In answer to "what art compliment Aikido?" Iaido is a complementary art (among many), as it helps understanding angles of attack and its transitions from sitting to standing are good for building the core strength muscles (sorry for the Pilates term). Kaela
They're called Hakama and are part of traditional Japanese male clothing, I think. I attended a seminar where Sensei John Stevens explained the spiritual meaning of the pleats in the Hakama, but it went completely over my head. Judo gi are more suitable as Aikido, like Judo, has a lot of grabbing.
I just noticed Aikiwolfe answered the two questions far better than I did Next time I'll read previous posts before posting a reply! Kaela
OOOO I have Angry White Pyjamas ... *goes ner ner ner* to booksie_girl ... oh yeah and reading the other posts ... always a good idea ... LOL Here's a good explanation about why competition in Aikido is so contravesial. It's alot better than my preveiouse explanation. http://www.ki-aikido.com.sg/Ki-Aikido-Interview2KT.html Here's another link to an interview with Tohei Sensei that touches on how Ki Aikido is different from other styles of Aikido. It also gives an interesting account of O Sensei. http://www.ki-aikido.com.sg/Ki-Aikido-InterviewKT.html What makes a good Aikido instructor .. this might help http://www.ki-aikido.com.sg/Ki-Aikido-Rules.html
Is dishonour common among other Martial Arts? Please excuse me for interrupting the flow of this thread, however I have a question that is loosely related to what is being discussed. I once visited another Aikido dojo of a different style and introduced myself to the Sensei, whereupon he openly (and within earshot of his own students) made a slanderous remark about my Sensei. I would like to know if this is a common issue among other Martial Arts?
Hi Kaela, It's unfortunate, but there are rude people involved at all levels and in every conceivable styles. I find it personally to be more common between schools where there isn't any method of resistance-based sparring, simply because it's easier to sound superior when there isn't any way to call one on it save from an outright physical attack. When it's easy to see who's got "the stuff" and who doesn't, then there's usually more respect conceded between people that will "put it on the line", so to speak. That said, I'm sorry you had to be exposed to such a thing -- even if the Sensei in question has issues with your instructor, that's not much of an excuse to take it out on you. I've trained with folks where I thought less than marvelous things about their training, abililties or instruction, but I still trained hard with them and tried to make them and myself better. Hope this doesn't happen to you too often on your budo journey.
Hmm.... that's a good questions Kaela. It shouldn't be a common problem but saddly it probaly is. Having a difference of opinion on something and discussing it in an open public forum is different from making snide remarks. Should the teacher have made the remark? I personaly don't think there's any need for personal attacks. However teachers are not perfect. They are human like everybody else and sometimes there's a bad history to be taken into account. And other times the guy is just being brutaly honest. Take the way Koichi Tohei Sensei talks about O Sensei sometimes. I think most of the people who place O Sensei on a pedastool would be fairly shocked about some of the things Tohei has said in interviews.
Conversely, some of the sheise spouted by Aikikai folks regarding Tohei would make your head spin. Which is why arguing over who's got "The Real Aikido" is stupid. And respectfully speaking of others, even if you could crush them, is generally the best policy. This doesn't however mean that you can't enjoy spirited debates online -- even if folks egos have trouble accepting other perspectives (not addressing anyone, just general comment).
I was mostly shocked as I assumed that one of the requisites of a Dan Ranking was evidence of a high level of personal and social development, i.e. maturity. Yes. I was discussing with another student the relevant strengths and weaknesses of Aikido, and suggested that it does not sufficiently address kicks. He was adament that it can, insisting that Aikido, once you understand the angles of attacks, equips you to handle any attack. So I suggested we try it out; I kicked him and got him straight in the chest. Sometimes it's easier to show than tell. Once again I've gone off topic.... Apologies. I wish more people shared your attitude. Kaela.
I totaly agree Budd. I don't think anybody should be elevated to supernatural status. Unless that is they can actually perform miracles. LMAO @ "not addressing anyone".
Why don't you kick in Aikido? There are kicks in Aikido however it would appear most teachers today either choose not to teach them or haven't been taught them by their own teachers. Normally the type of kick that would be used is a simple snap kick aimed at the lower abdomin. How do I check my instructors credentials? You can check your instructors credentials by getting in touch with the head office of the organisation he/she is affiliated to. If there is no affiliation try and find out who taught your teacher and get in touch with that person. Why do they do kneeling techniques (suwari waza) in Aikido? Kneeling techniques are Aikidos way of dealing with attacks when you are seated or find your self knocked to the ground and unable to get back up. In feudal Japan Samurai in the presence of the emperor could be seated in the seiza (kneeling) position for ours at a time. However they still needed away to move or defend them selves quickly if they were attacked.
Wolfie, There's some interesting (and at times, controversial) ideas posted by Ellis Amdur over at www.aikidojournal.com. One of those articles deals very much with the idea that samurai would fight from their knees. I think it's worth checking out.
I'm gonna leave this Sticky for the next few days so that next week I can sort through the material and we'll have a mini poll to make sure everyones happy with it, so get those annoying noob questions out here! Why do we bow to a photo of the founder?
We don't, really. Usually we are so consumed with (tasteless and odourless) ego that it is merely a repetition. We have already decided what we 'want to do'. What we 'want other people to do'. Moulding other people to our desires. Did I go too far? I bet I did.
The founder would always bow twice, clap twice and then bow once more(shinto praise/bow). He would do this infront of the kamiza as respect to the kami before and after keiko. each clap reprecents somthing (i dont know what, but the claps are to wake the kami and gods. We just carry this on in the west as a mrk of respect.
I also think that acknowledging the kami was representative of giving respect to those who came before and allowed for the creation of the arts you now practice, since it was logical that O-Sensei was in that group and he was the founder, that's why his picture was added -- not necessarily for the quasi-zen anthropomorphisizing into God that some might try to tell you.
See I knew it was a respect thing. We don't actually bow to a picture of O Sensei at our Dojo. Instead we bow once to the Ki sign and then the teacher and the class bow to each other. Then we do the same thing at the end of the class.
Whats with all the swords? Basically alot of Aikido techniques are based on weapons movements or defences used against weapons from other arts. Weapons training not only helps the student to understand these movements but also to develop the movement. The Jo, Bokken and Tanto are commonly used in Aikido. What is Ki? I always describe Ki as being energy or a feeling. For example Ki can be the energy or oponents attack. Ki is the bad feeling you get when you walk into an empty room where there has been an argument. Ki could be the buzz in the air at a party and it can be the presence you may feel from someone. Here's a link that goes into the subject far more deeply. http://www.aikiweb.com/spiritual/ki.html
