Kensai

AIKIJUJUTSU HAS NO KUNG FU IN IT! What you are being taught Kyle San is a hybrid system and not true Aikijutsu. Sensei Takeda never trained in anything but Aikijutsu, and the creator of Aikijutsu Shinra Saburo Minamoto no Yoshimitsu has never traveled to China. The only link to the chinese MA would be that of Chin Na, which has nothing to do with striking. The main land Japanese arts are completely devoid of Chinese influence. Regards, have a merry Christmas.

Dont worry about the window dressing, make sure the Sifu is good and the students are good. Make sure it is what you want before you buy anything. Your in Aiki

Aikido Vs JJJ............. interesting, (I dont think I am supposed to say this being an aikidoka and all)......but so would I.

Very good for proving systems in a more violent environment than a dojo can proved. "As real as it gets"?......... NO. Real life is as real as it gets, with no towels thrown in and illegal moves. All in All I like it. Would I ever go in for it.....NO! Yours in Aiki

I dont really understand the "clinch" but surely in real life this would impeade you from fighting off all his friends as well. Take Care.

I always thnought the elements went with the Wudang kung fu. Take Care.

Personnally I think it is a mixutre of both. Take Care.

On a biological level, it is based purely on good biomechanics. Relaxation is the key, for example, have you ever held a sleeping baby. Now at only 9lbs or so, they feel much heaver. This can be attributed to true relaxation. The same applies in Aikido, self defence IMHO, should be as easy as walking and breathing. All these things you do: Firstly with out thought, as they are natural Secondly, these movements are done with minimal effort, you dont walk tensed as this would tire you out very quickly. My Sensei calls it living relaxtion. I dont mean slubbed over and dragging your heels. But with "minimium effort and maxium effienticy. One of my teachers talks about it in an article: http://www.kifedgb.force9.co.uk/contents.html (I think its under Personal Insight by Sensei K. Williams) Hope this helps Regards,

oh yes, finger circle is really hard to get to work...........AHHHH! NIGHTMARE! Immovable body is a great one, I and my friend, both 19 and about 12-13 stone, tried to lift this little kid that was training in our dojo. When he was physical it was as easy as you would expect it to be, but when he was relaxed, we got him in the air, but I nearly popped something. Unpleasant. Basically I noticed a big difference. Take Care,

Well, I would say about 3 or so years. Depending on how hard you train. But the good thing about Aikido, is you cover, tanto, bokken and Jo in great detail. These weapons or weapons like them (knife, snooker que, baseball bat...etc) you are likely to run into in the street. But Like John said, MOST systems will be really useful, especially than having no martial art experience at all. Take Care.

I would imagin that there is something to do with good biomechanics, but thats beyond me. Take Care,

Well, Aikido is a very good style for the police. Perhaps not Ki Aikido which is what I study, but Yosinkan. If you can find any Aikido dojo I am sure it would be beneficial. As Aikido techniques, to begin with are not deadly. So therefore can be used against criminals. They are also focused towards standing up grappling, which I would imagin for a police officer would be useful. Take Care.

Look forward, in real life thats where your attacker will be (hopefully). Evenutally it wont matter who or what the attack is, if you can keep your one point, you can keep unbendable arm. Take Care,

This is good site for info, http://www.aikidofaq.com/ And the guys in the forums here are really good peeps to ask this sort of question and there is some info on it already. http://www.aikiweb.com/ Best of luck in your training. Chris.

The Aiki has returned KF to us. Let us all pray to Aiki for more blessing. Take Care.

Muscle dencity impeades the flow of Ki. I am not saying that you should not be fit, exactly the opposite. Large muscles in terms of weight lifting, provides very slow striking and reflex's. If you look at any of the truely great masters, Ueshiba, Funakoshi, Kano, Ip Man, Bruce Lee and even Oyama, you would noice they are "toned" not muscular. Firstly, the "1st Test" as layed down by my teacher, Sensei Williams, direct deshi of Abbe Kenshiro Sensei and Tohei Sensei. Is focus on unbendable arm, get your Uke to push up on the wrist and down on the bend of the elbow. Get the Uke to do this very lighty to begin with, NO-ONE will pick this up over night, especially against a fully pushing Uke. Once you feel confident in that technique, try 2nd test. Instead of pushing up at the wrist, get the Uke to push up at the fingers and down at the elbow (as before). Again only lighty. To being with it will seem pointless as the uke is not really pushing with any considerable force. As time goes on your Ki and joints will get stronger. So in a fully relaxed state you will be able to hold your unbendable arm up and have 3 people push FULLY against it and they wont be able to move you. (From experience). Take Care.

keep your eyes open or someone will slap you in the face. Focus on your one point (Seikan Tanden), focus on your Ki, but ALWAYS be aware. Take Care.

The mighty unbendable arm, I know it well. Aikido is not about resistance, if you ARE resisting in a muscular sence, then it is wrong. You should picture water coming out a fire hose under high pressure. It cant be bent. To begin with you will think about the person trying to bend your arm, bloke it out and picture the water. Take Care,

Very true, Aikido gives out the best sort of Zanshin (warrior spirit) imaginable, that is happiness. Also trust me, Aikido does have an "evil" side, we just dont like to show it. But Aikijutsu, is a really really really really amazing system that I have a lot of respect for. Aikido and Aikijutsu, have resently done a friendship demostration together, from what I heard it went really well. Take Care. PS Ajrarn, Jiu Jitsu is the Brazlian Jiu Jitsu spelling. IN Japanese Jitsu, means fruit. So if you are a soft fruit master, instead of a soft way master, then you are ok.

Good advice Submission, Sun Zu would be proud. Take Care.

Again Kyle San, thats really from films. Honour is gained by doing the 3 rules I stated. For reference please read the Bushido. Take Care,

Yes, it does cover a small area of Chin Na. But surely using techniques that the average WT practioner is not so good at (Grappling, as WC is a MEGA Striking style) would be a bad thing. Cant chain punchs be effective at taking down grapplers? Take Care.

Well Neil, the Chinese consider their arts sacride. They are the passion of the nation. They are past from father to son and from Sifu to student. They dont want the wided-eyed white man knowing to many of thier secrets. And, seeing what we (westerners) have done to some of their systems do you blame them. Where is it that you live in our mighty nation? There are some good teachers in the UK. Many are in London and the surrounding counties. Take Care.

HOW DARE YOU BE SO IGNORANT! SAMURAI! assassins! GEEZ! Now, if you please read, "The Book of the Five Rings" or probably more importantly "Hagakure" you would relise the Samruai class for more than just fighters. They were also some of the GREATEST Artists, Musicians, Writers and Poets of ALL time. Please dont generalise! If you walk in to Aikido dojo, karate, Daito Ryu (esp Aiki no jutsu), even Ninjutsu you would see their philosphy runs deeper than maiming and killing. There are only 3 reasons for the true samurai to fight, for self protection, for the protection of ones loved ones and to defend ones nation. For the true Samurai, and the best of them the Kensai (for which I take my name, unjustly), the sword was an insrument of peace. Now can you please explain how some of the most deadly arts in the world, Aikijutsu, JJ, Ninjust and the other noble art of Karate-do, TKD and Aikido have anything to do with sport!? Take Care.

Personally, just while we are on the subject, political correctness makes things worse. You are what you are and you should be proud of what you are. I heard a story about an Aikido dojo in NY, a Muslim guy came to learn, but he would not bow to the Ki sign, the picture of O Sensei Ueshiba (Which is common practice in Aikido) and he would not bow to women. Regardless of his beliefs, he should also respect that of Aikido. The Sensei at this club refused to teach him. Take Care.