Okay so heres what I got going on. Im 47, have a stressful job and decided i was going to start MA again after a long lay off. I have diabetes as well. So back in 2013 I received my last martial arts belt, an intermediate upper level belt in Chun Kuk Do now Chuck Norris System. Flash forward 8 years and I decided for my sanity and health to start anew. There are plenty of options around me and a lot to choose from in my area. I had dabbled in bjj for a few months in 2014 but then moved away to a different state for work. So I have been for quite some time following the different dojos on social media. I had always wanted to try Aikido so for the past year I watched this instructor who has studied for 14 years from a different country bounce from place to place because he couldn't afford his own dojo. Finally he opened up and for the past month I was pretty much his only student besides 2 children he taught before the adult class. I was learning Kendo and Aikido 3 times a week for 120. I bought a bokken and a Hakama. Now he is closing because he can no longer pay the rent because he said he thought the location would be better but it just didn't work out for him. He was not a member of the Aikikai and he said they really did not like his style of aikido because he didn't believe in the "dancing" styles as he called it. His style was kind of hard but it was aikido best i could tell. this guy used to train in the park by himself in the winter and rain so he was really strong and technical. Anyways he said he doesn't know when I can continue, he doesn't know what will happen, he is moving to a home as well instead of the apartment he and his wife live in. At this point I really cant count on anytime soon. So here are my choices...ITF American TKD $100 month no contracts, quit when you want for 3 days a week. A place thats around 145 mth that teaches hapkido and pasaryu whatever that is. Tons of bjj places and a traditional American karate school. The 2 bjj places im looking at charge different prcies. One is a direct black belt under Pedro Sauer and he charges the same as the aikido guy for 4 days a week. The other is Machado/Erik Paulsen school and hes $127 if you take bjj, 140 if you take bjj with Muay Thai. The money is really not what im looking at, its just the face I want to do something worthwhile. I thought about the TKD but Im not too keen on basically starting over with the kata and all that like i did in Chun Kuk Do. Im also wondering if its great for self defense. I guess it really comes down to what I want but its hard to make up my mind. What would you guys suggest for someone who got out of the game, came back and is now out again?
Hello and welcome to MAP Firstly, if you break your posts up into paragraphs it will make them much easier to read Secondly, ask yourself why you want to train. Not just the easy, surface, why you want to train, but the long term and more important, "why will you keep training?" I loved the Judo and BJJ that I did, among others, and could see the enormous possibilities to explore in those arts. I would love to do more Ashihara/Enshin/Kudo karate but the opportunities are limited. I have never got got bored of TKD under my Instructor. In the end, cost won't matter much, the art you study may not matter much, but the art that becomes part of your life and stays with you for decades might just be something special.
Sorry about the paragraphs. I’d just got home from work and typed it fast because I’m tired lol. I liked bjj when I did train. I think tkd would be fun but like I said, it’d feel like I was starting CKD all over again with the forms, etc.
Sounds like you already know the answer, why not go and visit the schools you are most interested in, and go from there.
Thanks for your reply. I’m very skeptical of the striking schools like TKD. When I was in CKD it seemed like I was 4 belts away from a black belt and we did lots of 1 steps and sparring. We had a new student come in and was pretty good at boxing and he pretty much destroyed me during sparring. On the other hand we had a lady and her young son join who were both TKD black belts and I could hold my own with her during sparring. The last time I checked that particular instructor was still teaching CKD but mostly had moved on to Gracie JJ as he obtained his brown belt. I guess I just felt like the striking arts like CKD which is basically tang soo do 2.0 never gave me a solid base in striking. Now I’m not saying its like that everywhere but it left me with this feeling that all the time could possibly be wasted in a stand up style. Yes I know aikido is a joke in some circles but I liked the traditional aspect and the kendo part as well. I’m not puthing any style or school or instructor down, please don’t think that. I’m just expressing my own thoughts and feelings on it. Where I came from your choices were limited, now there’s so many it’s hard to figure out what’s worth putting the time in, especially with having dabbled in several arts already.
Personally I would try some of the Gracie JJ and bjj gyms, and keep in contact with your aikido teacher for when he reopens classes, or even ask if he would do private classes with you. Are there any other aikido or kendo dojo near you? Kendo is an excellent sport, and aikido can be a very fun way of keeping some practice going. Most bjj gyms (not all) also offer some striking classes, so that would be a good way to keep your hand in with striking, without having to join a seperate striking gym.
The closest Aikido to me is half hour away and my job doesn’t give me enough time to get home and then I’d have to drive again on the interstate during quitting time to get there. I had inquired there once before but they wanted me to come for an “interview” whatever that meant. I had thought about asking my instructor for private lessons but I’m not sure if he has the room. My wife suggested I should tell him about the YMCA. But I’m not sure how that works. Could he charge his tuition there? Would it be part of the YMCA rate. Im not sure. He is originally from Cuba and his English is around 95% spot on. When we text I usually do it in English and use google translator to send in Spanish as well. Because we all know how regular texting can mess up context. If he doesn’t or can’t do private I’m probably going to check out the Pedro Sauer school. The instructor is highly regarded and Mr. Sauer comes there for seminars at least twice a year.
Theres also a JKD school. It’s the same one the Machado/Paulson place is. This instructor is directly under Guro Dan and Ron Balicki and Diana Lee. Is JKD worth learning if the Aikido sensei doesn’t work out? Ive Always been confused with the JKD/Concepts/Jun Fan names.
Erik Paulson is a JKD instructor, so it's no surprise his gyms also have jkd classes. Go and try them out! They'll definitely be worth looking at!
