Aikido Instructional Videos????

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[Aiki LV]

Just curious to know what people think of aikido instructional videos.
I've seen many different varieties for sale recently while shopping online for a new gi. Do you think this type of thing is a good idea? What can a complete beginner or experienced practitioner gain from purchasing these videos/dvd's? Has anyone bought one that they found particularly helpful and/or interesting? :)

[odudog]

I have the 3 volume set of Nishio Sensei, 3 volume set of Yoshinkan, and 3 volume set of Yamada Sensei {tape}. I love them. As many times as I watched them, its amazing how I still pick up new stuff. I pick up the new stuff either through the verbal instruction {I guess I just wasn't paying close attention before} or visually {I happened to see a hand or foot movement that was not verbally explained}. I add all of this to my Aikido, therefore, I am taught Aikikai but I don't do Aikikai. I tell my fellow students not to do what I do when we practice together for I'm doing something different from what the Sensei just instructed.

[Michael Zartman]

I have the 3 dvd set of Nishio Sensei too. The photography was very well done. I believe it would be awe inspiring for any beginner and useful for any advanced student, particularly those interested in aikiken and aikijo. He was amazing. I also have Aikido3D which is an excellent tool for non-yudansha or anyone seeking a refresher on fundamental techniques. It has both commentary and animation that can be viewed from a variety of angles.

[Lan Powers]

Don't forget the set from Ikeda Shihan....I just got it in the Fed Ex delivery today, and it has been HELL waiting to get home and watch it. I have the Irimi tape and it is Sweeeeet.

BTW, where can a fellow come up with the before-mentioned set of Nishio Sensei?
(Acquisitive minds want to know) ;)
Lan

[aikido_diver]

I have only a few! I have:

Hikitsuchi - heart of Aikido and essential teachings of Aikido - 4 Tapes all up.
Moriteru Ueshiba Doshu - Principles of Aikido (Bought when I was at Honbu in 2004)
Kisshomaru Ueshiba Doshu - (Can't remember the title) (Bought when I was at Honbu)
Many other Wing Chun and Documentary Videos.


I think all the tapes I have (aikido) are great. However I feel that one cannot learn anything from the video in terms of new techniques. I do not feel that an aikidoka can become a black belt through learning from a video, only through constant practice. I only watch them (which I feel most people here would also) so that I can understand the finer details involved, that perhaps I couldn't get or understand in class. I think videos are great because they have the ability to slow down and use different angles. My favorite would have to be Hikisuchi Sensei, god I wish he was alive still, if so I'd pack up everything now and go and train at Shingu. I feel that what he was teaching (carried on by Anno Sensei) just isn't taught anymore. He had an understanding of Aikido that many sensei do not have - hence why he is/was 10th dan.

*I'm not discrediting any other sensei.

Thanks!

[aikido funky monkey]

i dont have any tapes but i wish i did have some weapons ones

[SeiserL]

I have almost 400 instructional titles, and IMHO all have something to offer. In Aikido I like Ueshiba, Ikeda, Nishio, and the Aiki Expo Demos best.

[Chad Scott]

I have the DVD entitled Principles of Aikido by Moriteru Ueshiba. This has been really helpful for me to see little things that I somehow miss during training (footwork, timing, etc.). I watched it before my most recent test, and it helped me tremendously.

[Sonja2012]

We have quite a nice collection of videos/dvds from all sorts of styles/organisations (though it is by far not as extensive as Lynn´s :) )

I love the Aiki Expo ones too - excellent for getting an idea of what different sensei do. Also I like Waite sensei´s ukemi videos very much.

[Mark Uttech]

The two ukemi tapes by Donovan Waite are classics.

[odudog]

Mr. Powers, here is the link to the Nishio dvds that I have. It is the third one down the screen:
http://www.budovideos.com/shop/customer/search.php?substring=Nishio+Aikido&in_category=&page=1

[akiy]

Going back to the two other questions (outside of video recommendations) the original poster asked...

I've seen many different varieties for sale recently while shopping online for a new gi. Do you think this type of thing is a good idea?
Sometimes, what is shown in the video may differ from the manner in which techniques are practiced at your dojo. This may impact the manner in which you do them which may become an issue, especially if you are still a beginner and working on the kihon/foundational techniques in your curriculum.

As such, I think it's always a good idea to consult your instructor for recommendations for books and videos. Of course, this is less of an issue once a practitioner has obtained the ability to do the kihon/foundational techniques and enough experience to be able to "experiment" without going against what is being taught/shown at your dojo.
What can a complete beginner or experienced practitioner gain from purchasing these videos/dvd's?
With the above said, I think it's also important for people to gain an understanding that the way things are done at one's dojo is a way of doing things and not the way. From what I've experienced, no single instructor (even the shihan with whom I've trained) emphasizes everything that I have found to be important in aikido. As such, videos and such provide the practitioner with exposure to the myriad approaches to expressing aikido.

Lastly, I wanted to say that I think videos, books, and such should be treated as auxilary sources of information that does not nor can not replace actual "on the mat" training with a qualified instructor. Regardless of who is on the video, I think it's dangerous both in terms of the possibility of physical injury as well as unknowingly practicing in a manner not conducive to proper learning if people treat videos and books as their primary source of aikido/budo training information. Just my thoughts.

-- Jun

[Lan Powers]

Well said

[Lan Powers]

Thanks Mr. Braxton, I will grab those babies up immediately..:)

[aikishrine]

Well how about the Traditional Aikido video series by the Cranes from Cool Rain Productions IMHO they are excellent videos even though i am Aikikai i recommend these whole heartedly

[Don_Modesto]

Well how about the Traditional Aikido video series by the Cranes from Cool Rain Productions IMHO they are excellent videos even though i am Aikikai i recommend these whole heartedly

I agree and I recommend them too, subject to Jun's wise caveat, of course.

[Sanshouaikikai]

In the September 2003 issue of Black Belt Magazine on pages 100-102 and 122 is an article on the effectiveness of video (and book...but...mainly video) training. They surveyed a whole bunch of people and ran this experiment between people who have not learned any martial arts and divide them between a group that studies only videos and practices what is shown in them and a group that studies with an actual live Sensei. The conclusion was that, "students can learn techniques as efficiently from well-made martial arts instructional tapes as they can from an instructor. Both training methods, however, require them to practice what they have learned to become proficient."
Of course more was said afterwards on the pros and cons of both video and live training and how they claim it is an issue of "preference". However, I believe the experiment consisted of the students learning a striking art (Kenpo Karate to be exact); how the students would have fared if it were Aikido or another grappling art is a totally different story. What do you guys think?

[Rupert Atkinson]

The conclusion was that, "students can learn techniques as efficiently from well-made martial arts instructional tapes as they can from an instructor.."


OK - I'll go and watch my O Sensei vids gain. Maybe I can now 'claim' him as my 'official' teacher ... not to mention Bruce Lee. :D

[Charles Hill]

I have three of Haruo Matsuoka Sensei` dvds and have found them very helpful and inspirational. In them he is shown both demonstrating and teaching individual students. It has been very helpful as a teacher.

Charles

[nekobaka]

recently I have been watching Ikeda Sensei's Irimi, which is cool because I was practicing at boulder aikikai the year it was made and know everyone in it. Also I think Yamada Sensei's are really good because he explains everything in detail, showing hand grips and foot work over and over. For me it's a good review of what I should be doing, but it's also good because I am very often in a situation where I am explaining a technique to a beginner. just because I can do it and it works, I often don't know what I'm doing (as it's automatic) and have a hard time explaining it. it really helps to see what I should explain and easy ways to explain it. something I'm not good at, especially in japanese.

[Aviv]

I agree with Jun's clarifying words. Saito Sensei's weapons tapes are generally well-done and can show both basic and advanced elements of the bukiwaza, depending on how trained the viewer's eyes are. Be sure to practice in a place with enough clearance and few/no obstacles

[dmclean]

I've got the 3 DVD set showing Gozo Shioda. But it's all in Japanese. Is there a version that has English dubbed?

[aikidojoe]

The two ukemi tapes by Donovan Waite are classics.

You should check ou the CD-Rom that just came out Aikido3D at www.aikido3d.com

Of course, I'm partial......

[Sanshouaikikai]

OK - I'll go and watch my O Sensei vids gain. Maybe I can now 'claim' him as my 'official' teacher ... not to mention Bruce Lee. :D


Yeah...I totally agree with what you're saying....though...I don't think the experiment was done with that idea of claiming a particular person as one's "official" teacher, you know? It was just more about what people prefferred as their learning format, you know? Personally...I think anyone can learn any basic to intermediate techniques from virtually any striking art from reading books and watching videos! I mean...back in the day...that's how Martial Arts got passed down...through scrolls with little scribbles and diagrams! However...I question how effective such a learning format would be for a complicated style like Aikido...or even other grappling/throwing arts like Judo, Jujutsu, Wrestling, etc. So far...several people say that they learn! :confused:

[odudog]

Mr. McLean, if your set is the same dvd set that I gave the link to on one of my previous posts. Then you can listen to it is English. After the introduction of Shioda Sensei doing oyo-waza, click your remote button thas goes to the main menu, on the top right corner is the green button that takes you to the English menu and thus playing the video in English.