One of the challenges that all Aikido teachers face is how to get students to stop relying on brute strength to move their partners. It was this challenge that led me to develop an exercise that I call “Aiki Push Hands“.

In this exercise both partners place their hands together and try to push each other over. It is exactly this kind of training that shows how reliance on muscular strength will not bring you to your goal.

By keeping your upper body relaxed and fluid, you can move and be able to absorb your partners pushes. By keeping tension in your hara (lower abdomen) you become very stable and difficult to push over.

I find this exercise to be a great way to start the class. Aiki Push Hands helps to get student’s minds off of strength and allows them to feel more of the relaxed power we are striving to develop.