I've been playing Akido for a while now and i'm looking to improve my game. I start off in a relax all position, usually bending chest and contracting abs for the quick grab. Sometimes i'll go for a kick if it looks like the opponent is open to it.

The problem I'm having is that I always find myself being messed up by shovels and kick lifts. My tori usually ends up quite stiff and jagged halfway through the match, sometimes i'll relax all again to fix this, but in a lot of replays I see many tori players can move in big swings and distances in one turn.

I'd just like a few tips and pointers over general akido conduct, should I be relaxing muscles after extending/contracting? What's the best way to counter some common openers without being predictable? Tips that aren't obvious and can greatly improve play?