aikido and/or shorinji kempo

[cretiv]

I love that aikido uses the opponent's force and redirects it back. I like that the movements are smooth and kind of flowing. I feel like flowing isn't the best word, but there is some sort of harmonious feeling that I'm really attracted to. However, I also like shorinji kempo has hard and soft techniques. I'm wondering if these two are kind of similar and if they mesh well together if I choose to learn the other years later. I know that I will need to be committed and be willing to learn one well before I move onto another but I'm prepared to spend the time and money for it

 

[Chris Parker]

No.

Look, the issue with this type of question is that it implies and "end" to learning a system… and it doesn't work that way. In a very real way, what you do is to constantly refine, rather than "learn". And each art is a particular methodology/systematised approach to solving problems (combatively themed, if not combative per se) within the context of that system… so what you're doing is training (not learning… there's a difference) yourself in a way of addressing problems. You're not learning x-number of physical actions (techniques). They're really little more than a physical representation of the actual art/system itself.

In a way, it's like asking about learning different languages… you can learn French, Italian, Spanish… they'll all have a fair bit of cross-over, due to their common Latin root… but you can't just combine French grammar with Spanish syntax and Italian vocabulary. It's even more out of the realm of reality if you're talking about things that don't have such a commonality… say, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Swahili… and asking if they "blend together well".

In the end, like a language, you can only use one at a time… even if you're borrowing physical methods from different systems, you're only going to be able to utilise one methodology to express it (one art/system). If you're wanting to learn both, learn both. If you want to do one, and focus on it, do that. But don't think about "will these combine well?", because it both misses and defeats the purpose of training either in the first place.

 

[Mephisto]

Most arts use the opponent's force and redirect it. aikido does not have a monopoly on this. Also hard and soft are just an explanation for methods that are used by all martial arts, many people misuse these terms and think of them in absolutes. Before choosing an art if consider what your goal is. Aikido has an interesting philosophy and imo that philosophy is very difficult to apply to a resisting attacker, so if fighting ability is your goal there are better options. Train one Art and start there, get to class and train. dont worry about 5 or 10 years from, go train this week, quit overthinking and get to it.