Kotsu Kotsu

As we achieve a certain level of accomplishment, the details that we focus on in practice become more and more subtle. It can be hard to stay motivated to practice, because it's harder and harder to see results. When I was a kid my piano teacher put gold stars on my music in every lesson. Where are my gold stars now??? I asked my piano teacher, Dave Leonhardt , about this. Here's a list of his ideas and mine. Keep a note pad, and write down something you did well.  Record/videotape yourself. Study your recording. After I get over the initial "cringe factor," recordings are some of my most valuable tools. And if you keep them organized, you can compare old and new, to get perfect snapshot of your progress. At the beginning of your practice session, make a point of noticing how you are playing something you set out to practice. Then notice how you do it at the end.  Take notes of what you're working on every week. If you feel you're not making progre...

Ludolf Bakhuizen - Ships Running Aground in a Storm In my practice of Kokikai Aikido , Maruyama Sensei sometimes talks about creating ballast. If I were a sailboat with no ballast, the high waves would capsize my boat. If my boat has a secure, heavy ballast, my boat will stay on course, even though the highest waves will rock it. When we're faced with a threatening opponent there are many things that can act like high waves, throwing us off balance. These may not be just physical things (a strong grip, a fast punch). They may be things like our own fear or lack of self-confidence. "Ballast" includes physical aspects (centering, posture, good technique) as well as mental components (believing in yourself, letting go of the outcome, not thinking of yourself as "opposed," but "moving with" the opponent, being mentally relaxed). Oddly, or maybe not so oddly, this practice of aikido tends to give me more "ballast" in dealing ...