Why Your Good Habits Stall You Between Shodan and Nidan

Shodan is the first time Aikido starts to feel possible; nidan is the first time you realize how far there is to go. I got nidan very quickly after shodan, didn't feel I deserved it, and trained so hard trying to catch up that my back went out.

In this episode, I talk about what I look for in students between shodan and nidan, why shodan translates to "beginner," and why the next step asks you to stop practicing to perform a technique and start practicing to relate to your partner — which means letting go of your good habits along with your bad ones.

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