Books on Aikido

In the dojo I practice at ukime (did i spell that right) or break falls are taught from the start to begginers by a high grade. Well as soon as they are insured that is (can't have anybody sueing us now can we).

Techniquies and throws are applied faster and with more power by nage as uki progresses and becomes more profcient.

Techniquies and throws are also applied with less and less physical presence and more of a softer but more powerful ki presence. Which confuses the hell out of people (as intended muhahahahaaaaa).

But um to answer the question ... it depends on the style and particular dojo.

 

So the first thing you have learned , aikiwolfie , is Ukemi? How did you learn, I mean, were there certain breakfalls for certain throws or projections, or were there general breakfalls that were to be applied?

 

To the best of my knowledge there are no Ukemis specific to any particular technique. That is to say, how you escape danger depends entirly on the power applied to the technique rather than the type of technique.

There are however loads of basic ukemis that you can learn. One of the most basic being "rolling-to-standing". You basicaly sit down roll back and then roll forward and stand straight up again. I realise that probably sounds cumbersome but done properly like everything else in Aikido it's a fluid single motion.

Unfortunatly for beginners the only real way to learn is to get a high grade to show you, help you and then practice.

 

Oh yeah I forgot to say, never shy away from asking a high grade a question. If you don't know the answer then to you it's not a dumb question. Most high grades will be only too happy to help.

 

So if you know how to break falls correctly, there shouldn't be a hard transistion in to breakfalling for Aikido? Is that right?

Thanks for the help!

 

Yeah if you can already do break falls then you shouldn't find Aikido break falls that hard to pick up.

 

If you most read books to get your aikido technique, then stay away from those that talk about spirituality and get books that focus on the performance of technique.

 

Actualy I think books are a waste of time for learning techniques. We have a shodan at our club who's constantly reading books and watching videos and then trying out the techniques and never once have I seen him perform a single technique from a book or a video correctly.

 

IMHO Books and videos cannot be used effectively as a means of learning Aikido.

Yes they are great at providing a reference point for remembering things you've already learned but, they shouldn't be used a source to try 'new' things.. Well not in my Dojo anyway.

DaveH

 

Yeah well every other dan grade tells him the same thing but he seems determind to keep reading and trying. Unfortunatly even in good dojos there are people who insist on learning the hard way.

 

I can understand it when there is no avaliability for a person to goto a Dojo, id est there is not one around them.
]
]But he is learning techniques from a book he could learn from someone he trains with? Is that what you are saying?

 

first basics then books

It would be better for all to learn aikido via books,after u get the proper basics of aikido,because aikido basics are the most vulnerable one !! or having no martial art background but learning aikido by books would be giving aikido bye bye or would I say practicing bye-kido!!

 

Yeah he reads books and watches videos then comes into the dojo and trys out the techniques. They never work, or only work when he uses his best mate as uke. Nuff said I think.

 

So you do not know anyone that has successfully learned any technique from a book then?

 

Nope not a single person.

Books are good for background info and publishing ideas. The trouble is a book can only show stages of a technique. It can't show how to get from stage 1 to stage 2.

The problem with most of the videos is that they tend to be made by people who over rate their own ability. The techniques in general are executed so badly they are painful to watch and I realy do fear for the development of anybody who thinks they can learn from that.

I saw a Tomiki Aikido video once by some Dr person. She also held a 6th dan in aido (spelling?) and a 5th dan in something else. The techniques looked so clumsy and bad it realy was embarasing. They were also done so slow as well there just didn't seem to be any flow. And then they were shown in slow motion. Just incase you missed it.

The worst part of the video was the tanto part though. I couldn't stop laughing when she was attacked by the deadly big black rubber dildo. At no point did she look like she had control of the attacker. And again it was so bad.

I'll try and find the name of the video and post it later.

Appart from the O Sensei clips I've seen. I haven't ever seen a decent video produce for the sole purpose of teaching.

 

Thanks for the thoughts.... I can only imagine how sickening watching bad akido techniques can be, I know when I see a bad strikeing technique or joint technique, I am like, ew... lol.

What would you say the number one book on Aikido Philosphy is?

 

I picked up a vcd of Mitsugi Saotome sensei that I felt was pretty good, you may want to look into one with him, he knows his stuff . I am not sure about the book on philosophy, I haven't read much as of yet, but have a bunch, I am sure someone else can point you in a good direction.

 

U can watch the aikido to get some inspriation, like the stuff does works, when watching a aikido video never try to imitate it!! it will never work!! try to watch the flow and focus on footwork , aikido have to be learned by heart, have to feel the ki, so try to get spirit, and never imitate!! feel it!!

 

I've only read a few Aikido books and the best was definately "Aikido And The Dynamic Sphere" by A. Westbrook and O. Ratti.

The reason I like it so much is it does such a good job of relating the philosophy to the actual movments in Aikido. A part of that is the excelent illustrations that go along with the text.