Starting Aikido
 

Hi all,

I'm thinking taking up aikido recently .. after some research, I've found there are 2 clubs here in HK. One of them is named Korindo Aikido. Could anyone please tell me the different between this style of Aikido with the standard one?

Also, I used to practise Judo some years ago (was a green belt). I stopped due to a neck injury. Is my Judo experience any useful for Aikido? Or they are completely different from each other?

Thanks in advance for giving me advice.

Cheers,

Colin Lam

Is this the name of the school or the style because it doesn't sound to familiar to me? Maybe someone else can help with that.
In the style I study, Yoseikan, there is a lot of judo well probably the whole judo syllabus if you want to learn it and use it in a self defense situation. But if you find you self at an Aikikai affiliated place then when you get a little more advanced you will be doing some koshi waza. Mostly just variations on ogoshi from what I have seen and a technique we call koshi gaeshi which you could call a kata guruma over the hips (not really but it is just to give you the image of a guy going over both hips instead of one. Also I have seen some kokyu nage (breath throws) from strangles at the side and rear that resemble seoi nage and rokyu or hiji shime is tai gatame ude hishigi.
But don't be expecting any katame waza or much shime waza

Thanks Granham. Nice to meet a fella Aussie on the net.

Yes indeed, I've found some similarity of throwing technique between Aikido and Judo, especially ogoshi and seoi-nage.

And here's some info on Korindo Aikido:

"Korindo aikido was founded by Master Hirai in Shizuoka, Japan ..."

"Korindo aikido is a continuation of the old style (koryu) Japanese martial art, which is a form combining body technique (taijutsu) with sword technique (kenjutsu, iai, ryuto), stick (jo, bo), and others. It bears the same root as Judo, but we do it in the traditional way"

hope someone can help me clarify this. Many thanks.

Cheers,

Colin

Re: Starting Aikido
 

Korindo Aikido isn't exactly mainstream. I only know of one dojo in the U.S. That really doesn't mean anything, however, except that you're unlikely to get a broad range of opinions.

There really isn't a better or best style of aikido. There are, however, definitly better and worse teachers and better and worse dojo for your unique situation.

Go to the various dojo, watch class, train with them if you can (preferably more than one class), and talk with the students and instructor. Then pick a dojo that you can stick with for the _long term_.

Best Regards,

Re: Re: Starting Aikido
 

Thanks Greg.

I'm planning to give that Dojo a visit this weekend.

About visiting as many Dojos as I can, unfortunately there are only 2 Dojos in Hong Kong.

Please excuse me for asking stupid questions. How important is weapon training in Aikido? From my understand, Aikido is similar to Judo. Unarmed technique (throwing technique and pinning technique) is the main part. So do Aikidoka use weapon to make counter attack ?

Once again thank you for your input.

Smile,

Colin

Colin,

What my limited understanding of aikido weapons styles leads me to beleive is: Weapons in Aikido help the open hand tecnique. This is not to say that they are not martial in application as well, but they do help with unarmed style. We also practice weapons takeaways. We train against short staff (jo), sword (bokken witch is a wooded practice katana), and knife (tanto). I really enjoy the open hand vs. weapons training. I perfer to train against the tanto as this seems more likely of a situation as opposed to a sword.

Re: Starting Aikido
 

Hi Colin,

Your judo experience probably wont have much bearing on learning aikido technique, but it will certainly give you a head-start with your ukemi. (Learning to fall is one of the most daunting first steps for many beginners, but no problem at all for experienced judoka.)

Sean
x

Thanks Al and Sean for your input. :)

Re: Re: Re: Starting Aikido
 

You're very welcome.
Different dojo/systems/etc. have different attitudes about weapons training.

Some dojo have a 1:1 ratio between weapons training (bukiwaza) and empty hand (taijutsu).

In my dojo, we have two taijutsu classes and one weapons class per week. Sometimes, in the summer (long days) and given nice weather, the taijutsu class is changed to weapons.

Our belief is that our weapons isn't to teach us how to efficiently wield weapons in combat but to teach us important lessons about aikido (distance, timing, ebb and flow, etc.).

Weapons also gives an intensity and focus to training that can be lost in taijutsu.

Best Regards,

Re: Re: Re: Re: Starting Aikido
 

Hi Greg,

Thanks again. Please correct me if I'm wrong, aim of weapon training is to get Aikidoka to concentrate more and get on with the "flow" more easily. Am I right ?

Cheers,

Colin

In regards to weapons training, I would like to add that many of the open-hand techniques are based on weapon's movements, such as the sword stroke.

So by learning how to effectively weild weapons, you are also learning a bit about how to do weaponless techniques.

My dojo doesn't train a lot with weapons(unless I just miss the days they do train w/ them), but the classes are still very effective with much to gain. I think I owe that mostly to a great sensei though.

The sensei you will train under, and the dojo environment are perhaps the most important things to consider when deciding. With a good sensei, you will find everything you seek in aikido.

Good luck in your search,
-Jase

I really want to thank everyone giving me your point of view. I really mean it, thank you.

I'm so looking forward to my very very 1st visit to a Aikido Dojo this weekend. Will keep you guys posted !

Just to give you some background, I train in Iwama Ryu Aikido which I guess is considered the "traditional" style of Aikido.

My Sensei believes that weapons are an integral part of our training. After all we are a samurai based martial art and as is well known the samurai were skilled swordsman. Subsequently our open handed techniques are based upon our sword work. There is a link between our sword and open handed techniques, however I am yet to discover this link at many levels. Keeping that in mind, the link is not evident at the beginning of your training.

It was also interesting that someone mentioned that weapons taking against sword had little application as u are more likely to be attacked by a knife. That is obviously true in todays society, however you can use the same sword taking techniques against someone attacking you with a baseball bat, steel bar, a stick etc. I believe sword taking is just as applicable to everyday life situations, you just need a bit of imagination during your training.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Starting Aikido
 

Hi Colin,

Sorry to be so tardy in getting back to you. I've been busy with work and family.

----

To answer your question, I personally believe your hypothesis is part of the story. For me, there is a congruency between aikiken, aikijo and aiki-taijutsu that runs deep and reaches far. We talk about "Riai" meaning something like "combined truth".

I find myself focusing on different things at different times. Some of this is directed by my instructor, some is just on my own.

I don't think it's a requirement to study the aiki weapons to study aikido, but for me it helps.

----

I hope your visit to an aikido class goes well. If there is more than one that will work for you, I'd advise checking them all out.

Please keep us posted as to how it goes. You are also welcome to e-mail me privately, if you wish.

Regards,

Greg Jennings

It was an interesting experience watching an aikido class.

My first impression was the atmosphere, it was so ... relaxing. I would say my previous Judo training was quite intensive, especially in grade-test time or preparing for a competition. Maybe this is one of the main diff. between Aikido and other martial arts.

And I had a chance to see some senior students practising bokken. I think they have 2 different types of bokken. One was normal in length while the other one was shorter in length. Hope some sempai can fill me in with more information on that weapon.

I'll start my 1st aikido lesson tomorrow. Will keep u guys posted on my progress.

Cheers,

Colin

To Michael:
Thank you for your reply. Is your Dojo located in NSW (hopefully Sydney area)? Cause I'll go to Sydney the end of this year and hopefully I would have some time to visit some local Dojos.

To Greg:
No worries mate, families and work are always in the first priority. And I think u r absolutely right on weapons training helps study aikido. I heard one of the instructors said,"Imaging ur arm is the sword and u r going to make a strike ...". Cool ..

Colin

Unfortunately I'm in Melbourne. But I do know of a Sensei in Sydney, Takayasu Sensei is a 6th dan shihan and happens to be a very close friend of my Sensei. Both of whom have trained with Saito Sensei, and I believe Takayasu Sensei even trained with O Sensei. Subsequently I train in Iwama Ryu Aikido for obvious reasons.