勢いを失うな
Ikioi wo ushinau na
Don’t lose momentum
A martial artist’s greatest asset is ikioi (勢い) or “momentum.” In Aikido, at the tachiai (立ち合い) or “the initial moment of contact” when we are attacked, we are supposed to be in motion. If we are not in motion and are caught waiting then we cannot carry the power, energy, or momentum from the attack into a technique. From the perspective of kuzushi (崩し) or “unbalancing” one’s opponent, it is generally thought that in order to throw a person, they have to be in motion. Beginners tend to lose the momentum from the attack and then have to recreate the motion by mechanically breaking their opponent’s balance in order to throw them. A more experienced practitioner carries the momentum of the attack into a technique by keeping their opponent off balance which enables them to be thrown. When we think of momentum it is very important to the execution of the techniques, but it is equally important in one’s training and life as well. So many people quit training for one reason or another and think that they can just come back to it. They can, but most won’t. Most won’t because “the Universe abhors a vacuum” and life has a tendency of getting in the way. Issac Newton's first law of motion teaches us that “An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.” All martial arts skills, Aikido included, are perishable. The moment we stop, our skill begins to degrade but what is more disconcerting is the degradation of our motivation. As Newton states, “an object at rest stays at rest.” Overcoming the inertia of being at rest or in other words, being out of shape, Aikido not being a part of our schedule or life just acting upon us is harder to surmount than any opponent attacking us. What is the key to maintaining our momentum? Just don’t “fully” stop. Having a regular training schedule, even if it is one day a month, enables us to carry the momentum forward. The Japanese say, “chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru” (塵も積もれば山となる) or “Even specks of dust if piled up can become a mountain.” Our momentum is our greatest asset and that’s why a martial artist is always in motion.
Today’s goal: What can you do to maintain or create momentum in your life?
Watch this Ted Talk to better understand momentum.