1) How long have you been practicing Aikido?
Almost 4 years now. Or it would be almost 4 years except that I haven't been training lately due to one major change in my life (hint: he's really cute and he can stand up now)
2) What is/are the name(s) of the other art(s) you are currently practicing?
Arnis
3) How long have you been practicing the other art(s) concurrent with your training in Aikido?
I only started last year
4) What ratio of time do you devote to each art (ie. how many days a week are spent practicing Aikido, how many days in the other art(s)?)
See my answer to number 1.
5) Is the focus/goal of your cross training:
a) to complement your practice of Aikido
b) to broaden your knowledge/overall skill as a martial artist in general
or
c) other (if so, what?)
When I decided to take up Arnis, it was with both a and b in mind.
6) If you believe that the current art(s) you are cross training in is/are benefiting or complementing your practice of Aikido, could you please describe how?
A. Because Arnis is a weapons art, it helps as a sort of "reality check" when dealing with weapons.
B. Some of the concepts actually overlap. Like the idea of getting out of the line of attack. We also do that in Arnis.
7) Can you think of any ways that your current cross training may actually be detrimental to your practice of Aikido and if so, please describe how.
Only that sometimes I get impatient in Aikido practice. Especially when I see my fellow students being too lax because they're no longer afraid of getting hit (because we're all such gentle Aikidoka
).