitlist: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/aikido-tours 🎁 Get a new lesson each week — join my Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📥 Eliminate inefficient or harmful movement patterns now — grab my free Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist 📚 Grab my books — The Teacher: https://lia-suzuki.com/book and Mastering the Shoto, A Comprehensive Guide for Aikido Enthusiasts: https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book
August 18 · 11 min
Why Trying Harder Can Make Your Aikido Worse
There's a specific moment in Aikido training that doesn't happen on schedule and can't be forced: you stop trying to make the technique work, and it works. I still remember one throw from when I was maybe fourth kyu, getting so frustrated with a partner who kept telling me to move bigger, that I finally got angry, moved huge, and he flew. I'd been trying and trying with my arms against a strong guy, and the moment I gave up on that and just moved big, it happened without effort. In this episode I get into what "fighting" your partner actually means, why it has nothing to do with being aggressive, and why resistance and connection can feel identical to a beginner. I also break down why fighting shows up the same way a handshake transmits something you notice instantly, whether or not you can name it, and why your partner's nervous system recognizes the difference even when their thinking mind doesn't. I also talk about where a technique actually starts, why the shift happens when you stop leading with your own intention and start reading uke's, and how training slower, without getting lazy, is one of the fastest ways to find that shift. I get into why you have to be willing to let the technique fail completely, what my sensei meant by "you get good at what you do," and why training with a wide variety of partners, including at seminars outside your own organization, is what finally shows you what's real and what's just familiar. Thanks for training with me this week. 🔥 NEW! Germany Tour This September — small-group, in-depth training with off-the-mat discussions and personal mentorship. Heidelberg • Bonn • Düsseldorf • Sehnde. Join the waitlist: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/aikido-tours 🎁 Get a new lesson each week — join my Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📥 Eliminate inefficient or harmful movement patterns now — grab my free Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist 📚 Grab my books — The Teacher: https://lia-suzuki.com/book and Mastering the Shoto, A Comprehensive Guide for Aikido Enthusiasts: https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book
August 11 · 10 min
Why Ikkyo Backfires When You Do It On Someone
Ikkyo is usually the first technique students learn, which is exactly why almost everyone assumes it's the simplest. After 45 years of practicing, teaching, and taking ukemi for it from partners at every level, I can tell you it's the opposite. In this episode I get into what separates a jammed, cranked version of ikkyo from the version that feels like the floor disappearing under your feet, including a couple of stories from taking ukemi at a very high level, the mindset shift that happens when you stop thinking about doing a technique "on" someone, and the almost-invisible pause that separates advanced ukemi from everything else. I also talk about what I actually look for when I'm watching students train ikkyo, and why getting off your own mat and training with people well above your rank is one of the fastest ways to feel the difference for yourself. Thanks for training with me this week. 🔥 NEW! Germany Tour This September — small-group, in-depth training with off-the-mat discussions and personal mentorship. Heidelberg • Bonn • Düsseldorf • Sehnde. Join the waitlist: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/aikido-tours 🎁 Get a new lesson each week — join my Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📥 Eliminate inefficient or harmful movement patterns now — grab my free Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist 📚 Grab my books — The Teacher: https://lia-suzuki.com/book and Mastering the Shoto, A Comprehensive Guide for Aikido Enthusiasts: https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book
August 4 · 14 min
How to Train When You're the Most Advanced Student in the Room
When you become one of the senior students on the mat, training doesn't get easier, it gets harder to improve, and most people don't notice until they're already coasting. In this episode, I talk about what actually changes once you're the most advanced person in the room. Your training partners are, in a way, your students now, they're watching what you do whether you mean them to or not. And once nobody can challenge you from the outside anymore, you have to learn to generate that challenge yourself. I share a story about a student who had every skill he needed but had quietly stopped reaching for anything new, and what I noticed in a sempai of mine who refused to slow down even as the years caught up with him. He trained an entire class with his own students and still found a way to make it hard on himself. I also get into specific ways to keep training honest at this level: taking more falls than you give, treating your ukemi as something to perfect rather than coast through, and working sensitivity instead of dominance once you're already good at throwing everyone in the room. Then I talk about something I think is genuinely underused: going somewhere nobody knows you. Walk into a dojo or a seminar where nobody knows your rank, and suddenly your reputation can't carry you. That's uncomfortable, and it's exactly the point. I also talk about what to do when a seminar teaches you something that contradicts what your own teacher does at home, and why that confusion is worth leaning into rather than avoiding. Being the most advanced person in the room is a privilege. It's also a responsibility, to keep becoming a better observer and a more demanding student of yourself, not a more comfortable one. Practice Prompt: At your next class, pick one thing, extra falls, sharper ukemi, or working sensitivity instead of dominance, and use it deliberately, even if nobody else on the mat notices the difference. You can watch the full video version of this episode here: https://youtu.be/XKyVY2FPt8E Thanks for training with me.
July 28 · 11 min
The Real Difference Between a 3rd Dan and a 4th Dan
In this episode, Lia Suzuki breaks down what actually separates the dan grades in Aikido — and it isn't more complicated technique. Prompted by watching a student's presence shift almost overnight, Lia unpacks the real markers she looks for when deciding someone is ready to test, and shares four things any practitioner can start practicing today, regardless of rank. In this episode: Why presence — not confidence — is what Lia actually looks for before testing a student What changes between 3rd dan and 4th dan (hint: it's not more techniques) Why connection replaces control as your primary organizing principle Four practical tips: slow down and don't cut corners, train what you already have, be first on/last off the mat, and chase down your sempai An announcement about Lia's September Germany tour Resources mentioned: Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist The Teacher (book): https://lia-suzuki.com/book Mastering the Shoto, A Comprehensive Guide for Aikido Enthusiasts: https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book Germany Tour waitlist (Sept 14–27): https://lia-suzuki.com/seminars Remote training options: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/remote-membership-options In-person LA classes: https://www.aki-usa.org/intro-options-adults Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/a1nj9qq8a7A CTA: If this episode resonated with you, share it with a training partner working toward their next rank. And if you'd like a free training video like this delivered every week, join the newsletter using the link above.
July 21 · 10 min
Why Advanced Aikidoka Train Completely Differently Than Beginners
If you've ever watched a senior student train and thought, "That doesn't look anything like what I'm doing," you're right. In this episode, I explore why beginners learn techniques while advanced students study principles, why over-explaining can actually slow learning, and why beginner's mind is a technical requirement—not just a philosophy—for lifelong improvement. You'll also hear a memorable story about Yamaguchi Sensei telling a room full of advanced practitioners: "None of you know shihonage." 🎁 Free Resources 📬 Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📥 Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist 📚 Books 📘 The Teacher https://lia-suzuki.com/book 📗 Mastering the Shoto https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book 🥋 Train With Me Germany Aikido Tour (Waitlist) https://lia-suzuki.com/seminars Remote Training Options https://www.lia-suzuki.com/remote-membership-options Los Angeles Classes https://www.aki-usa.org/intro-options-adults ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/WWf7io3s0So
July 14 · 13 min
Why Japanese Masters Move the Way They Do
I lived and trained in Japan for nearly a decade, and there’s something about the way senior Japanese instructors move that I’ve never seen fully replicated—not in seminars, not in videos, not even in very advanced Western practitioners. In this episode, I try to put words to that difference. I talk about the timing these teachers have—entering a fraction of a second before you’d expect, so completely prepared that the technique seems to begin before any contact happens. I share the story of finally getting the chance to take ukemi for Yamaguchi Sensei during his 70th birthday celebration, running toward him, and inexplicably stopping a foot away from him before he’d even moved. I also talk about the looseness in these teachers’ shoulders and knees, the idea of not “cutting corners,” and how, at a high enough level, the whole body becomes the site of the interaction rather than just the hands and arms. And I talk about the quality of arrival—startling but not violent—and why that quality is trainable rather than simply a matter of personality. 🥋 Practice Prompt During your next class, notice the moment before physical contact. Are you waiting for the technique to begin, or are your attention, structure, and body already prepared? 🎁 Free Resources 📬 Get a new lesson each week Join my Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📚 Grab My Books 📘 The Teacher: https://lia-suzuki.com/book ⚔️ Mastering the Shoto: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/mastering-the-shoto 🇩🇪 Train With Me in Germany I’ll be leading a small group tour through Germany this September. The waitlist will open soon, so keep an eye out if you’d like to join.
July 7 · 12 min
Aikido Is Really Training Your Nervous System—Here's Why
Most people think Aikido is about learning techniques. After more than four decades of training, I've come to believe that the deeper transformation isn't happening in the muscles—it's happening in the nervous system. In this episode, I explore why progress often feels invisible, why many practitioners go through periods where they believe they're actually getting worse, and why those frustrating plateaus are often signs that something much deeper is changing beneath the surface. We also look at why qualities like sensitivity, calm under pressure, relaxed power, and efficient movement aren't simply talents that some people possess. They are abilities that can be cultivated through years of mindful practice. This perspective also helps explain why Aikido takes time. Understanding an idea intellectually is only the first step. Real learning happens when your nervous system gradually adopts new patterns until they become your natural response—not only on the mat, but throughout everyday life. Practice Prompt During your next class, shift your attention away from collecting techniques. Instead, notice: • Your breathing • Any unnecessary tension you're carrying • How quickly you recover calm after each attack • How sensitive you are to your partner's movement Rather than asking, "Did I perform the technique correctly?" ask yourself: "What is my nervous system learning today?" 🎁 Free resources 📬 Get a new lesson each week Join my Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📥 Eliminate inefficient or harmful movement patterns NOW. Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist 📚 Grab my books 📘 The Teacher https://lia-suzuki.com/book ⚔️ Mastering the Shoto: A Comprehensive Guide for Aikido Enthusiasts https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book 🧭 Train with me • In person (Seminars & Events) Japan • Taiwan • UK • Ireland • Los Angeles • Germany • More Schedule: https://lia-suzuki.com/seminars • From anywhere (Remote Training) Live classes, guided practice, and on-demand training Options: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/remote-membership-options • In Los Angeles (Ongoing Classes) Adult Intro Course & Regular Training Details: https://www.aki-usa.org/intro-options-adults Thank you for listening. Whether you're just beginning your Aikido journey or have been training for decades, I hope this episode helps you view your practice a little differently. You're not simply collecting techniques—you are gradually reshaping how your nervous system responds under pressure, on the mat and in everyday life. I look forward to training together someday.
June 30 · 9 min
Why Many Aikido Practitioners Continue Training for Life
Why do so many Aikido practitioners continue training for decades? In this episode, I explore one of the most fascinating aspects of Aikido: its ability to remain engaging year after year, decade after decade. While many people begin martial arts training with goals related to fitness, self-defense, or personal challenge, long-term practitioners often discover something deeper. I discuss three reasons Aikido tends to become a lifelong practice. First, the techniques themselves continue to evolve in our understanding. The same movement can reveal entirely different lessons depending on our age, experience, and stage of development. Second, the training changes us. Over time, many practitioners develop greater patience, awareness, and calmness that extend beyond the dojo and into daily life. Third, there is the community. The relationships built through years of paired training create a sense of connection and support that keeps people returning to practice. I also share a story from my years training in Japan and reflect on what it meant to watch older practitioners continue their training alongside students decades younger than themselves. Practice Prompt: During your next class, pay attention to something that feels different than it did a year ago—even if the technique is the same. What has changed: the movement, your understanding, your awareness, or you? For books, training resources, and upcoming events: https://www.lia-suzuki.com To receive my weekly training insights and reflections: https://www.lia-suzuki.com To train with me in person or online: https://www.lia-suzuki.com Thank you for listening, and I hope this episode encourages you to reflect on your own journey in Aikido.
June 23 · 13 min
Why Some Aikido Students Improve Faster Than Others
Why do some students improve faster than others? Most people assume the answer is talent. Yet after decades of teaching and training, I've found that natural ability is often far less important than how a person approaches practice. In this episode, I explore several qualities that frequently show up in students who make steady, long-term progress. These include the ability to pay attention, quiet the mind, stay curious, and reflect on training rather than simply repeating techniques. I also share stories from the dojo, observations from my years living and training in Japan, and a conversation about why some practitioners seem to advance more quickly despite training fewer hours than others. The goal isn't to find shortcuts. It's to understand how learning actually happens. Practice Prompt: During your next class, choose one technique and approach it as if you've never seen it before. Rather than trying to demonstrate what you already know, look for one new detail in the movement, timing, posture, or connection. Notice what changes when you stay curious. If you enjoyed this episode: Explore my books and training resources: https://www.lia-suzuki.com Subscribe to my weekly training newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com Train with me in person or online: https://www.aki-usa.org Thank you for listening. I hope these reflections help you get more from your practice and enjoy the process of learning for many years to come.
June 16 · 7 min
Why Ukemi May Be the Most Important Skill in Aikido
When most people hear the word Ukemi, they think of falling, rolling, or protecting themselves during throws. Those are certainly important skills. But Ukemi may be teaching far more than many practitioners realize. In this episode, I explore why Ukemi is one of the most valuable aspects of Aikido training. Beyond injury prevention, Ukemi develops timing, balance, sensitivity, and connection. It allows us to stay engaged with our training partners long enough to gather information that can improve our own movement and understanding of technique. I also share stories from my senior teachers and fellow practitioners about training in Japan, where receiving techniques was often considered an essential part of learning. In some cases, students spent years primarily taking Ukemi before being given significant opportunities to throw others. These stories highlight an important idea: receiving techniques is not a lesser role in training. It is often one of the most direct ways to learn. Practice Prompt: During your next class, pay attention to how long you can maintain connection with your partner while receiving a technique. Can you stay connected a little longer than usual without rushing to prepare for the fall? Notice what information becomes available when you remain present all the way through the technique. For books and resources: https://www.lia-suzuki.com Get my free Weekly Aikido Training Insights newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletter Train with me online or in person: https://www.lia-suzuki.com Thank you for listening, and I hope this reflection adds something valuable to your own training journey.
June 9 · 9 min
The Moment Aikido Starts Making Sense After Years of Training
Many Aikido practitioners have experienced it. For months—or even years—a technique feels awkward, confusing, or unnatural. Then one day something shifts. The movement feels lighter. The timing becomes clearer. What once seemed complicated suddenly feels obvious. In this episode, I explore why that happens. Drawing from both motor learning research and my own years of training in Japan under Takeda Sensei, I discuss how repetition shapes understanding, why some lessons take years to reveal their value, and how improved timing and structure can dramatically change the feeling of a technique. One of the most challenging parts of training is remaining committed during periods when progress appears invisible. Yet those plateaus may be exactly where the deepest learning is taking place. Practice Prompt: During your next class, choose one movement that still feels unclear. Rather than trying to solve it immediately, consider whether the lesson may still be unfolding. Approach the repetition with curiosity and patience, and see what changes. If you enjoy these conversations on Aikido, movement, and long-term development: Explore my books for deeper study. Subscribe to my newsletter for weekly training insights. Join me in person or online for training opportunities throughout the year. Thank you for listening. I look forward to training together with you soon.
June 2 · 10 min
What I Learned Watching Japanese Aikido Teachers
What makes certain Aikido teachers feel completely different from everyone else? After decades of training, teaching, and spending time with senior Japanese instructors such as Yamaguchi Sensei and Takeda Shihan, I've noticed patterns that continue to shape my understanding of Aikido. In this episode, I explore several of those observations. These teachers often seemed to enter before an attack fully developed. They moved less than most practitioners. Their posture remained organized under pressure. Most importantly, they maintained an extraordinary sense of connection that extended beyond technique itself. One story in particular surprised me. While reflecting on training with Yamaguchi Sensei, I realized that the same quality I experienced while taking ukemi for him also appeared during an ordinary conversation in a coffee shop. It was an unexpected lesson about zanshin, attention, and engagement. Rather than focusing on specific techniques, this episode examines qualities that can influence every aspect of training regardless of style, rank, or experience level. Practice Prompt: During your next class, pay attention to how much movement you are using. Can you solve problems earlier through timing, posture, and positioning instead of adding more effort? Look for opportunities to create bigger results with smaller adjustments. Resources: The Teacher: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/book Mastering the Shoto (Waitlist): https://www.lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book Join the Weekly Training Video Newsletter: https://www.lia-suzuki.com Train with Lia Suzuki: https://www.lia-suzuki.com/seminars If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it with a training partner, and leave a review. Your support helps more people discover Aikido and the lessons it offers both on and off the mat.
May 26 · 14 min
Why Soft Aikido Is More Difficult Than Most People Think
In this episode, I explore one of the most misunderstood ideas in Aikido: softness. From the outside, soft Aikido can look effortless and natural. But in reality, developing truly soft movement is often much harder than learning to force techniques. Real softness requires structure, balance, timing, awareness, and years of repetition. I discuss why tension interrupts movement and connection, how practitioners accidentally train themselves to rely on force, and why mature Aikido often appears simple only because of the depth behind it. I also share stories from training in Japan, including an experience connected to Yamaguchi Sensei, and explain why the phrase “you get good at what you do” has such important implications for martial arts practice. One of the central ideas in this episode is that every difficult moment in training presents a choice: force the technique and reinforce that habit, or pause, reorganize, and continue searching for a softer and more efficient solution. Practice Prompt: During your next class, pay attention to the exact moment you begin forcing a technique. Can you release unnecessary tension and reorganize your movement instead of pushing harder? If you’d like to continue training with me: • Join my weekly video newsletter • Explore remote training options • Attend an upcoming seminar or event Books: The Teacher Mastering the Shoto (waitlist) More information is available through the links below. 🎁 Free resources 📬 Get a new lesson each week Join my Free Weekly Training Video Newsletter → https://www.lia-suzuki.com/newsletters/2147530761/subscribe 📥 Eliminate inefficient or harmful movement patterns NOW. Body Alignment Checklist for Martial Artists → https://www.lia-suzuki.com/body-alignment-checklist 📚 Grab my books 📘 The Teacher: → https://lia-suzuki.com/book ⚔️ Mastering the Shoto, A Comprehensive Guide for Aikido Enthusiasts → https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book

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