Hello I'm interested in starting Aikido and would like some tips on what makes a good class. Are there styles that are more reality based? I have trained in various arts before and intend to keep training in them. It's just that I would not like to go to an impracticle school and have my opinions dented my not finding the teachings realistic.
I always found that with Aikido it was important (for me at least) to go and just shut my mouth and learn. I mean really let myself learn. Yes, sometimes it pays to ask questions and be inquisitive... but sometimes it pays to keep ones yap shut and just take in what is being passed on to you. I think it's a good idea to go into Aikido and just learn. Don't go in trying to find the be all end all of martial arts - don't go in trying to find something that is going to be t3h d34d733 on the streets... go in and learn some of it first - it's a lot to deal with. It takes years to understand it... probably just as long to be able to use it on a physical level. It goes against the grain of todays world... instant gratification. Don't get caught up in paralysis by analysis. Because essentially (and I dont mean this as put down or a slight) you know nothing at the moment... so just go and open yourself up to being taught and taking in what there is to take in.
What Slip said is worth repeating 57-and-a-half times, and then some more after that. Also - Read the thread called People bash aikido but I'm still interested. Tell me about aikido and it's training. And follow the links therein. Read the Aikido FAQ for noobs thread. Read the long thread about Aikido in a real fight.
Not read it yet but I have trained in similar systems and have an idea what to expect. This being a fairly broad knowledge of joint manipulation which seems to be the core of Aikido. Surely there must be styles with better reputations. I've just read "Angry White Pijamas" and thats what has me interested.
Speaking of yoshinkan, I enjoyed this little clip. I too am interested in it. http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZixZZjgvv5U
Recently I've had the chance to study some Yoshinkan Aikido. Impressive stuff. To my eye it's a fair bit different than much of the Aikikai Aikido that I've seen and practiced. The movements are tighter and less circular. They seem to be more direct - if that's possible. There is more emphasis on atemi-waza. When punches are thrown to the face - if they are not blocked - then you are getting punched. It's sobering. Additionally if your entery is late or sloppy - you are getting taken down so you had better be prepared to break your fall. The breaksfalls are different than what I'd learnt in Aikikai Aikido... some of them completely new to me. All in all - good fun and strenuous.
Aye, that's precisely the impression I've gathered from the small bits of tape or book here and there I've seen. There's no Yoshinkan where I live so I've never gotten to try it, but I am very interested in this type of aikido. I think I would like it more than what I'm doing now. (Am I allowed to say that? )
YES YOU ARE ALLOWED TO SAY THAT!!!!!!!!!! At the Makotokai we have had visits from almost all styles of aikido (and other arts) One of the most enjoyable was from a gentlemen named David Rubens an excellent yoshinkan aikidoka.To be frank I had felt that yoshinkan was too "structured" for me personally. Of course after training with someone of such long experience I found our approach and attitude to be identical. Today much of what passes for aikido has lost it's martial effectiveness (Am I allowed to say that?) Too bloody true I am.Yoshinkan has retained that aspect as have myself and some others in traditional aikido. I do not call it aiki kai. I call it aikido riai (complete) aikido because of the retention of atemi and weapons training. Bottom line try them both but I think your best bet is yoshinkan, (Am I allowed to say that?) Too etc.. regards koyo Edit What is the problem with your training aiki mac?
There are a few guys who give "real" attacks and can pull off definitive defensive techniques, but on the whole the practice lessons don't seem "real" to me. By that I mean two things. One, apart from those few guys, the classmates too often give weak attacks. I don't feel threatened by their attacks. I could stand there and take their blow or the grab and maintain enough balance in myself to follow-up with something of my own. Such an attack by these ukes gives me nothing to work with in my role as nage. That means that I'm not getting a full lesson when we train. And two, I'm getting too little feedback as to when my techniques are working and when they're not working. I cannot tell often enough when uke is losing his balance and when he's just cooperating with me. I don't want my partners to be asses, but I do want some honest feedback. I pay tuition for the purpose of actually getting better, you know. Like I said, there are a few guys in my school who are genuine. Their stuff works, so I have full confidence in aikido. I'm just feeling some distress with this particular flavor of aikido. Or, maybe it'd be more accurate to say that I'm distressed by this particular dojo. It's one or the other. I've been to seminars by the two guys who started my national organization. I've felt their technique on the mat at the seminars. Their technique is real. What they do works, so again, I have no doubts about the merits of aikido itself. But, the one guy trained under O-Sensei for 15 years. Of course his stuff works. The other guy learned from the first. My teachers are several layers removed from that. I suspect the attenuation could be a factor in my present troubles.
Hi aikimac My immedite thoughts are that perhaps the instructors have gotten "comfortable" with their manner of training.Are they still pushing themselves?.Is there a problem with asking your partners to attack more sincerely?. Can you train as often as possible with the group that you mentioned? I have seen complete seminars given over to "wrist grab" techniques (when these are exercises NOT techniques) or a technique demonstrated then evryone applying it in an IDENTICAL manner like robbots when it is the PRINCIPLE that should be studied. Often more attention is given to creating large numbers in the classes rather than offering ondividual instruction to much fewer students. In the beginning (four years to eight) training MUST be sincere and effective for this forms the basis of the art.Often instructors shall attempt to "make it easy and enjoyable" for new students so as to keep them in the club. Sincere and effective training is even more enjoyable for those with the proper approach. Last thoughts. If YOU attack powerfully and sincerely (without malice) perhaps your partners would react in kind.Have you asked the instructors? regards koyo Take chear from this. I have been accused of "having a fighting mind" because of my insistance that the techniques and attacks MUST be effective and I am still training most enjoyably with no intention of EVER feeling comfortable.
LOL! You're an awesome dude! Yes and no. Recently an "advanced" class opened up on Tuesdays. We're getting a very small crowd (the head master of our dojo has taken aside most of the advanced students for an invitation-only class in a back room ) In this new class we're getting like me + 2 dan-level people + instructor. Very small indeed, but those dan grades are sincere in their attacks and defenses. This is a very good class for me at my present stage of development. I'm liking it and I'm trying to be there every Tuesday. Haven't talked with the instructors about it. I should. You're right, I should. From time to time I have asked my training partner to try to hit me. Sometimes I'll even remain motionless when the attack comes so that uke will see how far off the mark he is. I have not gotten hurt yet. They always miss. "You missed!" I say. "You missed. Come on, hit me. Give me a reason to move out of the way." Sometimes the uke gets better, and sometimes he doesn't.
Good to here you have found the Tuesday class, I much prefare smaller intense classes (no where to hide) Like you say, you know aikido works BUT you must have an instructor and training partners who constantly remind you of that fact. Good luck in your training. regards koyo
aikiMac, since koyo already addressed most of this, I'd thought I would add some tips for training partners. You certainly deserve to have a training partner that is up to the level of training you need to be at. Selecting the right partner is a skill itself. Sometimes just good communication can help. Just let your partner know what you want and then demonstrate. One thing you can do is have your partner hit you in the stomach, tell them to hit harder or not as hard until you find the level that you want them to hit you at. This tells them how hard to hit you (that is if you don't get out of the way, how hard you will be hit as a result). Another training trick I use is to back out of range slightly every time they attack. If they are attacking weakly, they will miss short. I tell them that they are missing me, and to try harder to hit. After backing away a few times, that usually gets the partner to extend a bit more to hit me, that is when I don't back away and slip the punch and unbalance them to apply the technique. I have a trick, I tell my partner to try to slap me with their other hand after attacking me with the first hand. I do the same with them. If they can slap me freely in the face or groin, etc. with their other hand, then my technique is not good.
Hold on... Slpthejab, you train in aikido Im not tryna say anything about it, but i swear i took you for a hardcore- wrestling/boxing/mt/brazilian jj guy that hated the tma's. Its just a surprise really, to hear this from you. You just strike me as a Gung-ho MMA " type guy.
like all martial arts aikido needs practis the best styles i think are treditional aikido and taigi aikido its also good to find a big nice dojo becouse thay are most lickly to have the best sensei
How do you figure that? from my experiance its usually the opposite in Aikido. Usually big popular clubs are a lot easier and just a lot of falling down for each other that makes aikido clubs busy. Most clubs that have real fighters and people who understand real attacks tend to be quieter. Christ lok at th honbu in tokyo the classes are spilling out the door, but theres not one decent real attack or tech in the place, just ballroom dancing
I am with Dento on this one. It is impossible to train large numbers of students at once. Aikido must be learned through personal observation of the shihan and guidance based on a personal relationship. Indeed the Iwama dojo where Saito shihan taught would be considered tiny campared to many dojos today. regards koyo
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aicHsMC6rxM"]Excellent Aikido Demonstration - YouTube[/ame] I like this video
