Why do you practice Aikido?

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[carloguevarra]

hi,
you can just answer the question. i just want to know what are your reasons why.

[happysod]

Don't know, seriously don't know - tried to leave it at least twice before, but other MA just didn't "do it" for me. It's truely addictive and should be banned by UN convention...

"off topic" - I'm running a book on who will be first to grump "it's been answered on aikiweb before", any takers?

[SeiserL]

I have been in martial arts all of my adult life. Its an identity thing. I tell people its because I don't golf. This windmills and clown faces were just too difficult for me.

But, as a martial artist, Aikido was something I had to evolve into. Its a good workout, its enjoyable, and its a practice that is phyiscal congruent with its priniciples and philosophies.

Until again,

Lynn

[otto]

Hi Carlo..

My reasons to do Aikido have changed somehow with time , MAs have been part of my life since being a kid.

However i wanted to start something anew , different from the traditional arts , so I decided to give a try to this Aikido thing , with practice and time however I came to be amazed at the simplicity and power behind aikido circular movements and thus got totally hooked with it..

Now its a matter of relearning and teaching my body and mind many things , how to walk , move , even how to breath , kind of an inner trip wich I hope will be very long..

Thats mostly all for me , I guess..

Best of Wishes

Plus KI!.

[DCP]

In my youth, I was always interested in martial arts, but lacked the physical traits "necessary" for some. Being 5'9", I don't have a good reach for boxing or sparring arts. I also felt that kicking arts left a great deal to be desired (the higher one kicks, the higher/harder one may fall!)

When I went to college, my good friend/roommate was in TKD and also started to do Aikido. I watched one class and was immediately drawn to it. It got to the point that I was practicing three times a week for three hours each without it growing old or dull.

I also enjoy the aspect that all the techniques are demonstrated/taught/learned regardless of rank. Higher kyus simply meant more polish to the technique, and very little is withheld (except for high ukemi for the newbies).

The philosophy of defense without aggresive reaction also had great appeal to me.

Since I have a short temper, I find that Aikido has helped me to tame the beast within. (I'm still working on this, but am much better than I used to be)

[bob_stra]

For the peverse sexual pleasure of wearing a skirt in a roomful of men wearing skirts?

;)

Actually, because I really, really, really, really LIKE aikido. Really really.

[Aikiscott]

The Original reason was to get back into shape, A goal still not realised. I was a Karate guy for many years but when I started looking for a Karate school in my area after 10 yrs off, I found that most were not worth the fees they were charging. I remebered reading an article in a martial arts magazine about O'sensei and Aikido and thought I would give it a go, 2 years later I finaly found a Dojo in my area.

Now I train for the Friendships I have developed, for the Exercise, and for the fact that I know I have found the Best teacher for me. The Martial(Self Defence) Side is Important but not the reason that I continue to practice.

[shihonage]

In order to gain the ULTIMATE POWER over ALL THAT IS.

...

Join ME, and we shall rule the Galaxy as Father and Son.

[adriangan]

because i enjoy it. i've tried and observed different arts and for me aikido just feels right.

[Kelly Allen]

I'm a bit of a fatalist so for me I kind of stumbled into it. I was looking to get into a martial art for exersise because I'm middle aged and was severely out of shape due to haveing a desk job for the previous 5 years. I researched many MAs and local Dojos to see what would work for me. I wasn't finding what I was looking for. Then one weekend the family and I were camping on some newly developed beach property we purchased a few years before. The first morning that we were enjoying the beach I came across my neigbor carving a knife out of a peice of wood. I jokingly said "wouldn't it be easier to use the knife you are carving with" to break the ice while introducing myself. He then explained that he was an Aikido instructor and he was carving the knives to use in his knife defence classes. I then told him that I had been looking for a MA to train in with no success. He gave me his dojo address and the rest is history.

[bob_stra]

In order to gain the ULTIMATE POWER over ALL THAT IS.

...

Join ME, and we shall rule the Galaxy as Father and Son.
no,no, NO. It can't be true....(pause)

I'll never join you....NEEEEEEEEVVVVVVVEEEEER

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH (splat)

[Kung Fu Liane]

I wish i knew, i just can't stop anymore. I think part of it is i just can't wait 'till the next class, to see what else there is to learn, so curiosity really

[JJF]

Short answer: It just makes me feel good.

The slightly longer version: I've done both karate and kendo previously, but one day I watched a tape with an aikido-presentation done in japanese. I didn't understand anything they said, but I just knew right then that I had to try that for myself. A few years later I found myself in a new town, where there was actually an aikido-dojo and I dropped in one day to check it out. I very quickly felt 'at home', so I'm still there as much as possible.

[bujin]

Because I liked a lot the connection of black hakama and white keikogi. :D Stupid but true.

[Joseph Huebner]

Good question! Here's my response.

1. Discipline

2. Coordination - I was treated for lymphoma. Although I've been in remission for 5 yrs, I am still dealing with the damage the disease and chemo did to my body; especially the brain.

3. Self-esteem - Going back to the cancer thing, another untoward effect is "survivors guilt" and post traumatic stress disorder. Through excersize and repetition, these effects are lessened and more managable. Pretty important for anyone, not just people who have been through such challenges.

4. Camraderie - My career as a paramedic involves teamwork. I enjoy the company of many with the same interests and levels of experience.

5. Leadership and Mentorship - I may be very, very new to aikido, yet I am becoming an old salt at being a cancer survivor. I speak with many cancer patients of all walks of life who are fighting the many forms of cancer. By being active, and pursuing such interests I show others that it is possible to live after cancer.

6. Overall health - I refuse to be a couch or mouse potato!

7. Self-Defense - Back to being a paramedic dealing with the best and worst of humanity... Well, sometimes, in very isolated situations when you are called to help someone the patient or family member wishes to cause *you* harm, due to inability to handle crisis, alcohol, drug use, or mental instability. Rather than doing something to cause injury, I prefer a method which does not injure. Make sense? I'm still trying to find a quick definite answer for all of the above.

Joseph

[Michael Owen]

To develope strong self control, posess gentle means of self defense, and just for the hell of it.

[blackburnaj]

I just sort of fell into it. After a weird situation while visiting SF, on a trip home from the service. I went back to base and looked into what was there, did a little research...history. I have also tried to venture out, but the training seemed mean spirited. That being said, I have trained with some very nice and competent Jujitsu practioners.

I also a notice a really big and great thing... Every single aikidoist I have met has been just so nice! and with very little ego.

[ryujin]

I saw an aikido demonstration on the Dick Cavet show when I was but a wee lad. I remember thinking that it was one of the coolest things I saw. But like most wee lads my life was taken up by running around playing games, goofing off and such and I didn't think about it again until I saw "Above the Law". After seeing that movie, I decided I wanted to learn Aikido. By this time I was a young adult and more focused on what I wanted to do for myself. My reasons are varied. Mostly I wanted to study aikido to make personal improvements.

[TheU2Fly]

I'd been investigating various martial arts trying to find something which drew my complete attention and curiosity. The first thing that got me was....Aikido is a martial art which emphasizes non-violence....