# Wanting to learn Aikido!



## Tony (Jul 2, 2004)

I'm very interested in learning Aikido! what can i expect from a first lesson and whats involved in the training. I'm mainly interested in the self defence aspect. I already study Kung fu but will this be a problem?


----------



## Littledragon (Jul 2, 2004)

Tony said:
			
		

> I'm very interested in learning Aikido! what can i expect from a first lesson and whats involved in the training. I'm mainly interested in the self defence aspect. I already study Kung fu but will this be a problem?


No it won't be a problem at all. I love Aikido and it is one of my favorite martial arts. Aikido is a great martial art because it uses another on'es own strenght against him. Aikido is called the gentle art because when demonstrated it looks very soft and you kind of go with the flow but Aikido can be very deadly. In terms of self defense I would chose Aiki-Kai Aikido, that is mainly for self defense. You learn great moves like an Irimi when dealing with a agressive attacker and a wrist throw called Kotegaeshi which is an incredible technique. As far as self defense Aikido is one of the best martial arts in terms of dealing with multiple attackers. My advice find a good dojo and a master who knows what her or she is doing because sadly there are many Aikido dojo's in the U.S. which are all based on theory and not that great.


----------



## Tony (Jul 2, 2004)

Hi Littledragon

Thanks for the information and advice, most appreciated. There is one Aikido class that I could go to but its about 15 miles away. Maybe I could do a search on the web but I really wish someone could open a club much more locally. I live in the UK and to study  a Martial Art of your choice you would have to really search or have to travel.
So whats it like to study multiple Arts?


----------



## Aikikitty (Jul 2, 2004)

Hey Tony!

 I've never cross-trained so I can't offer an opinion on that.  I've heard one person say that a few of the techniques in Kung Fu and Aikido are simalar but I'm not sure as there are so many Kung Fu & Aikido styles.

If you want to try Aikido dojo searches then http://www.aikiweb.com/  & http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/clubs.php might be a good place to look.   http://www.budoseek.net/ is another one and I believe they all have dojos listed in the UK.

The style I'm learning is an Aikikai/Yoshikan mix and our head sensei has been a cop for many, many years and trains other policemen.  I'm sure it's done differently considering who's dojo it is and who's teaching but we usually start out with learning how to roll (you probably know how to do that already), stances, maybe some footwork, and bokken (wooden sword) practice.  The main point of the bokkens is that the footwork and sword movement/cuts are the same as in a technique without them.  Shiho Nage or Sankyo for instance--cutting down with uke's arm just like you would a bokken.

Beginners in our class always learn the techniques from static first with the 'one foot goes here, this hand does this' way.  When the person progresses then uke (the attacker) starts attacking with motion and more force and you eventually learn to go above the "step 1, 2, 3, etc." and do the techniques from whatever uke gives you.  (You probably do the same thing in Kung Fu, I'm guessing.)

If you find a dojo and start, come back and tell us about it.   :asian: 

Robyn


----------



## Littledragon (Jul 2, 2004)

Tony said:
			
		

> Hi Littledragon
> 
> Thanks for the information and advice, most appreciated. There is one Aikido class that I could go to but its about 15 miles away. Maybe I could do a search on the web but I really wish someone could open a club much more locally. I live in the UK and to study a Martial Art of your choice you would have to really search or have to travel.
> So whats it like to study multiple Arts?


I believe studying different martial arts is very important, no one style has everything each martial art is strong in its own area. If I want to be a sucesfull martial artsist in terms of self defense I need to know how to kick and take out my opponent by strikes since kicking is the most dangerous weapon of the human body so I learned Tae Kwon Do. I need to know how to grapple since 955 of street fights end up on the ground so I take Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and Wrestling. I also think it is very important while in close range to know how to box so I practice Boxing. I also think it is important to know how to defend yourself against multiple opponents so I learn Aikido. Also I believe I want to be a sucesfull martial artist in a street situation so I learned Jeet Kune Do which is pure street self defense.


----------



## brothershaw (Jul 2, 2004)

Thats alot of stuff to study. I have tried my hand at a few different things as well 
1- because I would like to be well rounded and 
2- I have alot of interests. 
I have found that studying multiple things at once slows down your progress because you are burning so much more energy, and your focus gets divided between all the things you practice.
Also its very hard to find good teachers and good schools to train at.And even harder to find different schools where the schedule doesnt conflict and you can afford it. 
If possible stick to the one thing you really like/ are good at, and add to it systematically, for example striking and grappling, or striking and throws, or grappling, throws and weapons (FMA). 
   I have been doing striking and FMAs and have been trying unsuccessfully to add throws/ grappling to the mix but their is only so much time in the world.
     Good luck with aikido and kung fu. What styler of kung fu?


----------



## theletch1 (Jul 3, 2004)

A great many martial artists gravitate to aikido after becoming proficient in another style.  I've been told (and agree to a certain extent) that it is inherent upon the aikido-ka to already be familiar with the basics of martial arts before beginning to train in aikido.  As you already have been studying kung fu for awhile your prior training should help.  The only drawbacks that I've had to training in one style and changing (not training simultaniously) to aikido was going from an external/hard style (kenpo) to the internal/soft style of aikido.  It's something of a different mindset.  From reading other posts of yours, Tony, I believe that the spiritual side of aikido and the self development aspects of the art will fit you well.  Good luck in your endeavors.


----------



## Littledragon (Jul 3, 2004)

Aikido is one of my favorite martial arts, it is such a soft art yet can be so deadly. I believe Aikido will fit you very well and my last words are.. GO FOR IT!


----------



## brothershaw (Jul 4, 2004)

To the Letch:  what you said sounds similiar to what I read about bagua, that originally it was primarily taught to people who were already proficient in other styles.  I think I read the same about aikido that Uyeshiba originally taught people who were already black belts.  I would imagine it might be easier to teach a non aggressive style to someone who already understands aggression/ intent?


----------



## theletch1 (Jul 4, 2004)

Yes, understanding agression and intent before entering the aikido dojo helps a good deal.  Also, most aikido dojos don't really focus on punches, kicks and such much more than on a basic level.  Having studied another art that *does* focus on these things will give you a better understanding of what type of energy you will be dealing with in a truly agressive attack.  Atemi (striking) should become almost second nature to you as you progress in your aikido studies to distract/soften up an opponent for a technique.  However, as I said earlier, most dojos seem to expect the student to already understand how and where to strike.  I still find myself having "flashbacks" to kenpo when engaged in multiple attacker randori.  It's really amusing to see the looks on some of my classmates faces when I take one attacker down with an armbar while simultaneously taking another down with a side kick to the groin.  Knowing the body language of an agressive style really helps me read an opponent as he loads up for a move.  This knowledge is not something that an aikido-ka is going to understand before putting in a lot of mat time but the techniques almost demand that that knowledge already be there.  Is aikido an art that should be avoided as a first art?  No, I don't think so, but knowing another art before hand does help a great deal.


----------



## Tony (Jul 5, 2004)

Well I think I would be very suited to learning Aikido, as it fits my personality, being a quiet non confronatational person. Also being built smaller than a lot of people its ideal in defending against bigger opponents (i'm only 5'7 150 pounds). I do have books on Aikido and lots of other Martial Arts but always better to learn from a qualified individual.


----------



## celtic bhoy (Sep 26, 2004)

Tony

I am from your area, where was you thinking of studying Aikido??

Regards

Celtic Bhoy.,


----------



## terry_gardener (Sep 28, 2004)

Try going to the following link you might find a dojo closer http://www.bab.org.uk/

good luck


----------



## farlow (Nov 3, 2004)

I study in Nihon Goshin Aikdo.  In this style we do practice strikes within our techniques.  The idea being that everybody is different in weight, height and strength.  Sometimes you may need to loosen up an opponent to actually accomplish a technique.  

My wife trains as well and I out weigh her by 100 lbs and I am much stronger.  Should she mess up a technique and I grab her she may not be able to perform a technique.  So she will strike to a knee, groin, throat, etc.. to loosen me up and then perform a technique.  For some reason though her strikes on me seem to be more violent then on the other students.  I may want to start giving her the TV remote more often.


----------



## Tony (Nov 14, 2004)

Hi Eveyrone.

I haven't been on for a while and I just want to thank everyone for the information you all provided. I have had a little taste of Aikido  because my instructors assistant instructor has studied some Aikido and as I have started going to a new Monday Kung Fu class we are practising more throws. We were doign some basic Aikido throws which I thought were really fun and the great thing about it was I throwing guys bigger than me without much effort.


----------



## Aikikitty (Nov 15, 2004)

Tony said:
			
		

> Hi Eveyrone.
> 
> I haven't been on for a while and I just want to thank everyone for the information you all provided. I have had a little taste of Aikido  because my instructors assistant instructor has studied some Aikido and as I have started going to a new Monday Kung Fu class we are practising more throws. We were doign some basic Aikido throws which I thought were really fun and the great thing about it was I throwing guys bigger than me without much effort.



Awesome!!!   artyon: 

Robyn  :asian:


----------



## AC_Pilot (Jan 23, 2005)

Aikido Budo is probably the only art I am interested in getting a belt in. As soon as I decide on  a good studio (The only one I respect at this point is 60 miles away) I am going to begin training in Nihon Goshin Aikdo.. it will be a wonderful addition/balance to my JKD related arts


----------



## JAMJTX (Jan 26, 2005)

What to expect in your first lesson depends on what style of Aikido you choose.
Either way you should spend much of your early time learning ukemi (breakfalls), stances, footwork and basic techniques. Pretty much all of the same techniques exist in all styles of Aikido.

I do prefer Yoshinkan for sekf defense training.  Other styles tend to stress the spiritual aspects of Aikido over fighting.  Yoshinkan seems to be the preferred Aikido of the Japanese Police Departments.  But still. other styles of Aikido can be effective self defense.  It's all in your approach to training. 



Jim Mc Coy


----------

