Crosstraining Aikidoka: A Survey

Q1) "How long have you been practicing Aikido?"

A1: Time since I began was 37 years ago, but that's a big illusion, as I took a 20 year break to go away and kick & punch stuff.

Q2) "What is/are the name(s) of the other art(s) you are currently practicing?"

A2: Now, I really only "practice" aikido (Tomiki's) and judo. I've done some crosstraining in BJJ, but I'd consider that really just judo training, in specialty naewaza classes. Feels that way.

3) How long have you been practicing the other art(s) concurrent with your training in Aikido?

4) What ratio of time do you devote to each art (ie. how many days a week are spent practicing Aikido, how many days in the other art(s)?)

5) Is the focus/goal of your cross training:
a) to complement your practice of Aikido
b) to broaden your knowledge/overall skill as a martial artist in general
or
c) other (if so, what?)

6) If you believe that the current art(s) you are cross training in is/are benefiting or complementing your practice of Aikido, could you please describe how?

7) Can you think of any ways that your current cross training may actually be detrimental to your practice of Aikido and if so, please describe how.

Thanks in advance for your time![/quote]

Q1) "How long have you been practicing Aikido?"

A1: Time since I began was 37 years ago, but that's a big illusion, as I took a 20 year break to go away and kick & punch stuff.

Q2) "What is/are the name(s) of the other art(s) you are currently practicing?"

A2: Now, I really only "practice" aikido (Tomiki's) and judo. I've done some crosstraining in BJJ, but I'd consider that really just judo training, in specialty naewaza classes. Feels that way.

Q3) "How long have you been practicing the other art(s) concurrent with your training in Aikido?"

A3: started the judo in '95, so it's been 18 years now. Yes, about that.

Q4) "What ratio of time do you devote to each art (ie. how many days a week are spent practicing Aikido, how many days in the other art(s)?)"

A4: Usually 3 days aikido, 2 days judo. Hardly ever less than 2 days each.

Q5) "Is the focus/goal of your cross training:
a) to complement your practice of Aikido
b) to broaden your knowledge/overall skill as a martial artist in general
or
c) other (if so, what?)"

A5: Really, to make my aikido better and comprehensive across different combative intervals (maai or mai ai, depending on which redneck spelled it to me. I need to ask Peter Goldsbury what it Actually is...). Point being, I see myself as an aikido practitioner who plays judo for fun, exercise and the cross-training elements of the different distances for techniques. It also helps with my predilection to my timing being "late," since I don't see so well.

Q6) "If you believe that the current art(s) you are cross training in is/are benefiting or complementing your practice of Aikido, could you please describe how?"

A6: As noted above.

Q7) "Can you think of any ways that your current cross training may actually be detrimental to your practice of Aikido and if so, please describe how."

A7: Tendency to get competitive comes out, as it is inherent in judo.

Jamie D. Ducusin wrote: I did a forum search and as I didn't see anything recent that was similar (at least in its scope), I'm hoping that any Aikidoka out there who are currently cross training in other martial arts could be so kind as to take the time to answer a few questions for me - I'd really like to get a sense of what people are doing, how and why: 1) How long have you been practicing Aikido? 2) What is/are the name(s) of the other art(s) you are currently practicing? 3) How long have you been practicing the other art(s) concurrent with your training in Aikido? 4) What ratio of time do you devote to each art (ie. how many days a week are spent practicing Aikido, how many days in the other art(s)?) 5) Is the focus/goal of your cross training: a) to complement your practice of Aikido b) to broaden your knowledge/overall skill as a martial artist in general or c) other (if so, what?) 6) If you believe that the current art(s) you are cross training in is/are benefiting or complementing your practice of Aikido, could you please describe how? 7) Can you think of any ways that your current cross training may actually be detrimental to your practice of Aikido and if so, please describe how. Thanks in advance for your time!

1) I'm practicing Aikido for 16 years.

2) Iai-do

3) I think about 14 years. My aikido sensei also teaches me iai-do.

4) 7 days per week (aprx.) aikido and 1 day iai-do.

5) a. Yes
b. Yes
c. To have a contact with a real live blade and also a connection with the samurai roots of aikido. It is also a good esoteric practice, it helps me become one with my self and my environment and clears my mind. It is the ideal solitary practice.

6) It is. Aikido has a strong connection with the sword and since we don't go in the battlefield with such a weapon nowadays it is important to practice difficult kata in order to become one with it inside the dojo. Iai-do practice keeps me internaly balanced as well and that is very important for aikido too.

7) I am strongly opposed against cross training in martial arts. To be honest, i don't even consider my iai-do as a cross training I see it more as a solitary aikido training with a shinken. So, in my opinion, nobody should mix different martial arts because the basic principles are different in each one of them. Yet, Iai-do is a "must" supplementary training for any aikidoist. So in fact, it is not even an exeption, it's part of it...

I think like Yannis, above. The aikido I've received, if you don't consider that which I received from a "traditional," so to speak, Ueshiba stylist when I was 8 to 10 years old, was from a Tomiki instructor. This brand of Aikido, being taught almost as an extension of the standard judo mai ai (maai, whichever) doesn't resonate with me as being cross-training at all, though a purist, which I am assuredly not, would probably disagree.

Personally, as my judo grows in competence, so does my aikido, and vice-versa. I have become progressively softer in my technique application, to the point where sometimes it literally does feel like magic when it happens, and I've been told that it "looked" effortless.... which to me, it did indeed feel that way. Neat feeling, that, whether it's kotegaeshi or haraigoshi.

All same-same, the difference is the distance from uke.

This isn't your standard Olympic judo, keep in mind. I can do that, too, but the feel is different, more combative/competitive, and the possibility exists in almost any Olympic judo "contest" with appropriate rules, for the competent aikido practitioner (or perhaps any other art, if they are aware of what the openings are, of course) to seriously injure the judoka. Typically, they (Olympic competition clubs) don't seem to train the underlying, fundamental stuff.

Tangent there, apologies...

A lot of the martial arts have changed and are less complete than what they once were. Karate originally had grappling in it and throws before it became mainly punching and kicking. Judo had atemi (striking) in it, a lot more ne-waza, leg locks, neck cranks. The standard of atemi in aikido is now often rather low.

So really to do your martial art properly, you need to cross-train. To become skilled at the striking component in aikido and to learn the atemi component of judo, you really need to study something like karate (perhaps goju ryu). To become skilled at ne-waza (groundwork) in judo you really need to cross train in BJJ. To be good on your feet at BJJ you really need to train in judo.

Tomiki aikido was intended to be practised with judo. Many of the standing joint techniques would be studied doing aikido and also the techniques from a greater distance, whereas judo would cover the closer-in throws where you grab the gi.

I tend to call this compartmentalization of martial arts training. You need to go to the different martial arts to become proficient in the area that they specialize in. The problem is that you don't usually have enough time (or inclination) to train 12 sessions per week covering all the areas you need to cover. On the other hand, a problem with cross-training is that many become jack of all trades and king of none.

A lot of the martial arts have changed and are less complete than what they once were. Karate originally had grappling in it and throws before it became mainly punching and kicking. Judo had atemi (striking) in it, a lot more ne-waza, leg locks, neck cranks. The standard of atemi in aikido is now often rather low.

So really to do your martial art properly, you need to cross-train. To become skilled at the striking component in aikido and to learn the atemi component of judo, you really need to study something like karate (perhaps goju ryu). To become skilled at ne-waza (groundwork) in judo you really need to cross train in BJJ. To be good on your feet at BJJ you really need to train in judo.

Tomiki aikido was intended to be practised with judo. Many of the standing joint techniques would be studied doing aikido and also the techniques from a greater distance, whereas judo would cover the closer-in throws where you grab the gi.

I tend to call this compartmentalization of martial arts training. You need to go to the different martial arts to become proficient in the area that they specialize in. The problem is that you don't usually have enough time (or inclination) to train 12 sessions per week covering all the areas you need to cover. On the other hand, a problem with cross-training is that many become jack of all trades and king of none.