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Old 05-10-2008, 01:49 PM   #1
JohnSS
Dojo: Aikido of Palm Beach County
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Arrow Aikido and long hair

Hi,

I will be starting Aikido classes very soon and I have long hair. It comes down to the middle of my back and would prefer to not cut it. Does anyone else have long hair? What do you do with it when you train. Is just putting it in a pony tail enough? If you have long hair, how do you keep it out of the way during training?

Thanks!
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Old 05-10-2008, 01:57 PM   #2
dalen7
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

A dude in our dojo has long hair - probably shoulder length though.
He puts it in a pony tail - Seagal style.

His hair doesnt seem to get in the way...not sure about how it would work for super long hair though...sorry couldnt be of more help.

Peace

dAlen

p.s. - I dont see it being a problem if you have it pulled back in a pony tail though.
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Old 05-10-2008, 02:04 PM   #3
brian donohoe
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

When I had long hair I found a plait best with a pony tail it spreads out a bit when you are on the ground in a pin. People are going to kneel on it and I don't think there is a way out of that unless you get it cut. People kneeling on my hair didn't bother me at the time but now that I have my hair short it's just not an issue.

I hope that helps.

Brian
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Old 05-10-2008, 02:11 PM   #4
rob_liberti
Dojo: Shobu Aikido of Connecticut
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Re: Aikido and long hair

One of my students got a neck injury trying to get up after being thrown becuase she did not realize that her nage was stepping on her long hair. All I can say is be careful. -Rob
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Old 05-10-2008, 03:32 PM   #5
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

my hair never gets in the way...I don't know what you are talking about!

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Old 05-10-2008, 03:41 PM   #6
Mary Eastland
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

lol kevin.
When my hair was long I wore one or two braids on the mat. I keep it short now becuase I hate to bother with it.
Mary
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Old 05-10-2008, 03:56 PM   #7
crbateman
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

You will want to look for Lynn Seiser to post here... He'll be along any time now...
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Old 05-10-2008, 04:36 PM   #8
Janet Rosen
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

A braid hanging down is better than loose; a braid coiled up is better.
I got tired of having my hair sat in when getting pinned and keep it short now...

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
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Old 05-10-2008, 05:07 PM   #9
Eric Webber
Dojo: Aikido West Reading
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Re: Aikido and long hair

I have had a number of aiki-colleagues (both male and female) that deal with long hair, best option other than the #1 buzz cut high and tight appears to be a braid looped up and out of the way. Pig tails are an invite for grabbing.
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Old 05-10-2008, 05:47 PM   #10
Pauliina Lievonen
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

My hair has been almost long enough to sit on at times, right now it's down to just below my shoulder blades. I braid it for practice and if it really seems necessary (sometimes for kaitennage) I tuck the braid inside my keikogi. Usually though it's not a problem. It might depend a bit on the style you do I guess, depending on the relative positions of the two people and the direction of the throws. We throw pretty straight down a lot of the time so if tori would step on my hair I'd land on their foot.

kvaak
Pauliina
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Old 05-10-2008, 06:25 PM   #11
Mary Turner
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Re: Aikido and long hair

Quote:
Pig tails are an invite for grabbing.
That has been tried once. No repeats.
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Old 05-10-2008, 06:54 PM   #12
Mark Uttech
Dojo: Yoshin-ji Aikido of Marshall
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Re: Aikido and long hair

Onegaishimasu. Long hair, like earrings, body piercings, fingernails,wedding rings, all give us something to think about. We have to adjust to our own differences. Some people shave their heads. Some women shave their legs.

In gassho,

Mark

- Right combination works wonders -
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Old 05-10-2008, 07:38 PM   #13
lbb
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Re: Aikido and long hair

Quote:
Mark Uttech wrote: View Post
Onegaishimasu. Long hair, like earrings, body piercings, fingernails,wedding rings, all give us something to think about. We have to adjust to our own differences. Some people shave their heads. Some women shave their legs.
...speaking of non sequiturs...
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Old 05-11-2008, 12:02 AM   #14
3shapesaikido
Dojo: 3 Shapes Aikido, Boise, ID
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Re: Aikido and long hair

Hello,

My name is AlejAndro. I run a dojo out in Boise Idaho called 3 Shapes Aikido. I have hair down to almost the top of my rump. I have had long hair since I started Aikido.

Overall it is OK to train with long hair. Most of the time I use a hair pin that is low profile and not sharp. This way I can keep my hair up and out of the way. The "top knot" or bun may get in the way a bit with weapons training and some shihonages. However, It is the best option I have found for myself.

I do not braid my hair as I do not have two hands. The hair pin/bun is easiest for me. I have noticed braids to work well also.

I have had the experience of having people step on my hair in kaitenage. And I must say it is hard to roll with nage on my hair. And I did lose a chunk of hair on two occasions. If the person was stepping on more hair I could see where someone could get a neck injury as was posted.

Once Doran Shihan did an iriminage with my ponytail. He said the hair was there as an option. And since I do not have two hands, it seemed the best option at the time.

Overall, you should do fine with long hair. It is just something to be aware and to take into consideration while training. I do not think you should think about cutting it.

Best of luck.

alejandro
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Old 05-11-2008, 01:12 AM   #15
Walter Martindale
Location: Edmonton, AB
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Re: Aikido and long hair

I had hair that was a little bit long, but it still never reached the shoulders.. Almost, but not quite.
The day before I got it cut to a relatively conventional "short" haircut, the sensei in judo threw me (uchimata or something like that), then stood on my hair, and said "GET UP".
me.. "I can't, you're standing on my hair."
him.. "So? Get up!"
Well, I left some hair behind, but not much, and went to the barber the next day. It was 1972. (has it been THAT long?) He'd spent 5 years in Japan with the "sports cut" crowd, and grew up in Ireland before the 60s...

I've never really understood the allure of having long hair - takes a lot of work to look after it, gets knelt on in Aikido practice, gets used as handles sometimes. OTOH, on some people, long hair is VERY nice...

You do what's right for you. It may take some time to work out what "right" is, though... Patience.
W
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Old 05-11-2008, 08:14 AM   #16
SeiserL
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

Quote:
Clark Bateman wrote: View Post
You will want to look for Lynn Seiser to post here... He'll be along any time now...
Who, me?

Yep, mid shoulder blades here.

I tend to use two ponytails now. One pulls back the sides to the crown of my head. The other pulls it together at the base of my skull. When my hairs was even longer, I would often add another elastic band further down the back. Works for me, seldom gets in the way.

While people kid about using it as a handle, few actually try.

I also never take off my wedding ring (too proud) or take out my ear ring (too difficult to get back in).

Lynn Seiser PhD
Yondan Aikido & FMA/JKD
We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training. Train well. KWATZ!
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Old 05-11-2008, 09:20 AM   #17
JohnSS
Dojo: Aikido of Palm Beach County
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Re: Aikido and long hair

Thank you for all the responses. They are greatly appreciated.
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Old 05-11-2008, 11:07 AM   #18
JO
Dojo: Aikikai de l'Université Laval
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Re: Aikido and long hair

I used to tie my hare in a pony tail (my usual hair style outside the dojo), but found that it regularly got tangled and stepped on (my hair goes to about the middle of my back). I now braid my pony tail before aikido, which does a much better job of keeping it out of the way.

Jonathan Olson
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Old 05-11-2008, 11:08 AM   #19
JO
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Re: Aikido and long hair

PS - It took my wife a few weeks to teach me to braid my own hair!

Jonathan Olson
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Old 05-11-2008, 11:19 AM   #20
jennifer paige smith
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

I have long hair. And have had for most of my training years. True, you got to be sensitive to not getting up before your partner has lifted their knee( which often has a personal party with hair) . Really, it's just one more opportunity for awareness in the connection you can develop with your partners. If you're up for it.

Braiding is a great way to go.

Quote:
Clark Bateman wrote: View Post
You will want to look for Lynn Seiser to post here... He'll be along any time now...
funnyguy

Last edited by jennifer paige smith : 05-11-2008 at 11:23 AM.

Jennifer Paige Smith
Confluence Aikido Systems
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Old 05-11-2008, 12:30 PM   #21
SeiserL
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

Quote:
Jennifer Smith wrote: View Post
funnyguy
You should see the 2 of us when we get together. :-) LOL

Lynn Seiser PhD
Yondan Aikido & FMA/JKD
We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training. Train well. KWATZ!
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Old 05-11-2008, 04:24 PM   #22
Dieter Haffner
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

I have been wondering why Outsiders sometimes call us 'aikido hippies'.
This thread just answered my question.
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Old 05-11-2008, 08:05 PM   #23
gdandscompserv
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

Quote:
Alejandro Anastasio wrote: View Post
Hello,

My name is AlejAndro. I run a dojo out in Boise Idaho called 3 Shapes Aikido. I have hair down to almost the top of my rump. I have had long hair since I started Aikido.
Hello Alejandro. Nice to hear from you.
Ricky
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Old 05-11-2008, 08:20 PM   #24
KIT
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Re: Aikido and long hair

Quote:
Lynn Seiser wrote: View Post
While people kid about using it as a handle, few actually try.
Well, Lynn, clearly you don't get in many fights with the police...

Its an old stand by and excellent for head control. It comes in handy in place of a collar for shime-waza, and I've been known to use it against biters as well - threaded through the mouth it can create tremendous leverage on the jaw.

Did a bit for the jujutsu guys I train with on "exigent application of pony tails and mullets" in suspect control.

That being said, be wary of extensions. More than one guy has tried head control using long hair as a handle and ended up with a handful of.... ....of whatever it is they use for hair extensions.
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Old 05-11-2008, 09:53 PM   #25
crbateman
 
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Re: Aikido and long hair

Quote:
Lynn Seiser wrote: View Post
You should see the 2 of us when we get together. :-) LOL
The smell of dit da jow and Geritol can get really strong...
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