Hi, I'm interested in practice aikido. I'm searching a martial art with strengh and spiritual focus at the same time. I was practising tai-chi, but I didn't feel realised with it. I want to know if aikido is a good art to have spiritual and phisic balance. Thanks.
Why don't you try it out yourself......I think that will give you a lot more answers than reading books and asking other people's opinions.
Well, it costs $$ to join, and you don't learn much in the first couple of weeks. Asking people that take it is the next best thing. PL
i'd like to point out though that ueshiba, the guy who founded aikido, went to china and practiced taichi and bagua for about 10 years. aikido is the combination of his taichi, bagua, and jiu jitsu practice.
ueshiba disappeared in china for about 10 years before formulating aikido... i think that's a known fact but i'm not sure if it's widespread... aikido's concepts are those of an internal martial art... i think the problem with a lot of aikido schools is that they focus too much on technique and have no emphasis on sensitivity... the difference between ueshiba and every other practicioner of aikido was his level of energy.. ueshiba fought as the old masters of taichi did, standing still and using very little movement to deflect and throw his opponents... the aim of all internal martial arts.... as for this being an urban legen... it very might well be.... however looking at the facts and that aikido resembles taiji and bagua so much leaves very little doubt in my mind that he studied these MAs... doesn't lessen his impact in the MA world one bit... just my opinion let's try to keep this friendly and open-minded
Lord no, I meant no offence mate. I understand what you are saying....sadly I am now juggling with rice/white wine/beef stock and parmesan....will make a longer post later.
Michio Hikitsuchi Sensei is a 10th Dan. I only found that out this week, had never heard of him before. He trained with O Sensei before the change in Ueshiba's philosophy: 'There was no consideration or sympathy' 'Training with him could be terrifying.' He trained with him after it: 'His eyes were still strict, but they were no longer as scary.' 'After the war, he urged us not to attack opponents or to think of beating them up. “If you do that,” he said, “it will be the same thing as before. I have changed how we do everything.” ' ...'it will be the same thing as before'.... So perhaps the change was not in waza (as is inferred by his time in China and such,) because the waza were demonstrably the same, just different. The change was in the purpose of the waza. 'He was trying to teach us to rid ourselves of the desire to fight with our opponents – and to replace it with the desire to create harmony. Aikido is the Budo of love.' 'If we harbour anger, we cannot have good relationships with one another. Our anger will infect our partners, and that must not happen.' The change was spirtual. However I can see why it would resemble the Chinese Interal Arts movement-wise. A good place to start the discussion?
Known fact, aye? Aikido comes out of O-Sensei's lessons in tai chi and bagua? Really now? What's your source? I've read a lot of aikido books and magazines, but I've not read this. I want to read what you're reading, because what you're reading is something new to me.
Well, It's a fact that O Sensei went to China as a youth (see: http://www.aikidojournal.com/new/article.asp?ArticleID=331). And during that time be began to formulate some base ideas of Aikido. As to whether or not he was influenced by Chinese Martial Arts, that's another question. I do know a person who I work with (learn from) who believes there is a connection between the Aiki arts and Ba Gua. Whether that's due to similiar techniques or approprieation of techniques... that's a different question. - Matt
Oops, thanks for the catch. For some reason I ways think he was born later than he was. Any way, it definitely wasn't for 10 years. - Matt
hey matt... i think if you do some research on bagua you'll find that of the three internal arts (taiji, xingyi, bagua), they favor evasion, while taiji emphasizes sticking/adhering and xingyi concentrates in linear strikes. your friend probably connects bagua's footwork and evasion with aikido's. i did aikido before i started learning taiji and noticed a lot of similarities in aiki's goals. i saw a video of ueshiba's students in the 60s, his son (kisshomaru?) and the guy who broke off and started his own organization (i've forgotten the name), and i would have said either bagua or taiji as their MA if i hadn't known that it was aikido. the fact that ueshiba spent some time in china and that his martial art greatly resembles the chinese martial arts in theory and application clinches it for me that he studied these arts before formulating aikido. what are your thoughts?
To be fair your observations about Kisshomaru and Tohei are pretty much correct. However that was only their versions/translations of aikido. Aikido varies from physically brutal to unrealistically smooth. OSensei's aikido went through many 'changes' in his life, which frankly is reflected in many of the fractious relationships between the different 'styles'. nm the differing personalities of his students hehe. I myself only see your comparison with Chinese arts on the surface. I recognise the physical points you mention, but I do not concur with your conclusions. But it is interesting to hear your point of view.
