Better at sports

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[Patrick O'Reilly]

I was just thinking that since I've studied martial arts (Kempo Karate,Jujitsu, Tai Chi then Aikido) that I am much better at sports than I used to be. Growing up I wasn't very athletically inclined, stumbled over my own two feet a lot. I couldn't play basket ball and could only hit one pitch, low and outside. Now after studying martial arts I am much better at sports because I have trained my body. I was wondering if any one else has noticed this. Say are you better at golf now or shooting hoops? I know that some friends noticed I was suddenly better at sports. I could see the surprised looks on their faces when I could keep up with them or do even better than them. I was hoping they would ask how I suddenly got better so I could invite them to a class.

[C. Emerson]

I agree, I am graceful, explosive and just have that natural look of an athelete. I was not any of the above before the martial arts.

I really enjoy playing basketball, it allows me to really push my own athletic ability.

-Chad

[PeterR]

Same here Patrick;

A lot has to do with confidence. The martial arts (and I'm talking right across the board) tend to be far more nuturing than western sports.

Take for example your standard university hockey team (I'm Canadian eh) versus Karate club. In the former your expected to be the next best thing to God, in the latter you are expected to be a clumsy fool and the training is patterned accordingly. Better yet as you get better (read more confident) the bar is increased at your pace.

It's one of my pet theories that the increase in skill level we attribute to martial arts training is more to do with confidence - something that can spill over into everyday life. I am not alone in saying that building confidence and overcoming fear are the two primary functions of Budo training.

I was fitter and more coordinated at 25 than I was at 15. More confident at 30 than I was at 20. Could be the Budo - could be maturity.

[Patrick O'Reilly]

Speaking of hockey ("Let's go Red Wings"), my favorite sport to watch, it's kind of like watching Aikido on skates. They tekan and do forward rolls, use wooden "weapons" and free form randori.

[Erik]

Honestly, as someone who played basketball since he was 10 or so until I hung up my shoes at 30+ I never got any major benefit from aikido that translated to the basketball court in terms of technical skill. I suppose there were some small benefits such as a better ability to get rid of hand checks, more movement equals more coordination, and I was certainly more difficult to intimidate but as far as tangible skill, not really. You also have very dissimilar movement patterns between the two. To be honest, I found my basketball experience brought a lot more to aikido than the reverse. But then I came into aikido with 15 years of playing basketball so I guess that would make sense.

The one solid benefit I did find was being able to roll made concrete a much more pleasant experience. The one true and certain benefit of this art, in my opinion, is learning to fall.

[Anat Amitay]

Hi there,

I think Aikido or any other MA can help in other sports and there was a thread about this quite a while ago (if I'll stumble over the name I'll let you know). Some one I know who does ice- skateing says aikido helped alot with the movement of the body.

To me it sounds reasonable.

I do jogging in order to help me in aikido, I want to get my cardio- respiratory systems in better shape to help me out in free style or any other intense training.

So I guess it goes both ways, depending on what one sport or MA can leand in to another.

enjoy training!

Anat