Thread: Aikido Frauds
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Old 01-08-2005, 05:30 PM   #233
aikidoc
Dojo: Aikido of Midland
Location: Midland Texas
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,652
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Re: Aikido Frauds

He's an effort at paring it down some. See if this is more succint and less convoluted.

How to Choose an Aikido School/Instructor

Choosing an aikido school can be a very important decision. It is necessary to find a good match between what you are looking for in martial arts training and the ability of the school to provide it. Aikido is unique in the martial arts. It provides a strong philosophical point of view as well as a martial art heritage. The founder of Aikido Morihei Ueshiba intended for it to be a martial art but wanted to raise it to a new level of understanding. Different schools and styles of Aikido are prevalent. Some schools and organizations follow the goals and rules of the founding organization (World Headquarters Aikikai-Hombu dojo). Several master instructors and organizations affiliate with the Aikikai directly or through the International Aikido Federation (IAF). There are other organizations that have over the years separated from the Aikikai and have legitimate Aikido heritage and lineage. There are also independent groups with lineages through such groups. These different organizations may vary by their philosophy orientation, weapons training, and whether they are more "hard" or "soft" styles. DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU CHOOSE.

CREDIBLE SCHOOLS WILL GENERALLY HAVE THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS:
1. RANKS/TITLES. Generally, Aikido instructor ranks can range from 1st degree up to 8th degree black belt. Lower ranked instructors (1st to 3rd degree) generally teach at clubs or dojos and may have the assistant instructor title fuku-shidoin. Intermediate level instructors (4th to 5th degree) generally teach at dojos and may be teaching committee members. They may have the instructor title shidoin. Higher ranked black belts (6th-8th degree) are master level instructors and may head up larger organizations or be representatives for countries or regions. They may have the master title shihan. Aikido does not use such titles as grandmaster, soke, shodai, professor, or doctor. Very high ranks like 9th and 10th dan are very rare in Aikido with such masters studying in the 50 year range.
2. LINEAGE/RANK SOURCES: Legitimate aikido schools will be able to trace their lineage generally back to the founding organization. There are many different splinter groups but all have one common source: O-Sensei (Morihei Ueshiba). The most common organization groups are: Aikikai, Ki Society, Tomiki, and Yoshinkan, to name a few. There other major groups and independent groups as well. All these groups generally have a past connection with a major and have attained high rank within that group before separating. Legitimate aikido ranks are not awarded by non Aikido masters or soke councils.
3. BACKGROUND: Legitimate aikido schools will generally be able to identify their martial arts background and provide information on previous training. The sources should be verifiable through major organizations.
4. WEBSITES/CLAIMS: Responsible Aikido schools provide factual and verifiable information about their history, lineage and ranks. Outlandish claims about secret military backgrounds and arts handed down from family to family are generally not part of the Aikido mindset. Aikido styles are not ryu arts (family or clan arts) handed down from secretive societies or instructors. Aikido is practiced world wide.
5. SPECIAL POWERS. Aikido as an art places special emphasis on harmony with energy or Ki. This is a foreign concept for many students and may seem somewhat esoteric. Ki training is an integral part of many Aikido organizations. Outlandish clamis are not.

Last edited by aikidoc : 01-08-2005 at 05:35 PM.
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