My wife has asked me to point out that most Judo clubs were not like the one I went to, and she is correct. Judo has as wide a variety of practice as Aiki and every other art with as wide a variety of people....all for the better.
hahahaha well, I thought I'd reply to you just to get my hundredth post. I am an advocate of tough training but I have found in my many years of training that it is a different sort of student who attends an aikido class. From my experience the student isn't too much into the hard physical training aspect as they are drawn to the art by the image of it being a 'gentle art'. However as Judo means 'The Gentle Way' I think us Westerners get a bit confused as to just what 'gentle' means in a martial arts context. Long live the many variations and interpretations of the martial arts. It adds spice to life and gives a good excuse to 'have a break from work'.
Well I didn't like being stuck on 13 posts so i concur. One of the reasons I now do Aikido is that, nearing 40, it is not that I cannot do that kind of training anymore, I just do not want the frequency of it. My aching old bones. My main reason for doing Aikido though is the difference in motive. I no longer feel the desire to 'beat' people and Aiki allows me to train in a martial art that has (in the way I perceive it) a higher purpose. Vis a vis the restoration of harmony to any disputes through a primarily peaceful method. Believe me now that I am not allowed to strangle you I really NEED to get a peaceful outcome or I'm gonna get my ass kicked
quote:I dunno Steff. What you say is technically true, and I have the greatest respect for your ability but you seem to be picking O Sensei's sayings to suit yourself, no disrespect intended in any way. I would have to disagree with the last bit mark. I'm picking these sayings because these were his rules for training in his dojo. I can understand why its different for other styles because they are following a different approach. But in Iwama the training method is very strict to these rules. as Saito Sensei said he didnt want to change anything he was taught, alright his style has changed but his principles have always been exactly how Osensei said. Of course the founder said a lot things through the years but alot of it was philosophical and spirtual, If you want to go that way then thats great but in Iwama its all about good technique.
I agree Steff...and it is done very well Saito will always stand out as one of the greatest of O Sensei's proponents and students. His (Saito's) vision has stood the test of time and is a paean to his love of the founder and the founder's teachings. On re-reading my post to you it may have seemed I was being insulting, and although that was not my intent, I apologise if that is how it was received. Nor was I saying that one art (Judo) was superior to another, nor that one 'style' of Aikido was superior or inferior. I have always found the seminars I have attended with Iwama yudansha to be amazingly educational for me and have enjoyed the many 'normal' classes that I have attended over the passed few years.
