# First exposure to Aikido



## bignick (Feb 11, 2006)

And it was great...

We had our annual Kangeiko (winter training) in Judo today.  In the afternoon, an Aikido sensei came in and taught for a few hours and I had a blast.  

We started off talking about Aikido and history, philosophy, etc.  Then we went through some of the basic excersizes and warmups and went right into ikkyo.  Then we started working on shiho nage and from there to irimi nage.  The instructor did a fantastic job of demonstrating the connection between Aikido and the sword arts.  

The nage and arm bars were things I've seen many times, but the footwork, transitions, entries, execution, were all very different stylisticly and interesting.  I particularly liked a couple of versions of irimi nage.  Let's face it, Aikido people tend to be a bit more "granola", and he seemed to be no exception, he was talking so much about blending, harmony, etc and just lightly moving uke around and then all of a sudden he say something like, "Don't move" or "Trust me".  And if you so much as blinked you missed it, he would just slam them to the ground so fast and precisely, it was great to see.

After that we did a bit of weapons work, some aikiken and jo. Again, interesting footwork and theories, still tying into the empty-handed techniques.  He would be moving slowly and gracefully demonstrating and then all of a sudden, again, "Don't move" and the weapon would be flying around his opponent just barely missing each time.  

Very cool stuff, I've seen a lot of Aikido and watched a class or two, but I've never actually had an Aikido instructor showing me techniques and had a chance to work them.  It was good fun and definitely something I'd like to train in if I ever had the time.  But I think I've been a little too tainted with the judo and jujutsu methods of moving...

Good stuff, nonetheless...just thought I'd share


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## samurai69 (Feb 12, 2006)

glad you enjoyed it......it got me hooked


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## SAVAGE (Feb 12, 2006)

Fun aint it?


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## tshadowchaser (Feb 12, 2006)

Glad you injoye the class.  I know my first time on the mat with an Akidio instructor was an experence i will never forget


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## Yari (Feb 13, 2006)

Welcome to the world of Aikido.......

you should stay a couple of days ;-)

/yari


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## theletch1 (Feb 13, 2006)

Yari said:
			
		

> Welcome to the world of Aikido.......
> 
> you should stay a couple of days ;-)
> 
> /yari


Yep, and that pain in your joints will go away...eventually.


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## bignick (Feb 13, 2006)

theletch1 said:
			
		

> Yep, and that pain in your joints will go away...eventually.



Unfortunately, this was more of a short vacation into the world of Aikido.  Because of Jujutsu and Judo experience, the actual techniques were nothing new, what was more interesting was the differences in footwork and philosophy.


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## CrankyDragon (Feb 26, 2006)

Ive been on a MA vacation due to $$$, but I did find that my previous experience in Aikido was of benefit in BJJ.  Hoping to also take some Judo too...  looks like a lot of fun!  

Glad you had a positive exposure to the world of Aikido, it is quite different, and because its still so "new", seldom properly understood.

Andrew


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## beau_safken (Feb 27, 2006)

I liked Aikido when I took it for the first time as well.  But yea that change in philosophy is a strange turn.  Its all good thou.  All that twisting of the limbs and such really goes away after a while.  But then again I was so used to it from silat that it was no big deal.  Way to go in trying a new art.


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