Aikido Styles

What are the different styles of Aikido that exist today? What are their main strengths and weaknesses?

I've found an Aikikai Aikido class in Portslade, I've heard from a friend that Aikikai is probably the most traditional form, encompassing a lot of Qi work. If anyone here has studied in Aikikai Aikido for a long period of time, how far do you think someone of good ability, training twice a week for two hours each, could progress in 5 years?

 

Hi Talyn,
If you are able to make it in to Brighton (a bit further than Portslade I know) to train then I would recommend the Brighton Aikikai club. We train twice a week (Tuesday 8:00pm to 10:15pm, and Friday 8:00pm to 10:00pm). During the University term time there are also classes at Sussex Uni on Monday and Sunday. Our website has all the details about locations etc. http://www.brightonaikikai.org.uk
We are affiliated both to the BAB and to the FFAAA (French Aikikai under Christian Tissier Sensei 7th Dan).

Any queries pm me.

 

Most people study the style of AikiKai, but I studyed the style of Yoshi Kaghn Aikido. Wich emphisises on joint locks, and Nagi wazas. Its main weakness, is probabaly other joint locks. Cause chances are they really cant reverse it or know how to. unless they are 3rd or anywere above. Hope that helped.

 

you mean yoshinkan?

 

Nihon Goshin Aikido

I'd also add Nihon Goshin Aikido to the list. I know others have argued it's not "really" Aikido (see the Nihon Goshin thread if you're interested, I'm not going to get into it again here) but it's worth considering. It's similar to mainline Aikido with, perhaps, a greater influence on kick defenses, and practical applications then I've seen in other styles. It could also be considered a westernized interpretation of Aikido, as the senior practitioner today is an American, and to the best of our knowledge it is no longer taught in Japan.

Minor differences with the Ueshiba styles include:

The extremely limited use of Japanese in the Dojo
The 6 Dan grading system
The use of colored belts for the kyu ranks

I've trained in it for about 12 years now, and find it fun and effective.

--Bear

 

We use coloured belts for the kyu grades in Shodokan Aikido.

 

Good point, I wasn't trying to make it sound like NGA was unique in the colored Kyu grading. I only mentioned it because Talyn's Aikido frame of reference is Aikikai, and this is one way in which we differ from them, and other, Ueshiba traditionalists.

--Bear

 

yes, my sensai said it like that 24/7.....and you know, i just sortta spell it like he said it.... sorry

 

Check out the British Aikido Board website (www.bab.org I think) as it not only tells about the different styles, it has a list of clubs and instructors in each county of the UK. Personally, I recommend you try a Ki Aikido style, an Aikikai ('traditional aikido') style and a Yoshinkan (linear as well as circular) style if you can. When you find the style that suits you, seek out the very best instructor you can (ask around) even if you do have to travel further.

P.s. sorry, I missed out Tomiki. Can't help it, I see it more as a sport, like Judo.

 

I would like to add a "middle of the road" type comment (Makes a change I hear one or two board members think lol)

Aikido is Aikido regardless of "style". Style is after all just a representation of a persons development (Granted these styles were created by prolific students mostly associated directly with the founder)

Each has it's own merits (and faults proberbly) and it's "each to their own" really, who likes or dislikes a particular style. Having said that, it has been my experience that regardless of what system of aikido one studies, there are universal principles which make it all work common to all styles.

Personally I study Aikikai;
A) because it was the style of the club I joined when I knew nothing about Aikido.
B) because I'm happy that it provides me with everything I desire form a practice of a martial art. If it didn't, I'd proberbly look elsewhere.

We are very fortunate to have board members from a wide cross section of aikido styles, each will fight the good fight when it comes to debating their chosen system (Good for us !) but, at the end of the day, we all have our own personal reasons/opinion and, regardless of what system of aikido we study, we are all Aikidoists and members of a close knit family who enjoy (in one form or another) Aikido of Ueshiba O-Sensei through our respective Principal Instructors and organisations.

Enjoy !

 

Kiaiki - P.s. sorry, I missed out Tomiki. Can't help it, I see it more as a sport, like Judo.

That would be because it is a sport style of aikido developed by Kenji Tomiki who was an 8th dan judoka at the Kano school (also a prominent student of O'sensei). He believed that younger students would migrate to Aikido's spiritual side, as espoused by Ueshiba, via Judo style competition (sorry David Humm couldn't resist it ).

 

As an afterthought, check out what weapons traning they do as well. If you're interested in learning how to use / defend against jo / bokken / tanto etc then ask to see some in action. One club I attended was good in most respects but only used a wooden tanto once in 2 years and never picked up a jo or bokken. Live (sharp) bladed weapons are also used in some styles, as are modern weapon defences - baseball bat etc. If they do, check out their insurance. Dave Humm reminded me in another thread that most in the UK do not cover this. (Last time I instructed in Aikido I had independent insurance through Martins (BKA) which a current BKA instructor tells me includes live weapons.)

 

Insurance issued through the BAB does not cover the aikidoist for use of ANY live bladed weapon. Additional insurance is required for the used of steel (or alloy) tanto or swords.

 

Yup - that's what I meant, I think? Any club offering live weapons training must be insured for it. In my case it was via the BKA as I was not instructing within a BAB club. My last link with a large martial arts organisation's insurance was through the UKMAF - I have no idea if they covered the live weapons training in our aikido clubs as I was not the sensei at the time and simply trusted the clubs - I should perhaps have investigated more - hence my advice to Talyn.

 

Standard public indemnity insurance as obtained via either the B.A.A or B.A.B, as far as I am aware, does not cover the use of metal weapons be they sharp, semi-sharp or blunt.

How Iaidoka manage I'll never know.

 

So far I have only been given demonstrations using the Bokken, but I've only been doing it for three weeks.

 

I take Shodokan (Tomiki) style Aikido, although while we are taught the Tomiki curriculum my teacher highly emphasizes atemi stikes and shows us the 'street application' (read breaking technique) for the techniques.

The reason I chose Tomiki style above all others is because as far as I know it is the only Aikido style where you actually free fight (randori) as regular part of training. It's a whole different ball of wax trying to apply techniques against a fully resisting Uke (or 3-4 Ukes, lol). You can't learn to fight, or not fight as the case may be, by doing kata. One must practice application on a fully resisting individual to see what works and what doesn't.

Another big part of my style choice was my teacher. I have the honor to train under Katsuo Watanabe and his son Juni Watanabe. Katsuo Watanabe was sent to the United States in 1962 by the Kodokan to teach Judo and Aikido, he's old school Japanese and even now in his 60's he is awesome.

BTW, anyone who dismisses Judo only as a 'sport' is sadly mistaken. IMO it has alot of street value, a good Judo player will mess you up badly. It's also a great supplement to Aikidos lack of ground work.

 

Solo demonstrations with live blades would be allowed if the user could show an advanced certificate of some sort. However I doubt they would be covered for any injuries and would most likely have to guarantee they were the only person on the mat otherwise the cover would disappear.

Partner practice? Nah no way. It's not only the lawsuits, it's the bad press you would get if there was an accident...it could ruin your whole organisation.

 

Other styles also do freestlye but don't call it 'randori' (which I have only ever seen in sports like judo). The style I used to practice was Shudokan (www.shudokan.info) derived from Yoshinkan and the freestyle involved simple punches from uke in the first instance for lower kyu grades, building up after many years of practice to wooden tanto attacks and finally random attacks with a steel tanto at 1st dan gradings. Obviously all grades practise freestyle at their own level every week, which is very demanding on stamina and not everyone's cup of tea. I don't want to get into yet another debate about the use of steel tanto and insurance, but obviously this was a highly specialised art and the organisation used both steel tanto and katana at times, as do some Daito Ryu schools, which are quite close in style to this school of aikido.