Debating between aikido styles.

HI guys, we've been practicing 2 styles here, the aikikai and iwama style. Personally i like iwama style more. now the problem is that, there's always a discussion on which is better during our practice. Do you think this is bad or good? please enlighten me guys. thanks .

How do you do that.

One night Iwama, one night Aikikai. Same or different teachers.

omote aikikai, ura iwama. most of the time.

Until a relatively short while ago, Iwama was under the Aikikai umbrella. 2003? My understanding is that is was mostly over a specific Aiki weapons curriculum? Please someone correct me if I am wrong on that.

Aikikai has been the most nebulously defined of the styles in my experience. Fellow Aikikai dojos use different test requirements, terminology, and gravitate to different variations. A competitive spirit can exist between fellow Aikikai schools, or students will be suggested to avoid going to certain dojos of "the same style."

Knowledge is power; go ahead and learn. I am at an American Aikikai dojo now, and I come from an Aikikai lineage Canadian dojo. I will get students talk about the "differences." It drives me up the wall.

If the class stops to debate in midstream for students to debate the variations, not in terms of movement or effectiveness but in terms of politics, I do tell them to shut up. I regard it as pathetic and ill informed, and the worst offenders themselves are the one's who suffer for it. Go for a beer after class and then ask questions. On the mat, shut up and practice. No one can win these debates, no one develops better skills for them.

Do your teachers who teach different styles attend each other's classes? Are they encouraging the debates to happen or starting the debates? Are factions being encouraged to develop? I've not seen a dojo survive when debate and lecture replace sweat and effort. Even with multiple styles on the mat, all the students should grow. I draw on three styles when I teach and I borrow ideas from two more schools, and I never bother to share where the dividing lines are.

Saito Morihiro sensei was a member of the Aikikai, the Iwama dojo (aka O Sensei's dojo aka Shibu dojo) was and still is an Aikikai dojo and the dan ranks he awarded were Aikikai ranks. About a year after Saito Morihiro's death in 2002, his son, Saito Hitohiro, established an independent group outside of Aikikai - ShinShin Aiki Shurenkai. Some of Saito Morihiro sensei's students choose to remain with Aikikai while others joined ShinShin Aiki Shurenkai.

As for substance, Iwama style is different from what is sometimes called "Aikikai house style" and in my opinion practicing both concurrently is counterproductive.

Oh. This is like a thread from 2002.
Aikikai is not a style, it´s an organisation. Iwama style is basically the teachings of Morihiro Saito and is today transmitted both inside and outside of the Aikikai.

David Soroko wrote: Saito Morihiro sensei was a member of the Aikikai, the Iwama dojo (aka O Sensei's dojo aka Shibu dojo) was and still is an Aikikai dojo and the dan ranks he awarded were Aikikai ranks.

Saito awarded both regular Aikikai ranks and Iwama Ryu dan ranks in tai jutsu as well as non Aikikai ranks in Iwama bukiwaza. Ex Paolo Corallini and Ulf Evenås was promoted to 7th dan shihan in Iwama Ryu Aikido while being only 6th dan within the Aikikai.

I did say dan ranks to avoid the subject of the weapons scrolls, but you are right, he did award Iwama ryu dan grades in parallel to Aikikai - dont think it lasted long or that many were issued.