How big is too big?

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[Judson]

I am interested in studying Aikido, but I am concerned about my size. I am 6'1" and way 250 lbs. I am 24 years old, and have been weight lifting for about 7 years. I also regularly play racquet ball and scuba dive. My doctor says I am in great shape, and I know I would be able to handle the stresses put on my body by studying Aikido, but would my instructor, as well as class mates be able to safely handle a person of my size in a classroom setting?

[Erik]

Welcome to the party.

I've met people your size before and I enjoy them immensely. There's at least one semi-regular poster around here whom I believe would make you look small or relatively smaller. I'm willing to bet his teacher holds his own with him.

[crystalwizard]

Judson wrote:
I am 6'1" and way 250 lbs.

There are several people in one of the dojo's I train at that are your size and bigger. I'm only 5' 4" but I not only have no trouble with them, and it's nice to get the chance to work with someone that is not fairly close to my size. (i'm female in case you wonder).

[aarjan]

Hi, I'm 6'4'' and 110 kg (lbs??) and I'm not even the biggest guy in class. I'm studying Aikido for 1.5 years now.
Often my teacher uses me to demonstrate. I know I'm in trouble when he starts: ".. and if someone if bigger and stronger. Aarjan if you please..."
I have one advice for you, stop thinking about starting Aikido and go do it.

[Magma]

Hey, there... now... a topic I can jump into with both my big feet. :D

I am 6'7"+, and as of this morning about 245 lbs, and the people that I work out with have no trouble throwing me around like a rag doll. Think of it this way: you're giving them an opportunity they might not otherwise have of training with your particular body type. Their technique is going to be a bit different against you, but that's good for them. In my dojo, I also get to work out with a guy who is 6'3" 290+lbs and a guy who is 6'3" 220 (mostly muscle) besides the normal sized people (wait... does that mean I'm not normal?...:)). Between the three of us we cover the gamet of big-guy-types... and we each get thrown according to our ability.

Try this: take classes for a couple of months (enough to learn how to fall), then go up to your sensei and ask him what he would do if someone your size came at him. Just make sure you can fall. Well. Very, very well.:D

BTW, 110 kg = 220 lbs (for aarjan)

...Or I could be just talking.

Tim

[Simone]

Hi Judson!

I just agree with the other ones. Don't worry, just start practice. Aikido is adjustible to every size. We have people from 1.5 m to 2.1 m (sorry, I'm European). I myself am a middlesized women and it's always a challenge for my Aikido to train with someone of your size and weight or with someone that is much smaller or much stiffer than me. Don't worry, really.

Simone

[Nick]

I enjoy it... some people don't realize that many times it's the 'big' people that attack small people... I figure if I can throw the largest people in my dojo, than more than likely I can apply the same throw to the smaller people.

Nick

[Dajo251]

I am a big guy in fact on of the larger in my dojo but I have no problems with people wanting to train with me in fact a lot of the members of the dojo enjoy training with me because of my size.

Dan

[petra]

That sounds familiar, I have noticed that most of the big guys (6 feet +) do not have any trouble finding 'smaller' people to train with. Or should I say, 'smaller' people like training with you big guys;).
I think it's because you can realy test if you are doing a technique right/effectively, also teachers often like to demonstrate on big guys to show that size does not matter in aikido. Personally (being female, 5 10' and 150 lbs) I like working with people who are bigger rather than with very small people, no offence intended but I am always afraid I might break them if I grab them to strongly. However, that has never happened and (probably) never will. It is just a phycological thing, I guess left from the time when I was a child and told, like we all are, never to pick on anyone smaller than meself and now we get a chance to pick on someone who is (alot) bigger :D.
Are you sure you big guys are up to it? ;)

[ian]

Hi Judson,

not only should you be ablke to train, you will probably be very beneficial to the training at the club. I've trained with many people bigger and heavier with you, and at first it is very intimidating - but it definately improves your technique. It is especially useful for smaller people & women(inc. me) to train with tall & heavy people as it stops that fear of powerlessness against a bigger/stronger opponent; and lets face it, most people that attack you tend to be bigger and stronger or they wouldn't attack you!

Ian

[Matt]

Dont worry about the others, at first they will be much bettter than you and will be able to handle anything you got. As you get better you will become more sensitive to the abilities of others. Im 6'2", 275 lbs. and I feel my size, at least my muscles, give me a disadvantage because they reduce the fluidity of my movements.
Matt