Dilema: Aikido or Goju ryu?

[dragonwarrior_keltyr]

I know I've been MIA on this site for a while, but I need your opinions. Last year when I moved for university I discovered that there was no Shotokan dojo in the area. I've been training on my own for the past year but I want to get back into the dojo. I know I get better training there and I miss sparring and having someone to correct my mistakes. I went to a Goju Ryu karate dojo last night. It's fairly similar to Shotokan, but there are key differences. Tonight I am trying out an Aikido dojo. I think I will take one of those ma. I need help with which one.

Goju has the advantage and disadvantage of being similar to Shotokan. The good thing is that there I could start sparing and training at my purple belt (or close to it) level without trouble. I wouldn't have start at white belt. I would like to continue my training. The trouble is also the similarities. For Goju I have to retrain myself in the Goju style of karate after four years of Shotokan. I'm not sure if I want to do that. Also, if I go into Goju I feel like I'd have to give up Shotkoan styles in order to become better.

On the other hand, in Aikido I'd be starting from scratch. I'm afraid I'd feel uncomfortable (not necessarily a bad thing mind you) as a white belt. When I want a good hardcore training it'd frustrate me to be a beginner. But, I think Aikido would complement Shotokan better than Goju. I could continue trianing in Shotokan at home but have classes in Aikido.

I'm torn between the two. Any thoughts, suggestions or other? Thanks!

[tallgeese]

You've summed it up pretty well. The question is what do you want to do more...continue with a karate based art, or delve into a softer art like aikido. It really is prefereance.

You will do some joint work in Goju, but certainly not as much as in aiki. The joint manipulations will tend to be smaller joint as well. There is also a degree of "flow" involved in goju, which will be different from you previous time in the dojo. That may well be enough to get the best of both worlds for you.

Either way, go to a couple of each of the classes, see which strkes you fancy more and dive in. Some face time with the people involved in each should make the decision easy for you.

Then again, you could always do both given the time outlay you're will to do.

[moriniuk]

For me it would be Goju. This is the path that Mas. Oyama took, Shotokan followed by Goju.

The reason for me is probably a bit silly. I have practiced Karate for over 35 years now and have tried to dabble in Aikido a couple of times. I really don't get any enjoyment whatsoever by having locks applied on me and getting thrown around.

I don't mind applying them on someone else, but unfortunately it doesn't work that way.

I also find that Aikido dojos tend to go a little overboard on the etiquette and formalities for my liking.

Only my personal views.

[Zanshin]

I think if you already have a core art like Shoto, learning Goju for the few years whist you are at Uni could be counter productive to the principles inherent to Shoto.

Personally if I were you I would go to the Aiki club. Get your movement and "Aiki" down. It will only enhance your Shoto.

Doing Goju will screw it up.

[tallgeese]

If you are concerned with the purity of doing the Shotokan, then Zanshin is right. Goju might influence you to do things of a karate nature differently.

However, if you are less concerned with stylistic properness (yours truely) and just want some alternate methods of karate based defense then learning something similar, yet with differnt tatical responses might be a good way to diversify.

[dragonwarrior_keltyr]

Yeah, you guys hit on my main problem with goju.. it would mess with my "pure" Shotokan. I want to continue in Shotokan when possible and goju seems to hinder that. Although the style itself isn't bad and I like some of the modifications to the katas I attempted last night. Others I didn't care for as much. I missed the deeper stances. Anways, I am off to try aikido, thanks for your imput. I will let you know how it goes. I found one more option which is kickboxing... I may have to try that too.

[bushido_man96]

I see it this way. The Goju dojo will offer you an outlet to still work somewhat on your Shotokan. Working with some of the students after class or before class will let you focus on Shotokan stuff, and how it relates to Goju. In the end, it may not mess it up, but augment it.

As for Aikido, it sounds like you already have a predisposition against it, so perhaps it isn't the route for you to go. There is no sense in training somewhere you won't enjoy it.