how did all of you become involved with

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[ewodaj]

martial arts? I apologize for all the new topics, but bare with me because im interested to know all I can about martial arts and the many different unique styles that it has to offer...

[Veers]

My story (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=43604#post43604)

Older version (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=37879#post37879)

[jeda]

Family.

[TheFallGuy]

I see that you've posted a bunch of topics that are somewhat similar in context. Some just go hand in hand for me.

I started aikido almost four years ago. I was going to be graduating with a bachelors and was about to step out into the real world. Some of my interests lay in going back to Russia. And that might end up going alone or with family. One of my concerns was self-defense. I'm a small guy and want to be able to protect myself. I talked to my roommate who had done kung-fu when he was younger. In talking to him I became interested in doing one of the 5 animal styles (snake and crane were most conforming to my personality). But I'm stuck in Logan, Utah!!! There was nothing around except some karate. And I _knew_ I did not want to do a Japanese martial art. I wanted something that was a soft style.

I took a class up on campus, self-defense. The guy was a die hard karate guy. Man I loved him!!! But we got talking and he mentioned aikido and so I decided to drop by and check it out. Well I went by in street clothes and checked it out. They asked if I wanted to join and I really didn't want to join all the rolling and stuff in Levi's so I said no and that I'd come back the next week. Well, I came back and just fell in love with it.

My sensei just has a personality that put my beliefs of not hurting people yet maintaining personal well-being in the right way. I've been doing aikido ever since and I'm glad that I started looking for a self-defense art.

So in response to another post. I think that seeking self-defense is good. (It lead me here!!!!) Try and find an art that matches your personality. Contrary to what the Wing-chun sifu here says, there is _no_ ultimate MA. If so, then everybody would be doing it. Go with what fits you and I hope you enjoy it and can spread peace and happiness in what you do!

Best of Luck and Karma!

[opherdonchin]

There were few opportunities to row in Jerusalem when I moved there from Baltimore (who knows, maybe that's changed), and since I had to change 'activities,' I thought I'd try something that involved more movement variety than rowing had. I briefly considered dance, but that was too much of a stretch for my fragile male identity at the time, so martial arts seemed like a similar idea. I chose Aikido because it was being offered in the dorm I was living in.

Thread starter is the one who asked whether self-defence is a good enough reason for learning Aikido, right? Well, it sure beats my reasons.

Ironically, these days I'm doing a lot of dancing. I wish I'd gotten involved in it 12 years ago. :)

[happysod]

I wanted more options for self-defense than the rather basic (and brutal) options I'd learned through, shall we say, informal practical lessons. Aikido appealed as it was the total opposite of my (then) grab anything to hand and go for them mentality (much better legal-wise as well once you become an adult in the "eyes of the law").

Answering several of your other threads (and probably annoying some people as well). Yes, aikido is fine for self defence, but it will depend on the instructor. My first dojo was a very no-frills, philosophy's fine if it doesn't get in the way place and heaviliy emphasised self-defence over style.

I don't agree that aikido takes longer to learn than any other ma - it may look that way as even a poor punch/kick can look good, but I'd be interested in hearing from full-contact sparrers how much time it takes to build up the speed and technique to be effective. My only experience of this is boxing and that takes a lot of training to be able to develop any useful sort of punch.

Finally, the old following "the way" of aikido which seems to be the main thrust of many peoples reason to do aikido. Well, the people in the spiritual sections have convinced me I don't do aikido as is commonly understood on aikiweb (and that's the way I vote these days), I just do some form of strange dancing in a skirt. With that in mind, I can still suggest aikido as in most dojo's you can get out of it what you wish to, as long as you make the effort to train.

Hope you find what you're looking for, but I wouldn't bother too much with asking questions, the only way is to join a club (of whatever ma) and give it at least 2 months. If you're still not enjoying it after that time, change martial art/dojo and continue until you're happy.

[C. Emerson]

I wanted to learn how to fight, I was insecure. It looked cool, I wanted to have that something that the other person did not have.

Now I just want to find more time to train.

Chad

[ewodaj]

I see that you've posted a bunch of topics that are somewhat similar in context. Some just go hand in hand for me.

I started aikido almost four years ago. I was going to be graduating with a bachelors and was about to step out into the real world. Some of my interests lay in going back to Russia. And that might end up going alone or with family. One of my concerns was self-defense. I'm a small guy and want to be able to protect myself. I talked to my roommate who had done kung-fu when he was younger. In talking to him I became interested in doing one of the 5 animal styles (snake and crane were most conforming to my personality). But I'm stuck in Logan, Utah!!! There was nothing around except some karate. And I _knew_ I did not want to do a Japanese martial art. I wanted something that was a soft style.

I took a class up on campus, self-defense. The guy was a die hard karate guy. Man I loved him!!! But we got talking and he mentioned aikido and so I decided to drop by and check it out. Well I went by in street clothes and checked it out. They asked if I wanted to join and I really didn't want to join all the rolling and stuff in Levi's so I said no and that I'd come back the next week. Well, I came back and just fell in love with it.

My sensei just has a personality that put my beliefs of not hurting people yet maintaining personal well-being in the right way. I've been doing aikido ever since and I'm glad that I started looking for a self-defense art.

So in response to another post. I think that seeking self-defense is good. (It lead me here!!!!) Try and find an art that matches your personality. Contrary to what the Wing-chun sifu here says, there is _no_ ultimate MA. If so, then everybody would be doing it. Go with what fits you and I hope you enjoy it and can spread peace and happiness in what you do!

Best of Luck and Karma!
thank you frank...seems like there are a lot of arts out there and it might be kind of hard to find one that matches my personality, but ill definitely look...:cool:

[bob_stra]

I blame this man -

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0088708

(god, I feel old now. I saw that in the cinema)

[ewodaj]

I wanted more options for self-defense than the rather basic (and brutal) options I'd learned through, shall we say, informal practical lessons. Aikido appealed as it was the total opposite of my (then) grab anything to hand and go for them mentality (much better legal-wise as well once you become an adult in the "eyes of the law").

Answering several of your other threads (and probably annoying some people as well). Yes, aikido is fine for self defence, but it will depend on the instructor. My first dojo was a very no-frills, philosophy's fine if it doesn't get in the way place and heaviliy emphasised self-defence over style.

I don't agree that aikido takes longer to learn than any other ma - it may look that way as even a poor punch/kick can look good, but I'd be interested in hearing from full-contact sparrers how much time it takes to build up the speed and technique to be effective. My only experience of this is boxing and that takes a lot of training to be able to develop any useful sort of punch.

Finally, the old following "the way" of aikido which seems to be the main thrust of many peoples reason to do aikido. Well, the people in the spiritual sections have convinced me I don't do aikido as is commonly understood on aikiweb (and that's the way I vote these days), I just do some form of strange dancing in a skirt. With that in mind, I can still suggest aikido as in most dojo's you can get out of it what you wish to, as long as you make the effort to train.

Hope you find what you're looking for, but I wouldn't bother too much with asking questions, the only way is to join a club (of whatever ma) and give it at least 2 months. If you're still not enjoying it after that time, change martial art/dojo and continue until you're happy.
thank you very much for your input ian...I have read over and over again that aikido does take longer to learn that other martial arts...

[ewodaj]

ian, check this out and give me your opinion on this if you will...

Q. How long does it take to get your black belt in Aikido? Once I have my black belt, can I use Aikido as effective self-defense?

A. It's a bit subjective how long it takes to attain your black belt at any

dojo. Different dojos have slightly different standards. This is equally

true of two dojos in the same city, or in two different countries. Often, it

takes between 4 and 7 years. But black belt is typically considered the

*beginning* of your Aikido training, the point at which you've been given

permission by your teacher to explore the depths of Aikido, because she or he feels that you've mastered the basic building blocks and are ready for the

next level.

Q. Is Aikido effective for self defense situations?

A. Aikido techniques are very effective for self-defense. In addition, Part

of the way Aikido works as a self-defense art is that you learn how to

prevent conflicts from happening in the first place, or to dissolve them

quickly in a non-harmful manner once they have started. Although an attacker

could get hurt by being thrown or put into a wrist lock, you will not learn

anything that anyone could go out and instigate with.

[Usagi Yojimbo]

I've pretty much always had a strong interest in martial arts, although my favourite one, Drunken Boxing, is somewhat unavailable to me. I only recently had the time for it because of JROTC, school, etc. And a friend of mine, Jonathen Lyons up there, introduced me to Aikido. I started the class after him and am now on my 3rd month and am enjoying it very much. I especially like the Bokken training, but that's just probably all the samurai stuff...I've had a very strong interest in Feudal Japan for a while now...of course I'm probably thinking of the over romantasized stuff...but I would really like to learn as much as I can, including Japanese. Aikido I find, is indeed a VERY effective martial art form, especially pertaining to self defense, as that is what it's based on. Now I wonder what it would be like stick sparring with a friend of mine, we do this semi-regularily as long as we can find sticks and keep them intact long enough, using my new learned Jo and Bokken techniques...>:-)

[Charles Hill]

Hi Joshua,

What do you mean by Aikido being based on self defense?

Charles

[sanosuke]

I joined martial arts at first is just because i got fed up of not being given the ball when I played basketball or soccer, and I need to find new sports. But the more I learned it becomes more and more interesting.

As for aikido I was impressed with its philosophy when my instructor explained to me that in aikido you don't block or stop an attacker, instead you give way to them.