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Old 06-03-2010, 02:39 PM   #93
Anjisan
Dojo: Aikido of Madison
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 189
United_States
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Ki Symbol Re: Is Aikido misunderstood in the Martial Art world?

Quote:
Maggie Schill wrote: View Post
I heard a teacher say something I found useful at a seminar recently.. He said he knew a girl who wrote an essay on aikido, he read it but couldn't find anything about aikido in it...it was just a letter of philosophical principles. He said that there has to be a ballance. A martial art has to respect both the martial side and art side. Sometimes the martial side is lost.

However, I don't share your experience of inadequacy in dealing with sport martial students. I've found that the rules of the sports arena also put the 1 month Sports student at a disadvantage. It's all how we train. If the Aikidoka never has a live uke they never learn to get a feel for a moving attacker. If the Judo student never has to worry about some one striking, they never train to deal with it. If the Karate student never has to worry about protecting his face because face kicks are illegal in competition...he will never learn to prepare for a kick to the face.
There are flaws in the training of every art, not in the art it self IMO.
The object is to be aware of the failings, and adapt to work out the kinks.
I agree with your take on this one and see a lot of validity in Don's comments as well. Based on what type of Aikido training is available to a Aikidoka, one can incorporate other forms in during some classes if appropriate or during open mat time. I have found that there are often others who feel the same way but have not spoken up for whatever reason.

Personally, I incorporated my karate background, and now am incorporating Kali and Krav Maga as well and it all seems to blend. Just the other night in the changing room I was speaking of incorporating other arts to compliment my Aikido and I found a guy who said "I'm in."
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