If you could make one change in Aikido

Hiroaki Izumi wrote: Boy, a lot of testosterone on this website! Rock

I'm 16...I have enough in my body to give me a buzz for a week. :x

Aikido as a PURE art is everything it is supposed to be.

My question would be What can I change about my interpretation of Martial arts to include the things I love about Akido. I practice Goshin Jutsu and have been exposed to Aikido for a while now. Aikido lends itself well to seemless transitions between styles and "fits in" great. It teaches flow, balance and Ki extension. IT IS GREAT however, I would not feel complete without having gained knowledge in Boxing, Kenpo, Judo and Ju-jistu

In my life I choose not to change the art- the art changes me.

Mary Kuhner wrote: I'd like there to be one...just one, that's all I ask...weapons kata for jo or bokken that was the same everywhere, so that when visiting other dojo I wouldn't be *completely* at a loss during weapons practice. I was very surprised the other day to see someone at another school doing what looked for all the world like the first thirteen or so counts of the Ki Society jo dai-ichi taigi. The feeling of familiarity was quite muddled, however, by the fact that he was doing it with a bo! Does anyone know the origin of this thing, and whether it started out as a jo kata or a bo kata? Mary Kaye

K. Tohei devised this form to teach basic jo movements. Look at Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere to see an earlier version. It is located in the center of the book. In the hardback version, it is the centerfold.

The Ki Society first jo taigi is derived from that form.

I would instruct practitioners to be better ukes. The way one advances, in aikido or anything else, is to be challenged slightly above one's current ability. If a challenge is to easy, it is not really a challenge. If it is too difficult (a relative concept), one often does not learn because the task is too far above where one is at.

Applying this to aikido, some ukes basically just throw themselves, thereby denying one the opportunity of truly throwing them. The other extreme are ukes who are much better than oneself and try to frustrate you at every opportunity and usually have the effect of preventing any meaningful learning.

This is not a wish for easy training. I like to train just as hard as the next guy. Those ukes who are obstructionist often like to claim they are just being challenging. I do not believe them. I think they are often trying to show off at someone else's expense. As a ni kyu, I am at both sides of this. I give it more rough to those my rank, but try to ease it up for lower ranked people but still give them enough of an attack for the skill level they are at.

Jo Adell wrote: Gosh, there are only three professional nude models in my dojo. Sorry.

What about a retired professional nude model? ; )

Jeanne

I've been known to train with one in San Francisco...

heheheh ... actually, like Jeanne, I suppose my status is retired; haven't posed for a couple yrs now. It was fun doing short poses w/ bokken--just go through a kata slowly, freezing for the appropriate length of time every half turn or cut!

Gosh, when I said "hot", why did y'all leap immediately to model appearance? That has so little to do with "hot". And I'm not being PC here.

Sincerely!,

Oh, I was just pandering to the general tone of immaturity that was creeping into this thread.

I know from experience there is Nothing "hot" about it. Usually quite the opposite.

If I could change one thing in Aikido it would be the attitude that most people want to change Aikido into what they think it should be instead of training in what Aikido already is. IMHO, maybe we need to focus less on what Aikido isn't and more on what Aikido is.

More than one i would like. Of my experience and by observation of videos, i see that neglecting how to shortening the distance to arrive at the contact, of a safe way, without exposing to contra attacks. In other words, to make emphasis in trapping before grappling.

Another point is the necessity of the implantation of atemi waza from the beginning of the aikido practices. And nonsingle that, how to learn to uniting atemis to the techniques, in such a way that flowing of the movement is not affected.

Another thing is the suwariwaza, seems to me that too much importance to this work, when is only a exercise without no "real" practical application. To exercise a strong displacement, balance and energy, there are many other exercises that do not hurt our knees !!

This is my 3 cents.

I'm glad this thread has revived because I would like to change my answer:

The one thing I am not crazy about is the concept of ukemi waza that are dangerous for uke. People I know outside Aikido credit it for super safe ukemi, particularly the forward roll: By going from the lead shoulder to the rear hip, you protect your head in case something goes wrong! So the concept of more advanced ukemi that are risky for uke makes no sense from that perspective! If I have to learn them, I have to lear them, and they may make sense when I get to that point. But otherwise, I don't get it.

Lynn Seiser wrote: If I could change one thing in Aikido it would be the attitude that most people want to change Aikido into what they think it should be instead of training in what Aikido already is. IMHO, maybe we need to focus less on what Aikido isn't and more on what Aikido is.

AMEN.

Ian Hurst wrote: 1. A strange virus infects every hakama in the world and they all fall to pieces so I never have to wear the damn things ever ever again

although I'm a bit ways off, i am not looking forward to the day when i have to put one on. i think it's counterintuitive to introduce snag potential to a martial art that emphasizes ukemi.

Seriously I like the way I get trained in Aikido just the way it is thank you very much.

However if I could change one thing about aikido is people who do not practice it attitudes to it. I have been trying to get people I know to come along to a class and the two schools of thought are are like, "Oh hell no, to much rough and tumble for me" and the opposite "Nope not violant enough!" It appears I can not win, *Sigh!* Off course it could just be the people I know.

So If I could change anything it would be its perception to those who are not initated in the skills and attitude involved and generally how well known it is in the public eye.

Ideas on how to do that would be very welcome.

Yann Golanski wrote: Ian, are you joining the Shodothugs in their "We don't need no hakama" war cries? I am shocked!!! No really I am!

I have a love/hate relationship with my hakama. I am currently in the hate phase.

Pretending.

No changes needed.
Change comes within ones self.

Tanking.
Ban it, even at demos.

..but that's not going to happen.
Without Uke's leaping or sliding to their doom it really wouldn't be aikido anymore.

what is tanking?

I would like to have a more diverse group with which to train. I love my white guys, but I would like to see a class more representative of our population.

Mary Turner wrote: I would like to have a more diverse group with which to train. I love my white guys, but I would like to see a class more representative of our population.

really? in u.s there are only white guys training aikido?
why is that?

I'd like it if aikido practitioners would lose this silly notion that all other martial arts are about violent domination and hurting everyone in sight, and that aikido is kind and peaceful and benevolent. It makes for a very passive-aggressive little cabbage patch of a martial art.

Michael Neal wrote: If you could make one change in Aikido, what would it be?

The definition of Ki.

David

I'd trim a bit of the need for breakfalls from shihonage.