Quote:
Attilio Anthony John Wagstaffe wrote:
Actually Graham I'm still in disbelief at your videos...... I have looked at every one of them..... I just find it hard to believe that you can equate what you do as a martial art? I have to be honest and say it looks more like afternoon tea at Graham's....
I'm sorry Graham I'm not into disliking people so much, there are plenty of those around, but you sound like a nice guy, I'm sure you are, but what what you bring up or express as aikido as a "martial art" is somehow a little misleading?
I will be honest and say what you are doing is more akin to some kind of health pastime with some connection to "aikido"? Can I presume that is what you are actually doing? Maybe a Japanese version of Tai Chi for health as a comparison...?
Please enlighten me......
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Tony. Thanks for the clarification. If you have never seen it done like that before then your view makes perfect sense.
I also agree that from that view presenting it as a martial art can look a little misleading.
Firstly may I say that we are ALL guilty of ridiculing things we see and don't understand and thus are left with our own conclusions.
A japanese version of Tai Chi for health? I like it, that's quite close. In fact when people ask me what it is I do, and usually get the name wrong and say kung fu or taikwondo, I say it's Aikido but more like Tai Chi in the way I teach it.
This I find leads them away from wanting to do it if they want to learn how to fight or indeed self defence and shows them I teach for self developement. Once again I must add the word spiritual health as well as mind and body.
It may seem contradictory to you or even to many but through my own experience and that of my students and indeed my friend who teaches very similar to me we have found that it works dramatically in confrontational situations in real life. My personal and second hand examples are numerous and all the acknowledgement I need.
Thus I tell all that the prime purpose of what I do is self developement and self defence comes as a result.
I did find one thing very interesting though when I read so much about what people considered 'reality' when it comes to Aikido as most of it seemed to me to be conjecture. I started a thread asking for stories and experiences where people in Aikido had taught and helped people from a different martial art. Hardly any replies.
Now there's a reality. If Aikido as a whole is so far up it's own .....
and thinks it's so good then why aren't more Aikidoka teaching and helping people from other martial arts? I see plenty of people saying how they must go to other things in order to improve their Aikido yet not much the other way round. Is the whole of the Aikido community one big clique?
Anyway hope that answers your question and remember, as one old master famously said to another ' I f you want to get ahead get a hat!'
Have fun.G.