Why Aikido Feels So Confusing at the Beginning

Many people who begin training Aikido feel a surprising amount of confusion during their first months of practice. Movements feel unfamiliar, techniques seem counterintuitive, and reactions that feel natural in everyday life—such as blocking or retreating—don’t always apply the same way in Aikido training. In this episode, I explore why that confusion happens and why it’s actually a normal and healthy part of learning Aikido. Aikido asks practitioners to replace instinctive reactions with entirely different ones. Instead of retreating from an attack, we often enter. Instead of blocking, we blend and reposition ourselves. Instead of waiting for an attack to fully arrive, we often move earlier than feels comfortable. These ideas can feel awkward at first because they challenge patterns that we’ve developed over many years. But with consistent practice, something interesting begins to happen. Repetition builds familiarity. Movements that once felt strange start to feel natural. And understanding gradually emerges through the experience of training. Another important part of the learning process is simply staying connected to the dojo community. Spending time with teachers and senior students—both on and off the mat—often leads to insights that deepen our understanding of practice. Practice Prompt: During your next class, notice any moment when you feel confused or awkward during a technique. Instead of resisting that feeling, treat it as information. Ask yourself: What new movement or timing is this practice trying to teach me? Then simply keep repeating the movement with patience. If you’d like to continue learning with me: Books The Teacher https://lia-suzuki.com/book  Mastering the Shoto https://lia-suzuki.com/shoto-book  Free Weekly Training Newsletter https://lia-suzuki.com/weekly  You can also train with me in person at seminars around the world: https://lia-suzuki.com/seminars  Thank you for listening, and I hope we have the chance to train together someday.