# Aikido - Starting out



## Withered Soul (Apr 6, 2003)

I'm starting Aikido this Friday and I'm wondering what I'll need to prepare for it. You know like, do I need to have a good grip? Do I need to develop good back muscles (to fall back on)? And will I need to wear those funny black trousers (forgive my strange accent, I'm british me old china).


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## arnisador (Apr 6, 2003)

Depending on the style, they may restrict the _hakama_ ("funny black trousers") to black belts only.

You shouldn't need anything other than sweatpants and a T-shirt or a gi if they've asked you to have that for your first class. What you'll need to learn is relaxing, probably. There's not much you can do to prepare other than any stretching or cardio work you might feel you need. When I took Aikido it was a very light workout but some schools will test your cardiovascular endurance. If you're in average shape, don't worry about it--they're there to teach you what you need to know and do!

Let us know how it goes!


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## Mao (Apr 6, 2003)

I would agree that relaxing is a good thing. Try not to muscle through things. That would be a good start.
MAO


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## Yari (Apr 7, 2003)

Yeah, let us hear how it goes, and what style your praticing!

/Yari


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## Withered Soul (Apr 7, 2003)

Hmm. Change of plan: noot this Friday, Friday after *Peter Kay style swirling of finger*

Anyway thanks for your replys. I'm very flexible but my running's odd. I can jog for ages but sprint (very fast) for about 1 min max. I found that out chasing the bus.


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## Yari (Apr 8, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Withered Soul _
> *Hmm. Change of plan: noot this Friday, Friday after *Peter Kay style swirling of finger*
> 
> *



what is : *Peter Kay style swirling of finger* ?


/Yari


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## Withered Soul (Apr 8, 2003)

He's the funniest British comedian ever!
He did this stand up thing in Blackpool and he was talking about how people talk with their hands.


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## Humble artist (Apr 11, 2003)

"I'm starting Aikido this Friday and I'm wondering what I'll need to prepare for it." Attributes develop by time. "You know like, do I need to have a good grip?" Not a concern. "Do I need to develop good back muscles (to fall back on)?" You do not really count on them.  "And will I need to wear those funny black trousers" If you are a woman,you might be able to wear them before black belt,if not,then no no.Even if you were bb,it would still be optional. "(forgive my strange accent, I'm british me old china)." That´s fine sir.I do not hear a thing though.


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## angrywhitepajamas (Apr 16, 2003)

As a side question.  Many Aikido practitioners have knee injuries from sitting in seiza (kneeling with feet under the gluteus maximus).  But how do you avoid damage to the knees and stiffness.  In addition which streatches  do any of you recommend.


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## Lunumbra (Apr 18, 2003)

I understand that damage to the wrists and elbows (From all the twisting, mostly) is a fairly common complaint. So stretch those arms and warm up those wrists!


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## Yari (Apr 22, 2003)

> _Originally posted by angrywhitepajamas _
> *As a side question.  Many Aikido practitioners have knee injuries from sitting in seiza (kneeling with feet under the gluteus maximus).  But how do you avoid damage to the knees and stiffness.  In addition which streatches  do any of you recommend. *



Old age you cant do anything about.

If you havn't traumatized your knee, just listen to to. Relax it when it hurts, sit in the "legs crossed" when needed.

Things you can do to strengthen your knees: biking, doing skiing movements with your knees, knees bends (but softly). Be carefull with twisting movements. 

Are there any streches? As long as you keep the muscles relaxed and flexible that would help. A low tension level is always the best way to relax muscles and keep it easy to sit(sieza) on the floor.

/Yari


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## arnisador (Apr 26, 2003)

How was it?


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## Withered Soul (Apr 27, 2003)

Not as good as I hoped. I had seen a few pics on their website and it looked like they had those straw Japanese mats. But they were just bage. Plus it was held in a very small space (not ideal for throwing people about in) in an old pub.
I won't be going back.


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## Jill666 (Apr 27, 2003)

Well some of the best learning can take place in a yard, a garage, a driveway. Don't let the surroundings make up your mind- some of the best instructors who do not run a commercial (ie. for profit) dojo will teach wherever they can.

How was the material? Were you comfortable with the teacher's style and apparent grasp of the material? Did the other students seem interested and motivated?


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## Jill666 (Apr 27, 2003)

I have to add, I would very likely feel at home in an old pub- and a wooden floor would be a hell of a lot nicer than the poured-concrete-under-all-weather-rug that I am accustomed to.  

I would have added this to my former post but that wouldn't do anything for my post count :rofl:


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## Yari (Apr 28, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Jill666 _
> *I would very likely feel at home in an old pub- and a wooden floor *



I dont know you, but feeling home on a pub floor.... hmmmm ......  

But I agree with Jill, it's the style and teacher that's important. Give it a few shots. How big/small was the dojo?

/Yari


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## cdhall (Apr 28, 2003)

I have not taken Aikido but I'm trying to find a friend of mine who signed up in 1997.  He was very much overweight and he rather quickly lost a lot of weight after signing up.  They had a school with a mat MUCH larger than any mat I've ever been on and they did a Lot of rolling and falling the first 6months.

That is all I know.

Oh, and that within the first 6-8months he had broken a rib, separated a shoulder and done something else.  I teased him about this and told him that he studies "way of the spirit of harmony" and I study Kenpo which Mr. Speakman calls the most violent, brutal art on the planet and that I had never been injured but he was torn up after a year in the beginners class.

Mr. Duffy said it is because they do so much twisiting on their joints and such.  I don't have enough insurance or I might study some Aikido myself.
 

I'd say that you do need enough room to practice rolls and falls and that you should listen to your instructor and be careful not to get injured because you were not following instructions.

Good luck.
:asian:


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## Withered Soul (Apr 28, 2003)

The teacher wasn't very enthusiastic. A sort of mumbling old man. A lot of the moves are envesist (sp?) on someone holding your wrists. Never in my life have I seen someone grab someone's wrist in a fight.


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## Yari (Apr 28, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Withered Soul _
> *The teacher wasn't very enthusiastic. A sort of mumbling old man. A lot of the moves are envesist (sp?) on someone holding your wrists. Never in my life have I seen someone grab someone's wrist in a fight. *



Aikido works on principles, and not exsact (sp?) technique. So when somebody grips your hand it's a "picture" of an energy force on the way towards you. The handgrip is just much easier to handle (much easier to start with).

Most Aikido schools will move on, but the principle stays the same.
Some Aikido teachers live by the thesis (dont know if its the correct word), that pupils should learn by themselves, and that they will learn the technique best by figuring it out bythemselvs.

But on the other hand he could be a bad teacher. I dont know, since I havn't seen him.

Either way your temperment should fit the teacher/school, or it'll just be bad for you. Some time along your path you might stick to this, or move on to another Aikido school, or a different MA. 

/Yari


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## arnisador (Apr 28, 2003)

The wrist grabs are just at the beginning--they move on to punches. But if it's a bad fit between you an dthe instructor, it's a bad fit!


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