One of my favourite quotes about Aikido practice came from a sempai who was known for his graceful, fluid ukemi.
I asked him for his secret. He said, “There’s no secret. When I attack, I have no expectations, so I’m never disappointed.” And by “disappointed,” he meant the ugly, painful falls I sometimes took by guessing incorrectly about what was about to happen.
As nage, you need to feel the same way. Although we practice in ways that could be described as drills — prearranged attacks — never take your attacker for granted.
Uke may attack on the “wrong” side, or may have misunderstood the attack altogether, or may be executing the attack in a way or with ma’ai or timing that you didn’t anticipate. To quote another favourite adage, “Uke is never wrong.” Nage has no excuse.
Don’t let the rhythm of practice lull you to sleep.
Mushin is an important concept in budo. It literally means “no mind” — being free from thoughts, emotions and ego. It is the basis of spontaneous, natural and immediate action.
Practice freestyle against a variety of attacks. It is also revealing to practice with beginners (gently, of course). They will often surprise you with strange interpretations of the ukemi that seem to come from out of nowhere.
Keep an empty mind, be aware, relax and have no expectations, if you want to practice Aikido as a martial art.