"Self-preservation is thought to be universal among all living organisms. For sentient organisms, pain and fear are integral parts of this mechanism. Pain motivates the individual to withdraw from damaging situations, to protect a damaged body part while it heals, and to avoid similar experiences in the future."-Lynn B (1984). "Cutaneous nociceptors". In Winlow W, Holden AV (ed.). The neurobiology of pain: Symposium of the Northern Neurobiology Group, held at Leeds on 18 April 1983. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 106. ISBN0-7190-0996-0.
Recently, I found out that some of my friends stopped training because they were injured and they won't be able to return to their aikido practice. Someone else, that appears to be an expert in self-defense, stated that he couldn't run anymore because his body had been damaged by the intense training.
History teaches us that there was a time that any body injury could have been a life-threatening situation. People needed to hunt so they could eat. They needed to fight off predators and protect their families. An injury could have killed them and all their family members. Today, our lives seem safer, we have a medical system to take care of us when we are injured or sick. It is still a challenge if we cannot work. Everything has a cost and medical care is expensive.
Martial arts and Aikido need to be studied wisely and we need to understand our limits without causing injuries. In the time of the samurai, they had to train hard everyday to prepare for battle. They couldn't afford to get injured during training. It was their livelihood.
We need to train safely and efficiently and the instructor needs to make sure that his students are training safely. If a student has more limits than another, he should train within his limits to protect his body.
If the student wants to learn self-defense, he needs to learn how to protect his body first.
Protecting yourself:
Safe training
Healthy diet
Healthy lifestyle
Aikido and martial arts are high intensity disciplines so we need to have a healthy lifestyle so we don't get injured. If the body is fatigued and if it doesn't get the proper nutrients then it is easier to get injured. The best rule is moderation, and getting proper rest before and after training. If you have any questions you can email me and we can discuss how to create a healthy plan for your personal training.
A healthy lifestyle is the best investment for the future and the longevity of a training. Self-preservation is the first law of Nature.
