Cross Training in Aikido

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[yankeechick]

:cool:

Hi Guys,

A question for discussion:

If you were going to cross train, which martial art style would you choose?

How about Aikido and Silat or Escrima?

Aikido and Goju-Ryu?

Let's here your thoughts!

:D

[ChrisHein]

I guess that depends on the purpose of your cross training. You could cross train Aikido with anything you like.

[Shannon Frye]

I agree with Chris - it depends entirely on what YOU want to achieve, or get out of it.

[lbb]

What Chris said. Why do you want to cross-train?

[Mannix Moya]

Its personal preference. From me its gonna be Arnis, because I'm awed how foreigners rave about our national martial art. But I'm also ashamed because being a Filipino, I should have studied it first before Aikido :cool:

[dps]

Boxing, judo or jujitsu and Bagua (Pakua).

David

[yankeechick]

I think I would try escrima or kali. A friend shows me escrima and kali techniques from time to time. I always get excited when i see how the technique can be related to Aikido.

I am curious as to what we aikidoists find compatible with aikido. It's just a fun discussion to have, I think...

I meet so many folks who have such varied martial arts backgrounds, I just think it is interesting and something positive.

[Eric Winters]

Hello,

I think the best arts to cross train in are Judo and BJJ. But I would suggest getting a really good base in BJJ, Judo or Aikido first, before training in the other two arts. Also if you have the opportunity to study a Koryu Jujitsu art that would be outstanding but it all depends on what you want out of your training.

Best,

Eric

[yankeechick]

hi guys,

let me say this again. this is a question for discussion. I ma not looking for advice as to what to choose, if I cross train.

I thought it would be a good discussion piece. Like a "what if...what would I choose?"

I do not need advice, but thank you to those who offered.

discussion, exploration of ideas and thoughts...

[Chris Covington]

Hi Antonia,

I am going to make the assumption since this is about cross training it is to enhance the aikidoka's aikido trianing. I think an art like aikido (or Daito-ryu) does well with some sort of competitive grappling art like sumo, judo or BJJ. This gives the aiki person a chance to train against opponents who will not comply with the kata. I feel judo or sumo also makes your ukemi better. I would also mix in a weapon system that focuses on using heavy weapons away from the body such as furibo training in Jikishinkage-ryu or some sort of sojutsu.

Best regards,

[lbb]

I'd choose a koryu weapons form if possible, but good luck finding someone who teaches that (legitimately). I also think a lot of aikidoka could benefit from training in a striking style, which would teach them to hit properly and also to discard their aikido bigotry about how sloooooow all those punches and kicks are. As I have said elsewhere, however, I think there's some danger in the whole "cross-training" mentality. Karate isn't an adjunct to aikido, it isn't there to improve your aikido, and you shouldn't undertake the study of karate (or any martial art) unless you are willing to take it just as seriously, for and of itself, as you do aikido.

[yankeechick]

@ Mary and Christopher Cunningham - i like those comments. when i think of cross training, i think of what would compliment my aikido and vice versa. yep, you have to take them all seriously.

balance, evading, re-directing, immobilizing; BUT putting someone down if you have to save your life. IF, IF, IF.... not for the purpose of aggression.

I'm still liking escrima. jujutsu training hurts LOL..

Judo and Jujutsu would help with the breakfalls....

[phitruong]

no particular order: systema, chen taiji, roppokai daito-ryu, parkour (nothing like running away in style!).

[Kevin Leavitt]

Parkour is good stuff. As Many have stated I think it depends on what your goals are. I like Bjj for learning body/feedback dynamics. Escrima is good for distance/weapons. Muay Thai for strikes and kicks I think are three real good system. Each offers a different focus.

[lbb]

Parkour is good stuff.

Oh man. Parkour (http://www.youtube.com/user/parkourgenerations?blend=6&ob=4). Yeah. This makes me wonder if the best possible cross-training isn't a martial art at all.

[JW]

This is such a cop-out answer but: MMA.
Strictly speaking, MMA means learning how to use techniques effectively, right? So it isn't an "art" per se-- it is learning to use what works.
So it isn't adding another Do/Michi, it is jutsu randori in a non-cooperative environment. So you learn good striking, good groundwork.. you do it without treating another art like it is secondary, in other words all in the name of bettering yourself in your one path. (aikido stays in the center)

Yeah?

Really though, it is a hard question because of the "respect both arts" problem. You want to practice stuff that you don't do at the aikido dojo, but you don't want to disrespect the other arts by keeping aikido as your real "way."

[Sy Labthavikul]

Parkour is what taught me to soften up my ukemi. Nice, soft, flat mats are wonderful to practice on - minimizes impact so we can practice longer with less risk of injury. But all that cushion can obscure minor mistakes we might make - if you roll or fall onto concrete, or from a higher distance (rooftops are fun!), any mistake you make in your technique is made painfully obvious.

For that matter, I also discovered the joy of running barefoot - really teaches you efficient running biomechanics when you don't have overbuilt padded shoes getting in the way!

I've heard stories that a young Mitsunari Kanai would practice his ukemi out on the street. O'Sensei would admonish him for making himself into a spectacle in public, but apparently Kanai Sensei's ukemi was as soundless as a cat.

[yankeechick]

There was a JuJitsu Shihan, Moses Powell who taught his students: "We don't fall, we land..."

how's that for learning a safe ukemi?

cross training is a hard question, for the very fact mentioned...you want to respect both arts.

The discussion continues......:D

[phitruong]

Parkour is what taught me to soften up my ukemi. Nice, soft, flat mats are wonderful to practice on - minimizes impact so we can practice longer with less risk of injury. But all that cushion can obscure minor mistakes we might make - if you roll or fall onto concrete, or from a higher distance (rooftops are fun!), any mistake you make in your technique is made painfully obvious.
.

really like the way this dude move http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duMScxR7LJ8

parkour + systema + yoga - what a combination!

[gregstec]

really like the way this dude move http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duMScxR7LJ8



yeah, I think he would do well with ukemi :D

Greg

[yankeechick]

really like the way this dude move http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duMScxR7LJ8

parkour + systema + yoga - what a combination!

I think this should be titled "don't try this at home" LOL..His falls look a lot more developed and sophisticated than the falls taught by some highly regarded shihans in the aikikai system; the "soft" breakfalls that I've been trying to learn...

(but can't get them to teach, unless I pay for private lesson..wtf..lmao)..oh well.

I might have to look into getting this man's dvds. i've heard of him, before.

[Amir Krause]

Anything with a good enough teacher that is worth learning from and that teaches something that is dissimilar enough to my regular training for me to benefit more insight and new knowledge from putting an additional hour at learning it instead of continuing to train in with my teacher at the same time (assuming your time is limited).

In fact, at present, I get to the dojo so rarely (once a week at most :-/ ) that given more time, I would train with my teacher first.

At the past, I was in a situation at which I had a lot of time on my hands, during which there were no additional sessions at the regular dojo. And after some time, I started learning other M.A. At first I tried Aikikai Aikido (my main M.A. is Korindo Aikido). After a a few months, I realized I was wasting my time there, possibly the systems are too close, and the teachers were not as good, so all I could see were the disadvantages. Then I found TKD with a great teacher, who while young (compared to my main teacher), had had real life experience in security\law-enforcement, was a thinking person himself, and had learned from a teacher who insisted on practical applications (and left TKD as it became more of a sport to develop "his own modern M.A.").

It is not the name of the M.A. that is important, it is the TEACHER.

Amir

[Akako110]

Aikido and *BJJ!!!

*Brazilian jiu-jitsu