Since there have been many women that have reached a high ranking status in aikido, I would like to know from the martial arts community, any thoughts on advantages or disadvantages as a woman you might have in practicing aikido; what you face, and the challenges you encounter on the mats (either currently, or in the past)...also I would welcome any posts from any MAP member / Global community (male or female) as to why, in your own thoughts, women may find it easier to practice, or more difficult to practice firstly aikido and secondly martial arts. Thanks in advanced for your input. Please make this fair, and based on experience in training, relegating opinion to the lowest factor.
Izumizu, surely the start of your question negates the need for your question. As you have stated that there are many high ranking women aikidoka we can merely assume that to the determined practitioner, male OR female there are no advantages or disadvantages. There appears to be only a willingness and desire to train. There are women at the club I train at that I consider it a rare privilege to train with, because they care not for musing on or recognising that there may even BE any advantages OR disadvantages to being a woman. They just train, hard.
-- I understand that everyone trains hard, there are also many wormen in aikido that have not yet reached a dan level, or a position of teaching yet, and I would consider that there are differences, even on a physical level. For instance in general men are stronger. Also the center of gravity for a woman is different as well, and this would play into balance / kuzushi. I also have trained with women, and based on the center of gravity alone had much difficulty moving from "forcing" a technique with strength, to understanding how the principles of aikido apply in that situation.
I remember an aikido club complaining about the pressure and the difficulty of the training given by sensei koyo. They even complained to Chiba shihan and were embarrased when I had to say it was my daughter who had taken the course NOT me.
