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Old 11-03-2002, 10:18 AM   #26
Bruce Baker
Dojo: LBI Aikikai/LBI ,NJ
Location: Barnegaat, NJ
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 893
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Let me put it this way ....

IF someone has the experience of learning the basics of judo,jujitsu,and karate there is a strong base of learning that allows for Aikido lessons to be learned easier, quicker, faster.

I have yet to see an Aikido dojo that covers the basic cresent steps, the punches and kicks available, the difference in judo, jujitsu, and aikido, or where the striking area of the body are? If you have a school that does this within the Aikido class, I would bet it is also a karate school of some type also.

The time line is not important to me, but the coverage of the basic mechanics of martial arts is ... I don't see it covered in the curriculum of Aikido.

My first teacher had the masters of Karate, judo, jujitsu, and aikido as the masters who we were to learn from to become versed in martial arts.

My answer of NO, aikido not a good first martial art is based on my own experience, my ability to see techniques of other arts hidden within aikido, and my ability to find variations based upon my experience in other arts to extend or amplify those previous arts with what I learn from Aikido.

So, I do not condemn Aikido as a first art, but my clarity to see things others do not, seeing my children practice Aikido without any instruction from me as if they had been to many classes, not just one class, becomes the foundation to strengthen my beliefs with the performance of them in class.

I have seen many first timers to Aikido and Karate, and I have seen practitioners who have had experience in other arts come to Aikido and struggle mercilessly for weeks and months, this was not the case with my children.

I have to take the evidence of what I see into account as verification of what I have stated.

Maybe I should mention that their first teacher was very generous in teaching and explaining martial arts, so that may have contributed to their attitude, knowledge, and performace beyond the normal student. Good teachers do indeed have great students.

Maybe one day, my aikido teacher will let me give the basic karate class to the my aikido classmates and awaken them to just how the teachers can be so martial while the new students take years to catch on to what is martial. It just might awaken them to really learn their lessons, not play fall down and get up from line drills.

Last edited by Bruce Baker : 11-03-2002 at 10:23 AM.
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