The best Aikidoist stretch themselves. Aikido training teaches us how to not only stretch our bodies but also how to stretch our minds. Aikido mastery lies in the art of stretching which is a principle that extends beyond the mere physical and permeates into the realm of physical and intellectual growth.
In class, we should be keeping in mind the concept of nagedasu (投げ出す). Nagedasu means “to throw down” or “throw out,” but it also means “to stretch out one's legs.”
From the context of nagedasu in throwing, most students in the beginning don’t have good timing which means that their spacing will be off as well. These shortcomings cause them to throw their opponents down and close to them. Throwing one’s opponent close is supposed to be more juvenile in terms of ability because it can lead to a reversal. With time and experience, a student’s ability becomes more sophisticated, and they learn to throw their opponents out and away from them. This is supposed to be “safer” as the rotation of a throw thrown outward spreads out the power of the throw and also throws the opponent a safe distance away from us. Nagedasu in terms of stretching isn’t about flexibility. Nagedasu in this sense means to stretch one’s movement. Typically, this stretching starts with our lower bodies and legs. We try to stretch the amount of movement we can cover in a single step. This is the case whether we are either irimi or “moving in” on our opponents or tenshin or “moving away” from them. Stretching our movement is how we learn to throw our opponents out and away from us. This concept is supposed to be the difference between something being classified as a kokyunage or “breath” throw or a plain old nage-waza throw.
Stretching oneself is not just a concept in Aikido training. One word for “stretching” in Japanese is nobasu (伸ばす) which means “to lengthen, extend, stretch, reach out or smooth out.” In the context of martial arts training, nobasu also means “to strengthen, develop, or expand.” This is the crossover between Aikido training and daily life. When we learn to stretch ourselves in our training, we can then extrapolate that mindset and search for places where we can “stretch” ourselves in every aspect of our lives. This holds true from making pancakes to recovering from an injury. Nothing is off limits from gaining the benefits of stretching.
Stretching in movement and in mind takes a certain amount of humility. If we think that we have reached our saishuhensei (最終編成) or “final form,” then we have stopped growing. In Aikido and in life, if we cannot learn, we cannot grow and if we cannot grow, then we cannot change. Change or constant improvement is the crux of Aikido training. To firmly do so requires that we stretch ourselves out of our comfort zones. No one knows it all. The difference between an Aikidoist and a normal person is that we know we don’t and constantly strive to be better. The best Aikidoists have the humility to stretch themselves not only on the mat but in every aspect of their lives.
Today’s goal: Don’t forget to stretch your mind while you are stretching your body.
Watch this video to better understand stretching