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Re: Is aikido for me?
In reply to your 3rd paragraph.....
Jodo is a good physical workout, though in a rather different way than Aikido. How much of it you feel after just a few sessions depends a bit on how you're learning -- whether it's lots & lots of kihon waza, or whether you're doing a lot of basic learning of the sequence of movements in the katas. Learning the sequences isn't that much of a workout, but getting everything in the right place at the right time, keeping the control, and keeping the timing/contact in paired kata certainly is! More overall physically taxing right from the beginning is multiple repetition of kihon waza, or the paired drills that we practice fairly often. Jodo is also very good for improving posture. This might help you with the back stiffness issue.
(I can certainly vouch for intensive Jodo practice as a good overall workout after the recent weekend I spent in Toronto at a seminar with 2 wonderful guest senseis from Japan. I think everyone there was tired out at the end of the weekend!)
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