There are a whole set of warm ups that were performed at the Dojo before
actual practice. Some of them are explained below. You are not obligated to
stick to just the following set of exercises, feel free to add what ever
as long as it helps you out.
Start off with the stretching of the legs apart as shown below. Your aim
is to spread the legs as far apart as possible. Almost like doing a split.
Next move you right hand so as to try and touch your left foot, while doing so
allow your head to touch your left knee. This is when you feel the stretch at your waist
hamstrings and arms.
When you feel that you have loosened up your muscles on one side, move on to the other
side.
After your done loosening up those muscles, we move to the hips. The next exercise helps
open the hips up a little. This is very helpful in maintaining the Aikido stance and
further helps in advanced moves, which involve making circular motion with the entire body.
Hold your feet together and bring your heels to you hips, while pushing your knees down
with your elbows.
Your feet play a very important role in Aikido. The next two exercises help to loosen them up.
Sit on the floor and straighten out your right leg, move your left anckle on your right knee.
Place your fingers (of the right hand) in between each of the toes and use your right hand to
rotate the foot clockwise (ten times) and then counter-clockwise (ten times).
When you are done with the rotating, you are going to pound the under part of your foot with the
right hand clenched as a fist.
More to come in good time...