Pretty disappointed in myself, looking to fix that.

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[Blas]

Hey people, first time posting.

Been reading the forums for a little bit, and I thought I'd join to get something off my chest.

I'm 30 years old, and I've been wanting to try Aikido for a very long time. I did about 6 years of Wushu and some 3 years of boxing back in Mexico, and I did some Kyokushin here in Vancouver, but I really haven't done anything for a few months. I'm a very peaceful person by nature, and the more I read about Aikido, the more I wanted to get into it. I found a good dojo, and I tried one class, and while it was great, I didn't feel I worked a good sweat. Thing is, I'm probably about 10 kilograms overweight, and a bit out of shape, and I really want to fix that.

Because I couldn't get *that* workout there, I went and joined Krav Maga. It's a good fighting art for sure, and it did give me a good workout, but it's too aggressive. I know that's the point, but it didn't feel like the thing I was looking to do. I quit after one month.

I've been reading some of O-Sensei's writings and a great Aikido book that I bought (The Dynamic Sphere), and getting to know more about the origins, principles and teachings of Aikido has been truly eye-opening. This is what I should have been doing, and I should have kept training there. I can't blame my extra weight on a supposedly "soft" training. For that, I should eat better and go jogging.

I should have been smarter and I should have known what Aikido was offering me, and I should have known that Aikido is not just some workout, or effective self defense techniques, but a way to improve myself physically and mentally.

I really regret not having started that time, and I am so looking forward to re-start my training in January, and this time stick to it.

I don't mean to sound pretentious, and I certainly don't expect people in here to pay a lot of attention to this, but I felt an Aikido community forum was probably the best place to post this, and I did feel I needed to get this out, so I apologize if this is too much for a first post.

Soon I'll be talking to all of you about my experiences in training, and how hard it will be, and I can't wait for that.

Thanks!

[Victoria Pitt]

Hi Blas!!!

I am getting ready to head to the dojo for the night but reading this made me need to take a moment to respond to you.

Not all dojos are the same. I've been told that mine is more "hard" than others and we really do work up a sweat in there. Even so, it cannot take the place of regular athletic activity. Sure, it's an extra calorie burn in the week but some of the things that you need to stay safe aren't addressed enough. You can learn to fall perfectly, but if your core isn't in shape, you're more likely to have issues. I had to find out the hard way that though I am "semi" in shape and have a background in cyclocross and running, my core just wasn't strong enough and I got an injury. It would still be helpful to you to add in some cardio and strength training (especially core) to your Aikido routine.

Welcome to Aikido and I hope you get out of if what you want- spend some time on the board and you'll see that everyone has their own Aikido angle (wink). Still at the end of the day, I think people try to be nice and supportive.

Good luck with your training! =D

[crbateman]

I wouldn't worry about it. You have harmed no one, and have nothing to apologize for. You have identified what you want and need to do, so just move forward and enjoy it.

[ninjaqutie]

Each dojo has its own feel to it. I hope you find one that gives you what you are looking for. I look forward to reading your posts about how things work out. Good luck!

[Maarten De Queecker]

Hey people, first time posting.

Been reading the forums for a little bit, and I thought I'd join to get something off my chest.

I'm 30 years old, and I've been wanting to try Aikido for a very long time. I did about 6 years of Wushu and some 3 years of boxing back in Mexico, and I did some Kyokushin here in Vancouver, but I really haven't done anything for a few months. I'm a very peaceful person by nature, and the more I read about Aikido, the more I wanted to get into it. I found a good dojo, and I tried one class, and while it was great, I didn't feel I worked a good sweat. Thing is, I'm probably about 10 kilograms overweight, and a bit out of shape, and I really want to fix that.

Because I couldn't get *that* workout there, I went and joined Krav Maga. It's a good fighting art for sure, and it did give me a good workout, but it's too aggressive. I know that's the point, but it didn't feel like the thing I was looking to do. I quit after one month.

I've been reading some of O-Sensei's writings and a great Aikido book that I bought (The Dynamic Sphere), and getting to know more about the origins, principles and teachings of Aikido has been truly eye-opening. This is what I should have been doing, and I should have kept training there. I can't blame my extra weight on a supposedly "soft" training. For that, I should eat better and go jogging.

I should have been smarter and I should have known what Aikido was offering me, and I should have known that Aikido is not just some workout, or effective self defense techniques, but a way to improve myself physically and mentally.

I really regret not having started that time, and I am so looking forward to re-start my training in January, and this time stick to it.

I don't mean to sound pretentious, and I certainly don't expect people in here to pay a lot of attention to this, but I felt an Aikido community forum was probably the best place to post this, and I did feel I needed to get this out, so I apologize if this is too much for a first post.

Soon I'll be talking to all of you about my experiences in training, and how hard it will be, and I can't wait for that.

Thanks!

Aikido can be quite the workout, if you choose it to be, physically as well as mentally.

Anyway, good luck with it. Aikido was the same kind of revelation to me two years ago as it is to you now, apparently. The moment I saw a few videos and read some information about it, I immediately knew that this was what I had always been looking for. Two years later I'm still as passioned as I was when I started out, mainly because there is so much to learn and the people are generally very nice. Aikido is really a community: most dojo's will welcome you with open arms if you want to train with them.

[Shadowfax]

welcome Blas. Ok so you maybe took the long road to get started. The important thing is actually starting. I never even heard of aikido until a year ago. And the last thing I ever wanted to do was take up a martial art at the time.... then it just kinda came along and here I am. If a 39 year old overweight woman with no history of anything like a martial art can get started so can you.

Be careful and train smart. Aikido is indeed a workout. I'm down 25 pounds since I started. If you wait until you are in exactly the ideal condition you will never be ready.. ol just train. Use your head. Don't do more than your body can handle and increase slowly as you are able. Most of all enjoy the ride. :)

[MattMiddleton]

Hey, don't be so hard on yourself! :) A lot of people on here (myself included) have taken breaks from aikido, or left and come back.

BTW, you'll be surprised how much weight you can lose with vigorous training in Aikido, especially with some minor tweaks to your diet (mostly just bumping up vegetables and reducing meat). I lost about 15 kg in 6 months by going to practice for 1-3 hours a week, and eating better. Probably won't lose as fast as other activities, but you really can lose it with Aikido as your main exercise.

[Carrie Campbell]

At the beginning, the most exercise is getting up each time. Most partners I've had would be cautious with a beginner until they are sure the person can fall safely. Once you are adept at falling, you will be able to pick up more speed and a more aerobic workout.

[Daniel Wilson]

Heya Blas,

There's nothing to feel ashamed of. The only thing to ever feel ashamed of is not acting. You wanted to train and workout at the same time, there is no shame in that. Aikido, it is true, is usually not an extravagant workout and will not trim you down - you should do some other exercises for that. But it'll help.

You have returned to us now and as you said, you know that you want to do Aikido. So do Aikido and enjoy it! Devote yourself to studying the art, because to know that you want to do aikido and to not act would be shameful - whereas your previous actions were not.

I'm sure what you probably feel worse about is having shown up to a class and now..having to go back to that dojo and say "heh..I was silly, I want to train here." But it isn't really necessary. I'm certain that most sensei's are used to people coming and going, and they aren't going to immediately latch onto you with hopes of your long-term commitment. Our dojo in particular (being on a university campus) has a low retention rate. Much like Tomiki, we don't expect most people to stay very long, and most don't.

So you don't need to apologize, just show up and dedicate yourself - and they will all be most happy to see you.

[senorqueso]

Welcome Blas!

If you're looking for a workout, maybe you just didn't visit on the right day. My dojo has several classes a week that are oriented towards beginner and intermediate levels, but Wednesday night is advanced class. I went to uke for the yudansha one night and I was entirely winded by the end of the hour and a half class. I have to agree with Carrie, if you learn to fall really well you can get a great cardio workout simply by being uke for the more experienced belts. Getting up really wears you down!

[Blas]

To everyone in here, particularly for those who replied my post (but also to the ones that read it):
Thank you very much for the time you took to read my silly post and for you answers.
It all makes sense, really, and I know in many ways I was being silly...I just felt like getting that out. I'd feel pretty weird going back to train without having said this first haha.
Thank you all so much, and I'm very excited about getting into Aikido for good and about sharing those experiences with all of you.

[Walter Martindale]

Hi Blas,
I'll weigh in with more support for patience. In a manner similar to a baby learning to walk, when you're new to Aikido, you're rather limited in how much you can do.
this is true in nearly any new activity - basics, basics, basics, and then in conjunction with your learning the basics, your body also becomes gradually more robust, and you can get more and more out of a workout.
When you have got to a stage where the sensei pairs you up, doesn't teach, but calls out "attack - technique," (e.g., Shomenuchi - Iriminage") and changes the attack and technique every 10 minutes through 80 minutes of a 90 minute session (after warm up), with you and your partner taking turns for four attacks, you'll find that by the end of that 80 minutes, you will be rather - um - tired. As you adapt to more and more of those sessions (if the dojo has them, and doesn't do 10 minutes teaching, 2 minutes practice as I've suffered through from time to time) you will find that you'll be able to go faster and more dynamically through the whole session. At first, you'll be vigorous for the first little while, then longer, then you'll get through the entire session without needing to rest. Then you'll be able to pick up the speed, and keep it for longer times.
In sports training it's called progressive loading.
HTH
Walter

[Daniel Wilson]

I'll support that - aikido can be a good workout if you try hard. It just requires three things: 1. good falling technique, 2. a willing and dedicated partner who also wants to work hard, 3. focus.

If you learn your techniques enough that you can perform them somewhat fluidly, then you can focus and really drill through entire katas in a short period of time, which will wear you out.

My old partner and I used to do this for several weeks in prepping for belt tests, just focus - bite down - and spend every second in the class running through entire katas; only pausing when we noticed something we needed to work on.

However, it will take a little time before you know any katas that well.

[dalen7]

Blas,

Aikido is a mixed bag, and depending on what you expect you can either be disappointed, or excited, or go through waves of both. :)

It was frustrating for me the first 6 months, mainly due to learning in a different language than my native toungue. I actually stopped for 5 month, then got back into it and things were different.

At some point, things clicked, the how things worked, when they could be practical or not practical was making more sense.

Based on some scuffles I had in the past, I saw how I could have ended the fight more peacefully with certain techniques.

Not only that, I realized that with my attitude I could have just prevented the fight by not allowing myself to get involved in the other persons tornado.

Of course life will give you challenges until you master these concepts.

As for exercise and the idea about beating a sport fighter, the fact is that those guys train with getting their body beaten, like ol' rocky with the stomach punches. [stings after awhile...] So in a sense that is a separate, yet connected, discipline altogether.

Im trying to mix the two, the yin and yang. Ill have to admit the harder stuff at my age isnt how it was when I first dabbled in kick boxing in my earlier years... back then punches didnt phase me, but then again I wasnt fighting someone larger than me. :)

So, in the end, its all good. You have some experiences in some pretty cool arts, boxing being great for footwork... etc.

Whatever you do, have a good time, and enjoy - and keep us posted with your Aikido.

You say your 30... your still a young whipper snapper. :D

Peace

dAlen

[Russ Q]

Hello Blas,

Go visit Tama Nakashimada sensei who has her dojo at the Trout Lake Community Center at Victoria and 16th. If you want to sweat she is the teacher to visit......check the dojo website at www.shoheijuku.ca

Good luck,

Russ

[mari]

I wouldn't expect a workout out of a Aikido class for a while though. It will come, just have to be patient. The faster you learn, the faster you'll get a sweat out of it.

[Melchizedek]

In Aikido We learn from hard work and pain, the evidence of livening.