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Old 01-22-2004, 06:53 PM   #10
PeterR
 
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Dojo: Shodokan Honbu (Osaka)
Location: Himeji, Japan
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,319
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Quote:
Jesse Pasley (JessePasley) wrote:
I think you'll actually find a lot of kendo very similar to aikido: incredible attention to distancing, timing, etc., and powerful body movement. And, hell, it's really, really fun.
If someone were to ask if this or that Aikido is good - the above is my criteria. Could not care less how fancy the waza get.

As Budo - good Aikido is complete.

However, in all martial arts (Japanese or otherwise) a degree a speciallization has occured. Even in so-called Sogo Budo. That means that the practitioners are probably better at what they do then they would be if they had to learn everything and conversely, there are situational and technical holes.

As such I don't look for cross-training as supplementing my Aikido so much as an opprotunity to practice my Aikido under different conditions. Of course there are technical skills that come with the package.

I personally recommend that any Aikido practioner should do at least one year of a grappling art and one year of a PK art. I have yet to see anything which interferes with Aikido and if its good Budo - eyes will be opened.

At the moment I do Judo - mainly to up my randori practice.

Peter Rehse Shodokan Aikido
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