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Old 01-06-2002, 05:39 PM   #1
Chocolateuke
Dojo: Muhu Dojo
Location: Middle of nowhere in California 14 miles from Buellton
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 238
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Smile sports and Aikido

I know that most of you are going to come to this post with a little uncertiny because it might be about compition... well its not unless you want it to be but its on a totaly different levle. by now your like shut up and post what you have to say already.. well okay just being annoying heheh.

I recently went skiing and took a pretty bad fall as people who saw me fall thought. they said that they saw moslty snow and fell about 20 feet ( not down but I stoped falling about 20 feet.) I let my body do its thing and thought for a moment I was back on the mats ( white snow ground close!) needless to say some were suprised that I want hurt even a little ( like a small pain on back or head as most skiers expirence it is a bad fall.) the snow was not to powdery but sure helped!. My question is people who do play sports such as Football ( american) or surf how much do you use your aikido falling? or thoes who remember your highschool or collage days how much do you think aikido would have helped?? well have fun

Dallas Adolphsen
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Old 01-06-2002, 06:53 PM   #2
Erik
Location: Bay Area
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,200
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Re: sports and Aikido

It's the only place I've ever used my Aikido. I've gone over the handlebars on my mountain bike twice and done forward rolls. I did get munched another time though but I think Aikido helped me there as well. I had no forward speed and came down roughly on the back of my head. While that sucked, Aikido probably helped because I tucked my head. I've also taken several falls playing basketball. Most of the time people don't even notice it because at this point rolling is a lot like walking to me.

I think you could argue that falling is the most valuable thing we learn in this art. It's certainly one of the most practical.
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Old 01-06-2002, 07:20 PM   #3
lt-rentaroo
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 237
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Hello,

I agree with Erik. I believe falling is arguably the most valuable aspect of Aikido training. Everyone falls down eventually, whether on the playground at school (for the young), or in the icy parking lot outside the office.

I crashed my motorcycle a few years ago (not a bad crash, only going about 30 miles/hour), but it was on asphalt and I distincly remember sliding across the ground on my left side; in a position similar to the final position of a forward breakfall. I was able to keep my head (wearing a helmet!) off the ground and keep my boots from catching on the asphalt and breaking my legs. My bike did not fare so good I've also done the front roll off the bike while riding in the dirt as well.

p.s. I forgot to mention tennis. I play tennis, and one thing I've incorporated into my tennis from Aikido is "centering". Whenever I hit the ball, I try to place my left arm (I'm right-handed) as close to my body as possible. This prevents any wasted movement and makes my shots more powerful. If you watch professional tennis players, they often place the arm not holding the racquet along their abdomen during serves; this is essentially what I'm talking about.

Last edited by lt-rentaroo : 01-06-2002 at 07:30 PM.

LOUIS A. SHARPE, JR.
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Old 01-07-2002, 06:10 AM   #4
Anat Amitay
Dojo: Nes- Ziona, "the red house"
Location: Israel
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 137
Israel
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Hi All!
This is a very interesting topic and I agree with those that have already written. As for me, I guess that up till now I managed to use the rolling only to save myself from sliding on a wet floor and not for some real sports... but I had a chat with some aikidoka in a chat room and he is iceskating. He said that aikido has helped him greatly in that.
I think that since aikido teaches us to listen to our bodies, and teaches us to MOVE, it can help in any sport or just everyday life.
Petty I learned most of the sports I did before I did aikido (tennis, softball and windsurfing).
Hope you all have a great year!

Anat
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Old 01-07-2002, 11:33 AM   #5
Don_Modesto
Dojo: Messores Sensei (Largo, Fl.)
Location: Florida
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,267
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Ukemi is an obvious utility of aikido. I found "mushroom picking" useful, too. (Image: Saotome Sensei immobilized by a bear hug from behind by Ikeda Hiroshi. Saotome smiles, "In difficult situation, mushroom picking very useful!" and therewith, shunts one hand behind him into Ikeda's groin. Ikeda shunts his hips back, and is, of course, lost, thrown, flying, bye-bye.)

I first noticed it applied off the mat in Shinjuku Station, the busiest of Japan's buys train stations. There was this suit gliding through the crowd directing the point of his umbrella at knees and groins, the owners of which quickly redirecting said precious geography away from point.

I found that the same result could be effected by leaving an arm out of sync with one's stride. Just the trajectory of the arm--it was never a threat to anyone's BVD's or other--was enough to cause people to turn away. With little loss of effect, I found similar effect to be had simply leaving my shoulders directed at oncoming pedestrians, again, the shoulders would usually be out of sync with the hips.

I never had the temerity to try a kiai, however.

Don J. Modesto
St. Petersburg, Florida
------------------------
http://www.theaikidodojo.com/
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Old 01-08-2002, 01:12 AM   #6
Abasan
Dojo: Aiki Shoshinkan, Aiki Kenkyukai
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 813
Malaysia
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I did equestrian when I was younger, stopped though when I left for A-levels. Unfortunately, in my last class, I actually took a fall during hacking. This was before Aikido, so the fall was one typical of a coconut dropping from a tree.

Now that I've done Aikido, I feel like I want to try horsing around again. Besides, I'm pretty sure relaxation, centering, weight underside, extension and aiki would blend quite nicely with the sport.

I don't really do golf, but as part of my new year's resolution, I want to learn to play this game this year. Swinging the club I feel is much like swinging a sword. In someways anyway... Still, until I see a famous aikidoka win the golf masters, I wouldn't say too much.

Draw strength from stillness. Learn to act without acting. And never underestimate a samurai cat.
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Old 01-09-2002, 12:04 PM   #7
KeithP
Dojo: Okinawa Aikikai
Location: Damascus, MD
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 3
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This wasn't playing sports, but...

I was sitting in a tall, wheeled office chair at work. I pushed off the counter with my feet to propel myself backwards. The wheels of the chair slid off of the plastic mat, and caught on the carpet. I went over backwards.

My body took over, arms slapping to take up the impact, and I stood up with no injuries other than too my dignity.
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Old 01-09-2002, 01:25 PM   #8
bcole23
Dojo: Eagle Rock Aikido, Ammon, ID
Location: Ammon, ID
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 120
United_States
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I had a similar experience.
No matter how much people harp on you about safety, it seems we all have lapses.

Anywho, I was sheetrocking my newly built closet. I was alone standing on a chair, a 6'x2' piece of sheet rock in one hand and cordless drill w/sheetrock screws in the other. (this piece was going over the opening)

Well, somehow I became unbalanced and fell over the back of the chair. Instinctively, Aikido took over. I saved myself and the sheetrock. You try falling over the back of a chair holding a 6'x2' piece of sheetrock in one hand and see if it breaks.
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Old 01-09-2002, 05:24 PM   #9
Jon Hicks
Dojo: Tsuchiura Budokan, Ibaraki Renmei
Location: Tsukuba City Japan
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 6
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I love snowboarding. Being able to ukemi has helped me a lot. For example; I like to jump and do "tricks" on the half pipe. I have always been a little iffy about the speed and the hights. But these days, I don`t worry so much because I have learned how to crash well.
Actually, my friends say it looks better, or more interesting when I crash, because it looks like part of the trick. The motion is not interrupted, so it`s kind of like a sommersault where I get right back to my feet.
Anyway, I`d like to do it without falling.

Thanks
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Old 01-10-2002, 06:44 AM   #10
Thalib
 
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Dojo: 合気研究会
Location: Jakarta Selatan
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 504
Indonesia
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ukemi

Fell off from an ATV this holiday. Because of the constant falling practices, the fall didn't hurt at all (impact wise). It was basically a side fall (yoko-ukemi), not a front roll (mae-ukemi).

I was amazed at not feeling a thing during the impact. I mean, I fell on a muddy brick road while trying to do a trick. Got a few insignificant scratches from that, crushed my mobile phone (wasn't badly damaged though) and camera which was hanging by my side.

Only my pride got hurt, since there was a TV camera crew there filming the place. Hope the camera wasn't on at the time .
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