Need Some Advice?? Help?

I've had a great interest in Aikido for some time but where I live no one taught it. So I took up Soo Bahk Do, a Korean martial art, and I like it very much. I've been taking it for 3 years and now the rank of 2nd gup and very close to my black belt. There is now an Aikido dojo in my area and I would like advice, should I quit soo bahk do and take up Aikido or continue my training. Anyone that has perhaps taken soo bahk do, your adivce would surely help! Thanks!

Julio Edge (JEbuck) wrote: I've had a great interest in Aikido for some time but where I live no one taught it. So I took up Soo Bahk Do, a Korean martial art, and I like it very much. I've been taking it for 3 years and now the rank of 2nd gup and very close to my black belt. There is now an Aikido dojo in my area and I would like advice, should I quit soo bahk do and take up Aikido or continue my training. Anyone that has perhaps taken soo bahk do, your adivce would surely help! Thanks!

Well, I havent taken soo bahk do, but are still willing to give you some advise.

There is nothing wrong with doing something else then aikido. Main point is that you do something that you like and enjoy and that suites you.

Probably it is wise to find out what you want. If you still think you want to do aikido then go and see if you like it. (Most schools allow those interested to try a couple of times).

If you have the time and resources you can try to do them both for a period of time (and if necessary choose later). This however also includes a small risk of getting confused or becoming a jack of many trades but master of none.

Good luck

Why not do both. I know a few folks who do multiple arts, the problem comes in when one art is so very different from another art. If you really like the one your in stay with it, and if you would like to go do Aikido go do that as well. Just do what makes you happy and you can't go wrong.

One book, can't remember which, described this one student's wish to study under a different sensei. When he told this to his present master, the master instructed him to go and pick a fight with the students under the other sensei. If he wins, he stays with the master. If he lose, then he should go and study under that sensei.

He stayed.

No... i'm not asking you to go and whack those aikido ppl. Hitting men in skirts is just plain nonsense. 3 years is not really a long time to learn anything. All martial arts have merits that can only unfold after years of dedication. If you feel you can dedicate yourself to two martial arts at the same time, then by all means go do it.

Bruce Lee didn't favour any one martial art although he had a strong foundation under Wing Chun. He turned out allright.. i think.

I can't speak to your Soo Bahk Do, but I studied Kuk Sool Won, similar to Hapkido, for four years before I moved to Aikido. I've made dojo changes twice after having been at each school exclusively for a period of 3 or 4 years. The first school I left because the instructor only pushed rank. No interest in making sure that students knew what they were doing, just get down the techniques and test. The second school, the Kuk Sool one, had a similar problem. The instructor was very knowledgeable, but only taught the techniques needed for each rank to a shallow depth. He would make sure that you could do the technique in a static position, but we never worked on doing the techniques in more realistic moving situations.

The above is a long way of getting to my point of is there anything wrong with your current class? In the Kuk Sool school, I got to the point where I realized that in 5 years I would know a bunch more techniques, but wouldn't be much more profiecient in using them then I already was. Do you feel that you are getting an education there that will allow you to acheive whatever goals you have set for yourself- be it self-defense, fitness, something fun to do, etc.?

Secondly- have you gone to the Aikido school? It might not be what you were hoping. There may be things that you want to learn or enjoy doing that the Aikido school doesn't place much emphasis on.

And finally- doing both is a possibility, but if your Soo Bahk Do is like other Korean Arts and has a heavy dose of low stances and locking out techniques and the like, combining it with Aikido may be problematic. It's become fashionable to study a number of arts at once, but either of your instructors may frown upon your dividing your time and you may find yourself not progressing terribly much in either art. Good luck.

Dave

Abasan wrote:

Bruce Lee didn't favour any one martial art although he had a strong foundation under Wing Chun. He turned out allright.. i think.

Quite true but also very heavily into chinese boxing aswell (dad's a big fan) he likes bruce lee too, i must say tho he didnt turn out alright seeing as he was murdered ?

shame to rob the world of such a genius tho.

as far as Soo Bahk Do goes, if you renjoying it keep doing it, do aikido aswell you'll prolly be able to merge the two in certain respects or crossover some moves? one martial art is always made from at least another two (unless its kung fu which was made by watching animals all day, aparently)

pete