Quote:
Michael Fooks wrote:
Interesting. What do you attribute that to George? Any thoughts on what can be done about it?
|
It's the times... the "hot" thing is mixed martial arts. That's what everyone sees on prime time cable. You can watch the UFC fights, reality tv shows about folks wanting to be in the UFC, etc.
From talking to people, there seem to be fewer people wishing to do traditional martial arts. This isn't so hard on the folks that teach classical styles since they never allowed very many students in the first place. They've had to find ways to have their dojos without a substantial student base to support the affair. But many Aikido dojos are large and have expensive rents to cover, even if their teachers aren't professionals. So it is very hard on folks like that.
Things go in cycles... I think that Aikido will make a comeback as long as there are teachers who try to keep a traditional approach with an emphasis on the spiritual side of the art. If folks try to devolve the art into just another self / defense fighting style, no one will care and it will keep declining.
In the end I think that the folks who are only interested in the martial aspect of the art will suffer the most. The folks interested in that will continue to move towards mixed martial arts. Whereas the folks who can offer some sort of deeper philosophical / spiritual connection in the training will be fine. There are all sorts of folks who have no interest whatever in doing something like mixed martial arts to whom Aikido will appeal.
I just don't want Aikido to become a dumping ground for a bunch of folks who are only interested in the philosophy and don't have any understanding or desire to do Budo.