Kensai

lol. I dont really consider myself mature enough for Aikido's core beliefs. I am far to aggresive and overbareing, but Aikido is Yang to my Yin, it calms me. With every passing lesson it seems to enrich me that little bit more. The Aikido techniques work better when you don't think they are techniques, more just a natural extension of Ki. That is when you get that Light flying and hard landing effect. What is your style punch?

I would not consider myself a "junior" aikidoka, I would hope aswell that I am not of the tree hugging varity of Aikidoka. lol. You make some interesting points. You see, sometimes I look through the other side of the glass, I look at BJJ practioners, Mauy Thai fighter and even the mighty Wing Chun boxers go on about how their art is better than your art, like the arguement that my dad is better than your dad. I see them as rude and arrogant, and anything that does not conform with there principles (sorry but BJJ people you are the worst for this) tell you that it is crap. (disclaimer there are some REALLY nice BJJ peeps to most of which I have met on this site) Aikido does have a very non violence feel to it, and we dont really try to break each others arms off, mainly because O Sensei, wanted Aikido for all, Japanese, African, English, Old, Young and even the ill. So you practice to the abilities of your Uke or Nage, if I am practicing with a 50 year old white belt then I am gentle I want them to enjoy it, not get scared away thinking that this is a young and fit persons art. If however I am training with a 23 year old green belt, or black belt then you let fly. You have to be able to be flexable, this you can take into the street. Then you get to the serious Aikidoka, these are the ones with the Hakama and lots of red lines on their black belts, they have this certain look about them. Usually the policemen that train in your club, the ones with such strong Ki, that they can send you though the floor. You then see a 73 year old man, and you think, can he reall hurt me. This would be my Sensei. Then he take's hold of your arm, BANG, your out and you dont even know where he hit, grabbed or pulled you. You know that you are facing the floor in an unpleasant lock, you cant even breath let alone move. This is Aikido. A 73 year old man that can hold you down with one finger, that could kill me in the blink of an eye, but he does not. This is Aikido. The purpse of my little speach is not to say that Aikido is the best MA in the world, because it is not. Nor will it win you UFC (mainly because most of the moves are banned, also Frank Shamrock does a little Aikido). This is not Aikido. Aikido does not teach you to kill, it teachs you to live. Katsu Hayai! Instant Victory, to win quickly, with minimum effort, pain, or destruction. This is the essence of Aikido. Take Care Ps, I am flattered that you think my answers are cool. lol

I know what yo u mean about parents, I currently have an addiction to buying books off amazon.co.uk. But I can understand I have spent quite alot, but that is what money is for, right? Our Ki training in Aikido is very different to that of Tai Chi/Chi Kung exercises. In Aikido we learn more to focus other peoples Ki, and our own in the way that the Aikidoka wants. We yield more to attacks to get our opponents off balance, Tai Chi more about focusing Chi/Ki into a strike, or using it to be completely unmoveable, Aikido has similar exercise's but they are for the higher grades only. both the arts seem to eventually come along the same lines.

Tai Chi is one of the finest martial arts out there, and anyone that says otherwise knows nothing about it. "The Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan-by Kwon Kiew Kit", is a good starter book. Tai Chi or the translation of "Supreme Ultimate Fist", takes a life time to master, say 5-10 years to actually be able to use it. It is a complete system that offers everything, using Chi over muscular strength. I have a friend that has been studing it for about a year, and the internal strength that he has is scarey, it is although he is completely unmoveable.

oh ok bon, must have been a poor dojo, I fully resist in my class with the high grades. Works a treat

That is true loco, in the school I train at, the strikes are at full power later on, using Ki strikes which are very painful if misjudged. Also most Aikido practioners are very well balanced, so the techniques are not thrown at you like some drunk off the street, the more balanced they are the more difficult it becomes. Also, I have started Aikido very early as I am only 19, so by the time I am 29 I should be pretty good. And by the time I am 35 I will get to start Katana work, but I want that now! lol I have not met an Aikido tree hugger yet, although I do find that they have less of an ego than some of the other clubs I have been to. Take Care

It basically means an "empty mind". Sometimes in training, especially when using Ki, it works very well, but it does not happen often. You dont think, you just do. How to achieve it, I have no idea, sometimes it works and sometimes it dont.

Thats the idea, I think it would be boring if a thread continued along the same line. My Sensei always says that ki is like water, it must constantly flow in order to remain fresh, if you keep ki inside you and do not release it into the universe and refresh your Ki, then it will become stagnant. It can be likened to this post, keep the idea's flowing. (Sorry about philosophy overload, just got back from a lesson) Although I would till love peoples thoughts on Aikido. XpOiSoN FrEeX There are alot of wrist locks and throws, if it has wrists, I think I can throw it. lol. If I am fast enough.

It is very hard to leave a dojo, especially if you have been there for some time. I also know that it is sometimes frustrating doing an art that you don't REALLY want to do. I was like that with shotokan. You have to follow your heart (excuse the cliche), and really enjoy what art you do on ALL levels, but it for fun, self defence and meditiation. Have you decided what you want to do? Where abouts are you in the UK? If you want meditation, the something like Ki Aikido could be good for you. This is what I study and I have found it to be very good at ALL the levels. However any of the Wudang(chinese internal arts) would be good for you, Yang and Chen style Tai Chi, Pa Gua and Hsing-i. This is the link for my dojo, http://www.kifedgb.force9.co.uk/contents.html it has a dojo listing. Take care, and hope you find what you want.

Thanks leaf, that is really great. A lot to take in. Sounds very similar to shotokan. Thank you Bon for your honesty. But I would like to know why you think that. Nor am I going to try and correct you, mainly because you are entitled to your opiniuon. Just out of interest what style do you study? Have you ever tried Aikido, or do you just take what other people have said as gosple?

I was just reading about the great life of general choi in this mouths issue of "combat" magazine. I was just wondering what you people thought are the key difference's in techniques betweeen TKD and Shotokan. Thanks.

That is true. But in most clubs, when we get to about green belt which is after about 2 years or so, you resist partically. Then at black it is full resistance. The reason for the non resistance, is that you learn a lot more to the body mechanics quickly and not fumbling around trying to out strength your partner. The techniques should feel the same under no resistance, as they do with resistance, well thats the idea anyway. Leaf could you tell me more of the techniques. Thanks.

Sorry 360 I did not see your reply. Perhaps you are right about the bozo's, also I agree it does take along time to master. And again you are right that what they say does not matter. I bow to great wisdom.

Thanks leaf, Aikido does have a nice history, and the translation of the name is in the eye of the beholder. Aikido can be many things, also most of the aikido techniques can be very dangerous, thats why most of them have been baned from UFC. O Sensei Ueshiba has many great quotes. I have never heard that one before. Out of interest, could you tell me a little about the okinwan styles, they have always interested me.

Joining a gym is the best idea, I do a lot to the carido vascular machines to help with my Aikido training and general fittness. Also really liking the club really hepls you keep going when you REALLY dont feel like it. Which you appear to. But back to your question. start with short runs, just to get your fittness up to a level in which you can really start to endure longer onces. Just try half an hour a day, around your local block. Then nothing to strenuous to begin with, 20 sit ups, 5-10 push ups. With the push ups do a few with your arms far apart, just over shoulder width, then shoulder width, then bring your hands together and form a diamond with your thumb and four figure. These are pretty tricky. Scrunchs are very good, start in the press up position, then bring your legs up, knee between your arms, then back again. Try 20 or so of those. I am not really so good at this, but there are lots of people on here that are. Hope I helped somewhat. Make sure also that you strench well before each exercise, especially if you are not used to it. Enjoy your kick boxing.

I was looking on the net, and I found this site called Mcdojo.com. I was looking through there forums, and I found this section on Aikido. So I was curious on what people would write about it. The first few comments were pretty encouraging, and although it does not really matter, it is nice to hear positive comments about one's art. Whatever it is. Then in came the hard core, they basically ripped Aikido apart trashing it completely. Especially the internal study, which I study. Now, I have found a lot of Aikido bashing, almost as much as I have found TKD bashing, and like in the case of TKD, it is not right. So my question is what do you think about it? Also why do you think that? I think in most case's the people on this site are well informed, geniune martial arts lovers, unlike the bad mouths on the mcdojo site. I am not fishing of Aikido completements, but to say that an Aikido master, is fat and could not fight his way out of a wet paper bag is a little harsh. But I want your thoughts. Also there has not been an Aikido thread for ages, so I thought I would start one. Thanks for your time.

Thanks, sorry that I could not be more help.

lol. An interesting forum. Also 360 has a point men have no privacy anymore. If they want just a little bit, then they are called sexist, but women are aloud what they want! Men it is time to rise out of oppression, and take what is OURS! Some time to talk about guy stuff, with out worrying about what girls (ladies) would think. lol Back to the post. I personally thought that women in shotokan is a bad idea. Men are genetically bigger and stronger, also having greater reach, so on average it would be difficult for a woman to "beat" a man. Thats not to say that there are not women out there that cant, because they can. Obviously a woman can be technically superior, but like all things worth while it takes time. In Aikido, there is a 3:1 ratio to women. Most of the women in my club can introduce me very quickly to the mat, reguardless that I am about 3 stone heavier than they are. Also I found it very strange to have a lady Sensei, as all my MA's before I have had male Sensei's. But as time has gone on, I appreciate the quiet contemplation that women bring to the mat, instead of ego's. As my Sensei is an 8th Dan, and one of the best in the world, even going back to Japan to TEACH, then she really has my respect. Not just superfically, but a deep respect that I have given to all my Sensei's. Take Care

For my Aikido Yellow, which I take in Sept (AHHH!) I have to do, 5 techniques from 1st form, which is someone grabbing my wrist from the opposite side, (Katate-tori). They are called, Ikkyo Nikkyo Sankyo Yonkyo Shiho nage Kokyu Nage Kaiten Nage This is the easy bit, then I have to do Ki exercise's. Which are tricky, fun things such as have an unbendable arm, using Ki. Ukemi(breakfalls), using Ki, being able to stand up if someone tries to knock you down after the break fall. Lots of balance tests. Good luck with your grading.

When I did Shotokan, I really loved the Kata, especially Bassi Dai. Just something about it, but it was really interesting. Its probably one of the things I miss the most about Shotokan. That and Uraken, it just feels such a nice move.

There are answers, but some people just dont like to accept them. It is all down to personal opinion, some think that you have to live the perfect ninja life to be a ninja, an assassin, live in excile etc etc etc. This preconspection of ninja's is wrong. Stephen Hayes and Soke M Hatsumi have very different ideas. Many were farmers and normal men, basically fed up with the life imposed on them by the various tent governments. for me, is ninja is one you practices ninjutsu, I considerd myself to be a ninja until I stopped doing ninjutsu. As a practicing karate makes you a karateka, and judo a judoka. Then ninjutsu a ninja. As ninja only means one who practice's the ninja arts. But we have been through that already. oh freex, i have told you this before but, Shidoshi J. Garderner (8th Dan) teachs at Surrey Uni. If you live near guildford then go learn it. The class are all very nice people.

The one by Ian Abernathy, I saw it on Amazon a while back. But I still dont think it is out. XpOiSoN FrEeX Thanks for clearing that up, just reading about it in Total Aikido. Although I know what the word means. They are usually used against vital points or points to make an oppenent off balance. But I am sure that each MA uses them in different ways. Nakayama is frowned upon? I have always heard that he was repected. But I can see that virtually none of his books show some more of the interesting techniqes in Shotokan. moobrack, I am sorry for my tone, it is most un- Aikido of me, and this does not fall in line with the principles of Aiki. However, I find the history's, lineages and traditions are very important in training in the art. To teach one how to hold oneselft in society. good luck with your grading.

I agree that with a lot of work, any martial art can fit any body type.

Yes I have seen that book, although it is not on release here in the UK. Sorry for my tone.

My tone is only in responce to your comments. A 1st Dan in Shotokan, should have some knowledge to base his comments. Nor am I trying to overpower you, I am still learning myself, I dont have all the answers. But to come and ask us to find something for you, sounds more like laziness to me, as if we have nothing better to do. Perhaps, if you find my comments offensive, you should not read them. Also I find your ignorance to martial arts offensive, and when I try to correct you, you take it the wrong way. Maybe you should revaluate what offends you. Then you might take on what I have said. But back to your post. Yes Atemi Waza, are strikes to vital points. Tobias_Reece, thanks for the correction, but when reading books by Nakayama, I have not come across it once. Do you know of any good good Shotokan Bunkai texts? Thanks