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Old 05-18-2008, 04:55 PM   #110
Buck
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 950
United_States
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Re: Starting an all-women's class

Jennifer,

I am not sure what block and parry you have encountered in this particular form. I don't know what your meaning behind that is. I am unclear if you think my suggestions are an attack on you or women. I hope that is not what you mean.

My suggestions come from two areas, observation, and experience with a women's class that failed. My observations reflect the success the exercise industry has with women. The industry is now trying to attack men! But men aren't going to take a LesMills class or Tae Bo. They rather take a martial arts class, spin class, or hit the weights.

And it has been my experience when I did take a LesMills class at the gym full of women, I wasn't welcomed. I was snubbed and ignored by the women. Being treated poorly, not feeling welcome, and feeling like the enemy, I quit.

Spin classes I notice attract an fair number of both men and women. I joined a spin class and have been comfortable there ever since.

I know women can get just as mean and ugly as men. I have had women Profs in college who favored the good looking males students with higher grades. The women Profs who had a great distain for males and gave them lower grades. I have worked with women who bullied everyone. I have come across all types of women from all over that where completely unique and different.

My point is there is all types of women, and it seems you unintentionally placed women in a narrow field of view. And excluding a wide range of women by not aaccommodating to their needs, and interest. I don't see Aikido notaccommodatingg to women, or picking on them.

Aikido of all the martial arts is very accommodatingg to women. It is just I think not every women is attracted to Aikido, and not because there are some jerk males dominating Aikido, ruining it for all women. The women who are attracted to Aikido and train are not all alike. Women in Aikido come from a diverse wide range of backgrounds and personalities. But these women just are a small number out of the whole wider range and diversity of women.

Take my LesMills class for example, most of the women where jerks, and projected negatively upon me. They were all the same type of women. Women who didn't want anything to do with men being in their class. Whereas, the spin class the women where completely different. They talked to me and welcomed me, and give me tips to besuccessfull in the class. Of course not everyone women was that way, but I didn't get snubbed like I did in the LesMills class.

I don't think you are being flexible enough or open enough to otherpossibilitiess and views. It seems you want to approach your class for women form one angle. And it isn't tips how to start a class you are asking for, but how to get like minded women together who feel they have blocked and parried against male attacks, and are feed up with men in your Aikido class.

Because I don't think there areallott of women in Aikido who have the same experience as you, and not all Aikido dojos give women a hard time, and not all women see things the same way, is what I am saying and is not an attack on you from me that you need to block or parry. I just offering my experience and insight to those road blocks that make it tough for you to get what will make you comfortable and enjoy Aikido.

I am all for a all women's Aikido class. I am all for all men's Aikido class too. I am foraccommodatingg to all types of women and men in Aikido. And in no way, would I very say anything you would have to block or parry. I seek to harmonize.

Last edited by Buck : 05-18-2008 at 04:57 PM.
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