Saturday morning, 11:00 AM, I drove down to the Aikido School and watched the class. The class was very good! They were practicing this one technique where if somebody lunges at you, you throw your two arms up like you're reaching for the sky blocking the charging attacker! Then all you have to do basically is just turn around and bring your arms down and the momentum from the guy charging throws the guy foward! It looks like a throw, but it isn't, you actually help the guy get to where he's going, and then he's on his own! I was really impressed by this move! It looked like magic, but the mechanics and scientific mumbo jumbo behind it is what makes this move look so effortless! Another move I saw is the move I call "The face walk!" An attacker charges you and you grab him by the arm and swing him around until he's on the ground and you're standing over him with his wrist locked! Then all you do is take a few steps foward like you're going for a walk while holding the guy's wrist and the guy will be sliding his face across the ground, trying to keep up with you because of the awkward way his arm and wrist is locked! I was like wow, this is totally cool! Then they broke out these wooden swords and was practicing strikes down the midline of the body, and I was thinking, what the hell are they doing with these wooden swords. So after wards, the teacher made them put the swords back. I was like, that was pointless. But then, they practiced this new move where some one runs up to you and tries to punch you in the face, you side step it, and trapping their arm, bringing it up the midline of the body, and then all you have to do is turn and bend your knees, and the guy basically is yanked down by his own momentum which can result in two ways, either sliding across the floor on his face, or doing a foward flip onto his back! I was like man, so this art isn't all peace and love after all! So the teacher took up the wooden sword again and had a student come up to him and basically explained why he wanted then to practice the mid line strikes, because that was the same mechanics behind the technique, but without the sword! I was blown away! Basically, in Aikido, they took many of the attacks with the sword and incorporated it into unarmed fighting or at least, this is my understanding, I didn't really catch what he was teaching their, but it looked cool as hell! The Aikido guys never stay on the ground, I was impressed on how quickly they get back to their feet, like "Down? Who me? I wasn't down on the floor, ha-ha!!!" I really like Aikido, but the ride is an hour bus ride from my home, and that means waiting for the bus in the winter time! I hate the cold! But I love the art! I'm considering it! The only thing is that it takes a while to learn before becomming effective and people question it's effectiveness, but I don't care, if I like it, I'm going to do it! I'm not going to enter into no holds barred tournaments or pick fights with thai boxers or anything, I just want the edge over the average or above average knuckle head hoodlums on the streets, that's it! I just want to get somebody stunned enough to run like hell, not to stand their and go head to head for more then ten seconds! I'm a small guy, slim, 5 foot 6 and weigh 165 pounds. I use to run track. I'm not going head to head with nobody!That's what turns me on about Aikido, I don't have to. So as of September 20th 2003, my new list is as follows: 1)SHOTOKAN KARATE (GREAT LOCATION, GREAT ATMOSPHERE, WALKING DISTANCE!) 2)AIKIDO (NON AGGRESSIVE, GREAT ATMOSPHERE, COMPLIMENTS MY CHARACTER, BEAUTIFUL, I LOVE THE SKIRT, TECHNIQUES ARE AWESOME) 3)TKD (GOOD LOCATION, A LITTLE LONGER WALK, EXCELLENT TECHNIQUES, GREAT ATMOSPHERE!) MY PERSONAL DEADLINE IS TUESDAY!!!!!! ARRRRGHHHHH!!!! DECISIONS DECISIONS! If I choose Aikido, how do I change my forum name? All Feedback welcome! Thanks in advance!
Isn't it great you've got three good choices. If the long distance is going to be a problem now could it be something you change? Please keep posting enthusiasm is cool.
Sounds great, man. Best of luck in selecting an art. I love wearing hakama (pleated trousers/"skirt"), too. Jody Butt
Re: Re: In A Race To Win Me As A Loyal Student, Aikido Has Moved Up A Notch! I love wearing hakama (pleated trousers/"skirt"), too. Wait a sec, if you're wearing that, that means you must be very advanced! How long have you been training?
Re: Re: Re: In A Race To Win Me As A Loyal Student, Aikido Has Moved Up A Notch! I don't study aikido. I studied Shinkage Ryu Kenjutsu for a while. Here is a link to the picture page of the dojo if you want to have a look around: http://www.noblehouse.afternet.com/activity/media.html
Nope. It was totally a hardcore school, though. They had a reputation for being the most intense school in our city. If you read the homepage, you will see that they don't look at the martial arts as a hobby. They compare it to olympic training. They are very serious. If you don't show improvement in your technique, they will kick you out. It's not a flop-house, that's for sure. It takes about 8 years to get a shodan there (if my memory serves me correctly). I know of only two students who earned it (though there are probably more from the past that I never met). The tests are held only once every few years, and when they do, you are expected to perform the techniques to perfection (i.e. if the sensei can do a better job at it, then you fail). The sensei there is great. You couldn't ask to know a better guy.
I enjoyed it, seeing as I was looking for a serious school. However, my Ph.D. studies started chewing up all of my time (well, basically, dictating my schedule), so I was unable to continue. Each student goes to one class a week. That class takes up my entire evening (from 18:00 to 23:00). So, I had to discontinue my studies because often I needed to work late in the lab on that night. Oh, well. It was a great experience. I hope to continue life after graduate school. Haha. Cheers, Jody
"COMPLIMENTS MY CHARACTER" IMO that is THE single best reason for choosing a style. A shame its so far away though. Maybe twice a week in the summer and once a week in the winter? heh.
Hey jody. I see there was some Taiko drumming on that page.How mcuh taiko did ur school do?I've been to two Taiko performances and one workshop great fun.
