# Went to a new dojo last night



## ballen0351 (Nov 12, 2014)

So I was taking Judo classes but it was located on a military base.  The base decided to no longer allow us to take classes because of liability issues.  So I was looking around for something else and found an Aikido dojo in an old textile factory.  I took Aikido fr a little while few years ago until the teacher retired and none of the students wanted to take over but I liked what I had learned and wanted to find another dojo before.  So last night I went and checked it out.  1st impression was its in an old drafty building.  You go up to the top floor using creeky old stairs.  No heat or AC in the building.  It reminded me of a dungon lol.  




The dojo room itself is small with a thin mat across the training floor.  There are massive wooden support beams around the training floor.  I was curious how they work around them.  There was the normal photos and weapons on the walls you see at other Aikido dojos.  Nothing fancy at all it just looked like a place to work.
Its a Aikikai affiliated dojo.  The Senesi has been doing Aikido for over 40 years.  I get to class a little early and am talking to him and I tell him I train in Goju.  He says "oh, so do you know Tensho?"  He says he loves that kata and you can find alot of Aikido in that kata.  He asks if I would show the class Tensho.

Class began and he asks me to preform Tensho.  He tells the class to pay close attention and as Im doing the kata I hear several making comments how the movements are very similar to different techniques in Aikido.
The after some warmups we start working on techniques.  So Im trying to go along and go easy as Ive never been there and dont know the dynamic.  They pair me with one of the higher ranking guys in class.  He keeps stopping me and telling me to attack harder resist more stop giving the technique to him.  This goes on for a while and I go harder and harder until Im going almost ful power and hes thanking me for going hard.  We then switch partners and they all thank me for going hard and correct me when I dont.  The big wood support beams were incorporated in training you needed to be aware of where you threw your Uke and keep them safe.  "Obstacles are reality" I was told.  you dont always get a nice large clean area to defend yourself.  We also worked on striking to set up techniques.  We compared styles and they had me show some strikes from Goju  

All in All I had a good time and will go back gain.


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## tshadowchaser (Nov 12, 2014)

Sounds like a good place to learn.  If you keep going there keep us informed as to what goes on an how you progress.


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## donald1 (Nov 12, 2014)

Good luck at the new dojo 
Best of luck


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## Buka (Nov 12, 2014)

That sounds like a great place to train. I like their attitude a whole lot. I hope you have a ball there, brother!


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## ballen0351 (Nov 12, 2014)

This was the only sign on the outside of the door.


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## hussaf (Nov 12, 2014)

Ah, Nishio aikido.  That's one of the styles I haven't been able to visit a dojo of yet.  Heard good things (also bad, but haters gonna hate).


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## ballen0351 (Nov 12, 2014)

Yeah I don't know much about the differences.  I need to do some research and learn more


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## hussaf (Nov 12, 2014)

ballen0351 said:


> Yeah I don't know much about the differences.  I need to do some research and learn more



You won't really know the differences for some time, as in truly know, since you'll have to get an understanding of what your style is trying to teach overall.  For the most part you'll be scrambling to just learn individual techniques for a two-three years.  Once you start getting those down you'll notice consistencies and commonalities of things you are doing, and that others do them differently.

That being said, I highly encourage you to do some research.  We have written quizzes as a small part of our lower ranked promotions, part of which is showing an understanding of other aikido styles and organizations, as well as other martial arts.  I'm always amazed when I visit other aikido schools and find people around the 3-1st kyu level that dont know the name of an instructor or organization outside their own, don't know how judo and aikido are different, or don't even know their own style or organization...or even the slightest but of history outside their teacher is awesome and Ueshiba did magic.


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## Nick Soapdish (Nov 12, 2014)

Sounds like a pretty cool school. I'd definitely like to hear more about it if you continue going there?


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## jezr74 (Nov 12, 2014)

I can't help but picture the episode of the Simpsons when Bart buys a factory at auction.


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## Brian King (Nov 13, 2014)

Reads like you liked the training and the people. Perhaps a new home? Good luck with your searching and training

Regards
Brian King


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## ballen0351 (Nov 13, 2014)

Brian King said:


> Reads like you liked the training and the people. Perhaps a new home? Good luck with your searching and training
> 
> Regards
> Brian King


Yeah it was a good time.  I went again tonight had a good time again. Nice group of guys very small class.


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## Takai (Nov 13, 2014)

Reminds me of some of the old stories my old Aikido used to tell. The one that always stuck with me was the floor. The Dojo he trained was in a old building with a bad wooden floor before class they had to go through and hammer down all of the nails that had worked up. Every once in a while they would miss one..until someone found it during training.


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## ballen0351 (Nov 13, 2014)

Takai said:


> Reminds me of some of the old stories my old Aikido used to tell. The one that always stuck with me was the floor. The Dojo he trained was in a old building with a bad wooden floor before class they had to go through and hammer down all of the nails that had worked up. Every once in a while they would miss one..until someone found it during training.



The building itself is really neat it's full of strange off the wall businesses like taxidermy place, few artist studios, a sign maker, lots of other things.  No elevator just old stairs cobwebs everywhere.  The building is probably why I like it it's just like old school no nonsense place to train


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## ballen0351 (Nov 13, 2014)

ballen0351 said:


> This was the only sign on the outside of the door.


I did find out they are not affiliated with Nishio.  The last guy that ran the dojo was but he moved away several years ago and nobody ever bothered to take down the sign.  The Sensei has been training with Clyde Takeguchi for like 35 years


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