# Being tempted by Aikido



## Xue Sheng (Feb 22, 2016)

I have been losing weight due to diet and training and my energy levels are going up and I find that my resistance is getting weaker and weaker as it applies to my little Aikidoka and her Sensei trying to get me on the mat.

Usually I think my knees will not take it, and I doubt they would in knee walking, and that is followed by a multitude of other excuses...but this past class....it was brought up again and I found myself seriously thinking...hmmm....maybe in spring.....

Not giving up CMA, been at that to long, and not committing to Aikido just yet, but it is a serious thought for the first time since the little Aikidoka started Aikido...which she still loves by the way.


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## Flatfish (Feb 22, 2016)

Just wanted to say that it's great to hear about kids loving MA. My daughter quit TKD after about a year. My son has been at it for 2 years now (started at 4 1/2) and alternates between enjoying it (usually for a while after a good belt test) and complaining non-stop. He would have quit if I wasn't training with him.


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## ShawnP (Feb 22, 2016)

Xue Sheng said:


> I have been losing weight due to diet and training and my energy levels are going up and I find that my resistance is getting weaker and weaker as it applies to my little Aikidoka and her Sensei trying to get me on the mat.
> 
> Usually I think my knees will not take it, and I doubt they would in knee walking, and that is followed by a multitude of other excuses...but this past class....it was brought up again and I found myself seriously thinking...hmmm....maybe in spring.....
> 
> Not giving up CMA, been at that to long, and not committing to Aikido just yet, but it is a serious thought for the first time since the little Aikidoka started Aikido...which she still loves by the way.


i took Aikido for a few months along with some iaido (not sure if i spelled that correctly), and i have to say that it is much easier on my knees than the MA system i was training in Prior. i used to do flooring and most of my joints are shot especially my knees. i say go for it you wont be sorry!


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 22, 2016)

Flatfish said:


> Just wanted to say that it's great to hear about kids loving MA. My daughter quit TKD after about a year. My son has been at it for 2 years now (started at 4 1/2) and alternates between enjoying it (usually for a while after a good belt test) and complaining non-stop. He would have quit if I wasn't training with him.



Last time the youngest was asked, by a Aikido sensei other than her own, what she liked best about Aikido....response was..."What's not to like"...and we' re going into the 5th year


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 22, 2016)

ShawnP said:


> i took Aikido for a few months along with some iaido (not sure if i spelled that correctly), and i have to say that it is much easier on my knees than the MA system i was training in Prior. i used to do flooring and most of my joints are shot especially my knees. i say go for it you wont be sorry!



Torn meniscus and arthritis..... I can get on my knees, but I am not sure about Shikko and Seiza...heck when my knees were good I had problems with Seiza


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## ShawnP (Feb 22, 2016)

ive been wanting to try these pills for years now, they are supposed to help repair the tissue between the joints, i forget what they are called, but i have other more important medical things pending. i also have the arthritis, some days i have to roll out of my bed because it hurts too much to sit up. im hoping i can at least get back to the iaido before i get too old or die, i really enjoyed that with the exception of learning the whole uniform dressing and folding part. i understand it is tradition, but i see no use for this in my every day life at this point.

just curious, what kind of dieting and training are you doing now?


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## Spinedoc (Feb 22, 2016)

There are no pills that repair tissue between joints. Glucosamine Chondroitin was initially marketed as such, but it does no such thing. It can however, help arthritic pain....


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## ShawnP (Feb 22, 2016)

this was advertised years ago, i probably dont remember correctly but that is what the commercial advertised the pill naturally did. might have just been a gimmick to sell the darn things.


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 22, 2016)

ShawnP said:


> ive been wanting to try these pills for years now, they are supposed to help repair the tissue between the joints, i forget what they are called, but i have other more important medical things pending. i also have the arthritis, some days i have to roll out of my bed because it hurts too much to sit up. im hoping i can at least get back to the iaido before i get too old or die, i really enjoyed that with the exception of learning the whole uniform dressing and folding part. i understand it is tradition, but i see no use for this in my every day life at this point.
> 
> just curious, what kind of dieting and training are you doing now?



Dieting was initially forced due to an acid reflux issue. However that appears to have subsided and now I am heading towards mostly vegetarian (again) based on the book Forks over Knives. As for training, it is about 20 to 30 minutes of Aerobics in the morning, some strength training on the bowflex and total gym, and some yoga when I can fit it in.


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## Jenna (Feb 23, 2016)

Xue Sheng said:


> I have been losing weight due to diet and training and my energy levels are going up and I find that my resistance is getting weaker and weaker as it applies to my little Aikidoka and her Sensei trying to get me on the mat.
> 
> Usually I think my knees will not take it, and I doubt they would in knee walking, and that is followed by a multitude of other excuses...but this past class....it was brought up again and I found myself seriously thinking...hmmm....maybe in spring.....
> 
> Not giving up CMA, been at that to long, and not committing to Aikido just yet, but it is a serious thought for the first time since the little Aikidoka started Aikido...which she still loves by the way.


Aikido?? You mean you are prepared to relinquish your quest to be the most lethal killing machine to ever have walked the earth? pffft.. 

I am happy to hear you are considering all of the options available to you XS  For me there was nothing ever more inspirational than to have my father be at the ring with me or be training with me  x


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## oftheherd1 (Feb 26, 2016)

Xue Sheng said:


> I have been losing weight due to diet and training and my energy levels are going up and I find that my resistance is getting weaker and weaker as it applies to my little Aikidoka and her Sensei trying to get me on the mat.
> 
> Usually I think my knees will not take it, and I doubt they would in knee walking, and that is followed by a multitude of other excuses...but this past class....it was brought up again and I found myself seriously thinking...hmmm....maybe in spring.....
> 
> Not giving up CMA, been at that to long, and not committing to Aikido just yet, but it is a serious thought for the first time since the little Aikidoka started Aikido...which she still loves by the way.



Maybe check your own tag line?


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 26, 2016)

Jenna said:


> Aikido?? You mean you are prepared to relinquish your quest to be the most lethal killing machine to ever have walked the earth? pffft..
> 
> I am happy to hear you are considering all of the options available to you XS  For me there was nothing ever more inspirational than to have my father be at the ring with me or be training with me  x



Well..I figured since I was already the dangerous and lethal guy on the planet that I might want to check into something more meditative..

Actually I do see a lot of similarities between aikido applications and Taijiquan, they are not exactly the same, but there are some rather interesting similarities


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 26, 2016)

oftheherd1 said:


> Maybe check your own tag line?



You realize it is not fair to use my own words against me don't you


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## Kenneth (Mar 13, 2016)

I love Aikido.


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## oaktree (Mar 13, 2016)

Hey aren't you in new York? Some great daito ryu guys there. Don't worry about being on the knees I recall a guy who couldn't do anything on his knees so he didn't do those sets or I think he sat crossed leg I think it's an awesome thing to do with your daughter,mine goes and grabs the escrima sticks the other one is more interested in sword both love wushu or as my daughter calls it daddy's ballet


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 13, 2016)

Yeah, but I am up in the mountains, way north of NYC


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## oaktree (Mar 13, 2016)

Is that near Jersey?


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 14, 2016)

That would be about 270 miles north of New Jersey


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## Gerry Seymour (Mar 14, 2016)

Xue Sheng said:


> You realize it is not fair to use my own words against me don't you


Verbal Aikido. How appropriate.


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## oaktree (Mar 14, 2016)

Ah I see some distance. Recently I have learned some ballet purely to dance with my daughter but man does that toe position posture is painful


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## Instructor (Mar 14, 2016)

I think you should have a very frank conversation with the Aikido instructor about your physical limitations and see if you can participate.


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 14, 2016)

oaktree said:


> Ah I see some distance. Recently I have learned some ballet purely to dance with my daughter but man does that toe position posture is painful



Bruce Lee said the best athletes for martial arts were dancers in his opinion.


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 14, 2016)

Instructor said:


> I think you should have a very frank conversation with the Aikido instructor about your physical limitations and see if you can participate.



Thanks, but not at that point yet, but when I get there, that is what I plan on doing. I really do not see me starting any of this, if I do, before Summer.


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## Gerry Seymour (Mar 14, 2016)

Xue Sheng said:


> Bruce Lee said the best athletes for martial arts were dancers in his opinion.


Don Angier (soke of Yanagi-ryu Aiki Bugei) once told me in a seminar that if he had his way, he'd require people to take 6 months of dance before he would train them.


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## Gerry Seymour (Mar 15, 2016)

gpseymour said:


> Don Angier (soke of Yanagi-ryu Aiki Bugei) once told me in a seminar that if he had his way, he'd require people to take 6 months of dance before he would train them.


I find a "dislike" of that comment funny. It's a quote of something an instructor said to me - what's to dislike?


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