# Starting Shodokan Aikido as well as taekwondo



## TKD-Pete (Dec 23, 2006)

Hey guys... I was a bit torn between what art to start first and after a term at university of taekwondo I've decided I'd really like to try aikido as well.  I was planning to start aikido once I had more of a grounding in TKD, but now I kind of feel the urge to start a grappling art now, and also have an art under my belt that's less flashy and more 'effective' in the real world.

Now the problem is I'm not sure whether to start this year or wait until next year.  At this stage there may well not be many other beginners left at aikido and I'll have no knowledge and so I'll be pretty much on my own if I join after Christmas.  Everyone else will have trained at least twice a week for 3 months by this stage.

Do you think I'd be very far behind everyone else?  Also do you think it'll interfere with my taekwondo training?

Also, what's the difference between shodokan aikido and 'regular' aikido?

Thanks for any advice...

Pete


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## ArmorOfGod (Dec 23, 2006)

TKD-Pete said:


> Also do you think it'll interfere with my taekwondo training?
> 
> Also, what's the difference between shodokan aikido and 'regular' aikido?
> 
> Pete


 
I don't know what shodokan aikido is.  Do you think it might be shotokan aikido?  If it is then it would be a mix of shotokan karate and aikido.

Also, yes I think it would interfere with your tkd training, but that might not be an issue really.  The first thing you need to do is tell your tkd teacher that you are going to another school and see what he/she thinks about that.  Your tkd teacher may take issue with that, as aikido will be teaching you one set of movements and tkd will be teaching you an entirely different set.  Each art will tell you to hold your body different, kick different, strike different, and move different.  That may be an issue.

Plus, why try to bog yourself down by learning so many different styles right now.  Pick one and go with it for a while.  I am a huge fan of crosstraining, but believe you should pick one style to be your "backbone" style, then branch out and build upon that.

AoG


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## morph4me (Dec 23, 2006)

You can probably jump in at any time the basics are usually covered in every class and you can pick them up.

Shotokan aikido is also called Tomiki Aikido, there is a competition element to it, the techniques are the same as you would see in other aikido styles. 

I came to aikido from Goju Karate,  it took me a while to make the adjustment, from a harder more linear style to a softer, more circular one, the aikido training probably won't interfere with your TKD training, in fact it may enhance it, the aikido training may be a bit more challenging with the TKD background. Good luck


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## theletch1 (Dec 23, 2006)

Are you a beginner in both arts?  If so, I'd have to say that doing both at the same time is most likely not a good idea.  Cross training is a good idea but only if you already have a solid base in one art or the other.  TKD and aikido are so different that you'd short circuit your nervous system trying to imprint the two at the same time.  Martial arts is something that you must dedicate yourself to as if to a lifelong partner and no man should serve two masters at the same time.  

As for the other students having been to two classes a week for 3 months...aikido will normally take you 5 to 7 years to reach shodan (if that's the goal) so 3 months will not make any difference at all.  As Morph said, the basics are covered every class so you'll catch up pretty quickly.


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## TKD-Pete (Dec 24, 2006)

Yeah I'm a beginning in TKD too, so you reckon it would be better to leave aikido at least for this year?


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## theletch1 (Dec 24, 2006)

TKD-Pete said:


> Yeah I'm a beginning in TKD too, so you reckon it would be better to leave aikido at least for this year?


Yeah. But that's just my opinion.  You'll need to train your mind and body to do things as second nature that aren't exactly pre-programmed into the nervous system.  TKD and aikido are so different that trying to program two entirely opposite types of actions at the same time may well keep you from effectively programming ANYTHING.  Check the other crosstraining threads in this forum for more info.  Good luck on whichever art you decide to train in.


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## onequiks2k (Feb 16, 2007)

I just started back into the martial arts last month which is TKD. (I have been out of the loop for 10 years at least) Anyway I am about to do the same think in signing up for Aikido as well (they teach sword fighting which is 50% of their training) as for the TKD school is not that much involved w/ sword training...


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## theletch1 (Feb 17, 2007)

There's a big difference in "sword fighting" and what you will probably be learning how to do with the bokken in an aikido dojo.  The basic (very very basic) idea of aikido technique is drawn from sword technique in that everything always comes back to your center.  By training with the bokken and learning how to properly use a katana you will begin to understand this "back to the center" principle.  As for actually fighting or fencing with-in an aikido dojo I've not seen that happen.  If you've found one that does, indeed, do more than partner drills with the bokken I'd love to have a link to their website.   Good luck in you training and please keep us posted.  I think you'll find that it is a bit different from your TKD days.


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## Yari (Feb 19, 2007)

TKD-Pete said:


> Hey guys...


 
Hi



> Now the problem is I'm not sure whether to start this year or wait until next year. ....


 
What is the worst scenario if you wait? Getting to pratice in a class were everbody can help? instead of you and your uke always getting stuck?



> Also, what's the difference between shodokan aikido and 'regular' aikido?


 
There is no regular Aikido. There are a lot of different styles, but no regular. 




> Thanks for any advice...
> 
> Pete


 

Reading the rest of the threat I got to agree with theletch1.
Do sweat it. Get your basics in place, and then try to cross train. And in any case watin a year (while oding something else) is nothing compared to a lifetime og training.

/Yari


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