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Old 03-05-2006, 06:49 PM   #1
ajbarron
Dojo: Calgary Aikikai
Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 76
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How old were you

I would like to post a new thread/questionnaire to all Aikiweb members.

(This is my second attempt at this thread since I a pushed a wrong key before and lost the first to the ozone, unless it shows up twice in the forums and then I apologize )

How old were you when you started Aikido, did you come form another martial art or sport or dance or meditative study. Why did you start, continue, or move away from Aikido?

I have been involved in martial arts for the past 11 years, starting at 49, the last 6 in Aikido, prior to that 5 in Hapkido.

I have a varied background in sports since the age of 10, starting in figure skating and then moving to swimming, water polo, speed skating, cycling , running, triathlons and the martial arts.

I have a family of with two children; one a debater/yoga practitioner (verbal aikido combined with WWE) and the other a soccer type "A" child who will require many years to take an edge off her competitive nature before joining Aikido. My spouse in a soccer/squash nut. ( we are both, my wife and I excellent chauffeurs and navigators)

I would appreciate your response either through this forum or personal emails.

Thanks in advance
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Old 03-05-2006, 09:46 PM   #2
ccain85
Dojo: Chicago Aikikai
Location: Chicago,IL
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 54
United_States
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Re: How old were you

I started training in judo when i was 15. the only reason was because i was not aware of the local aikido club. i had always wanted to study aikido, but didnt know of anywhere near me where i could. while i was training in judo, a friend of mine introduced me to his sensei, a jujitsu instructor. well, this jujistsu instructor knew one of the guys in the local aikido club. as soon as i met him, it was bye bye judo and hello aikido. that was almost six years ago. i couldnt imagine doing anything else with martial arts training except aikido. i love it.

To win 100 victories in 100 battles is not the highest skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the highest skill.
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Old 03-05-2006, 09:52 PM   #3
xuzen
 
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Dojo: None at the moment - on hiatus
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 965
Malaysia
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Re: How old were you

Quote:
Andrew Barron wrote:
I would like to post a new thread/questionnaire to all Aikiweb members.

(This is my second attempt at this thread since I a pushed a wrong key before and lost the first to the ozone, unless it shows up twice in the forums and then I apologize )

How old were you when you started Aikido, did you come form another martial art or sport or dance or meditative study. Why did you start, continue, or move away from Aikido?

I have been involved in martial arts for the past 11 years, starting at 49, the last 6 in Aikido, prior to that 5 in Hapkido.

I have a varied background in sports since the age of 10, starting in figure skating and then moving to swimming, water polo, speed skating, cycling , running, triathlons and the martial arts.

I have a family of with two children; one a debater/yoga practitioner (verbal aikido combined with WWE) and the other a soccer type "A" child who will require many years to take an edge off her competitive nature before joining Aikido. My spouse in a soccer/squash nut. (we are both, my wife and I excellent chauffeurs and navigators)

I would appreciate your response either through this forum or personal emails.

Thanks in advance
Started MA (tomiki-ryu aikido) at age of 20 in university. I came from a family background which frown upon sports or any physical pursuit. Our sons must only be academically strong. We were the ultimate geek producers. I was the ultimate book nerd in high school.

I never had any background in sports or physical pursuit. Tomiki aikido is my first "sport". This coming June will be my 11th year doing aikido (in various school such as Aikikai and Yoshinkan). I have also recently added Judo into the mix. I am loving what these two hobbies are doing to my body i.e, turning me into a babe magnet.

SHOMEN-ATE (TM), the solution to 90% of aikido and life's problems.
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Old 03-05-2006, 11:09 PM   #4
akiy
 
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Posts: 6,049
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Re: How old were you

Here's a poll I took a while back:

"How old were you when you started aikido?"
http://www.aikiweb.com/polls/results.html?poll_id=45

-- Jun

Please help support AikiWeb -- become an AikiWeb Contributing Member!
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Old 03-06-2006, 03:40 AM   #5
Nick Simpson
Dojo: White Rose Aikido - Durham University
Location: Gateshead
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 916
United Kingdom
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Re: How old were you

I started Aikido when I was 19, I had done a little karate when a child but didnt enjoy it and I had also dabbled with Iaido but qaulity instruction is hard to find. I had done plenty of sport from being a child but had never been particularly 'sporty' (i.e. not into football or team sports), mostly walking, climbing, mountain biking and swimming.

I started because I wanted to study a martial art properly again and had been mulling it over from the age of about 15 (taekwando, wing chung, ju jitsu?), also I liked the idea of getting fit and it seemed a cool way to do it. I read 'Angry White Pyjama's' on my dads reccomendation when I was 17 and I was intrigued by this AIKIDO stuff. So, 2 years later when I started university I went to the first Uni Aikido class and loved it, that was 3 and a half years ago and Im still training, now towards my shodan sometime later this year.

They're all screaming about the rock n roll, but I would say that it's getting old. - REFUSED.
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Old 03-06-2006, 05:38 AM   #6
rachmass
Dojo: Aikido of Cincinnati/Huron Valley Aikikai
Location: Somerset Michigan
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 794
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Re: How old were you

I started when I was 21 and this has been my one and only martial art.
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Old 03-06-2006, 06:42 AM   #7
Dirk Hanss
 
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Dojo: Aikidoschule Trier
Location: Merzkirchen
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 470
Germany
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Re: How old were you

I was 14, when I started karate, which I practised for 6 years. With 27 I just read a flyer about an aikido introductory course and I was very curious. I had a greater break of nearly 10 years due to unmatching training schedule and working hours and I started again about 2 years ago.

The major reason to practise aikido is, that it is much fun. I do not really need self defense, but if I needed, to beat someone down, until he cannot stand up again, should not be the only choice.

And I like not doing competition. We attended many tournaments in karate, what was not good for me. In fact it enforced my aggressions and lack of control.


Dirk
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Old 03-06-2006, 07:43 AM   #8
SeiserL
 
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Location: Florida Gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,902
United_States
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Re: How old were you

Quote:
Andrew Barron wrote:
How old were you when you started Aikido, did you come form another martial art or sport or dance or meditative study. Why did you start, continue, or move away from Aikido?
Started Aikido at 44, 11 years ago.
Came from bashing arts (FMA/JKD).
I am having a good time.

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 03-06-2006, 08:08 AM   #9
Cleetus
Dojo: White Rose Aikikai
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 16
England
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Re: How old were you

I started Aikido just before i turned 19. Never done any martial arts before I started AIkido, never been what you would call a sporting person. However saw the club advertised at my university freshers fair, so me and a few friends thought we would give it ago. My friends didn't last long but I am still doing it Aikido and have never looked back. That was 2 1/2 years ago and still train as often as I can.
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Old 03-06-2006, 08:19 AM   #10
gregstec
Dojo: Aiki Kurabu
Location: Elizabethtown, PA
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,110
United_States
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Re: How old were you

I first heard about Aikido when I read an article in the Navy Times (around 1974/75) about this young sailor stationed in Japan that just received his black belt in Aikido; by the way, the young sailor was a guy named Amos Parker - as most know, he is still active in Yoshinkan Aikido today. Anyway, when I was stationed in Guam in 1976, I was about 24 at that time, one of my shipmates was training in Ki Aikido and he got me started. I trained for a couple of years and then went back to the States. Since Aikido dojos where not as prevalent as they are today, I slowly drifted away from it until a couple of years ago when I started training again on a regular basis.

Greg Steckel
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Old 03-06-2006, 08:57 AM   #11
MaryKaye
Dojo: Seattle Ki Society
Location: Seattle
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 522
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Re: How old were you

I was 39. I'd done about nine months of kung fu but it was causing me a lot of knee pain--I was away for two weeks and it took nearly that long for my knees to stop hurting constantly, so I realized this was not the right thing for me to be doing. (I wasn't addicted, obviously.)

When aikido started to make my knees hurt I went to a sports doc and found out ways to improve matters--that's the difference between liking an activity and loving it. The hard part was cutting down my training even temporarily so that they could get better.

(Knees are fine now, yay!)

Mary Kaye
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Old 03-06-2006, 09:21 AM   #12
Qatana
 
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Dojo: Aikido of Petaluma, Petaluma,CA
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Re: How old were you

I come from a dance and yoga background, Did a little karate in my late thirties but had to stop. I hadnt been dancing for a couple of years, at 46 a good friend suggested aikido to help me blow off steam and work with self-conflict-resolution. I was lucky enough to find an outstanding sensei at the first and nearest dojo I checked out.
I am told my ballet is starting to show in my technique. I'm taking it as a compliment, not as a hint my center is "too high" as is the case with most ballet dancers who start aikido...
I'll be fifty in a couple of weeks and for the record am currently the youngest woman in my dojo...

Q
http://www.aikidopetaluma.com/
www.knot-working.com

"It is not wise to be incautious when confronting a little smiling bald man"'- Rule #1
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Old 03-06-2006, 10:23 AM   #13
Mark Freeman
Dojo: Dartington
Location: Devon
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,220
United Kingdom
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Re: How old were you

I started at 36, 14 years ago. I had done judo as a kid and loved it. I knew that I was not going to go back to it as I didn't want to face the beating I knew my body would get. So aikido became the art for me. I look forward to answering the same question in 30 years time, and all that will have changed is the numbers, oh, and I may be a little better by then.

Success is having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have.
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Old 03-06-2006, 11:57 AM   #14
KerstineElnegaard
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 11
Denmark
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Re: How old were you

I have been fascinated by martial arts for a loong time - since I was 8-9 years old. When I finally got a chance to try it out, it happened to be an aikido dojo I came to. And now i couldn't be happier about it I was 15 at that point, have been training for 4 years now. Still love it, and hope to be practicing it 50 years from now.
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Old 03-06-2006, 12:57 PM   #15
Karen Wolek
Dojo: Kingston Aikido
Location: New York
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 322
United_States
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Re: How old were you

I was 34. All of a sudden, for some unexplained reason, I wanted to do a martial art. I had never done any sports or anything; I was one of the last kids picked for teams in gym class. Unathletic, small, out-of-shape, and overweight. So I did a lot of research online and kept coming back to aikido. I visited my dojo once and signed right up. I lost 40 pounds within a few months.

Three and a half years later, I'm still there everyday. They couldn't get rid of me if they tried.

Karen
"Try not. Do...or do not. There is no try." - Master Yoda
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Old 03-06-2006, 01:24 PM   #16
Aiki LV
Dojo: VEGAS VALLEY AIKIDO
Location: Las Vegas/Henderson
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 73
United_States
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Re: How old were you

I was 12 or 13 years old when I first started training in aikido. Originally I wanted to train because I had no confidence in myself and was rather reserved, of course that changed over time and age. The reason why I kept going was because I just loved it so much. When I moved to a new city to attend college I didn't practice for a few years. At 24 I started training again after finding a good place here in Las Vegas. I hope to never have to go without training again. This might sound corney to some, but this art has very much shaped the person I have become. I hope over time I will continue to learn & grow as a result of my training.
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Old 03-06-2006, 02:13 PM   #17
aikigirl10
Dojo: Aikido of Ashland
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 395
United_States
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Re: How old were you

I started Aikido when i was 8. My grandma actually introduced me to it... she knew i had been interested in martial arts and she when she heard about aikido she was intrigued by it because it was more peaceful than most other martial arts. So, she talked to my sensei and got me started in the children's classes.

I'm 16 now. I also started shaolin kung fu about a year and a half ago. I found it to be great as well and both arts actually compliment each other. They are very different but some of the principles of ki/chi are the similar and there are also breathing exercises incorporated in both.

*Paige*
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Old 03-06-2006, 03:47 PM   #18
Michael O'Brien
Dojo: Nashville Aikikai
Location: Nashville, Tn
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 288
United_States
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Re: How old were you

I'm 38 years old, 39 later this year.

I was always involved in sports growing up (soccer, football, volleyball, baseball, track, tennis, racquetball, swimming) and had some exposure to Shotokan karate around the age of 10, but we moved and I didn't have an opportunity for any more martial arts exposure until college.

In college I started taking Tae Kwon Do as well as continuing to pursue most of my other sports interests through campus intramurals. I was able to continue my TKD training to 1st Dan and then went into the military after college. During 9 years in the military I continued a lot of my sports intrests as well as add rock climbing to the mix and got to experience different martial arts at different duty stations (Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Tang So Do, Kenpo, a couple of styles of Kung Fu). After I left the military I spent a couple of years in small town USA with no training in any martial art within a 1-2 drive. Eventually I moved to Nashville, Tn and have had the opportunity to start training in Aikido again.

Harmony does not mean that there are no conflicts,
for the dynamic spiral of existence embraces both extremes.
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Old 03-06-2006, 03:48 PM   #19
Aikiscott
Dojo: Central Coast Aikikai
Location: Gosford
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 65
Australia
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Re: How old were you

I started Aikido when I was 29, but started Martial arts with Shotokan Karate at age 9, have also done TKD and freestyle Karate, I also trained in Yang style Tai Chi whilst doing Aikido. I have been practicing Aikido (Aikikai) for 6 years and still loving it.
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Old 03-06-2006, 03:57 PM   #20
Zach Sarver
Dojo: Aikido of Annapolis
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 12
United_States
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Re: How old were you

I started when I was 15 and have been doing it ever since, so about a year. When I was younger(age 5-age 10)I did tae-kwon-do, but I moved and the place I was going to start at said I had to start over at white belt, and I didn't want to. So, I did various other sports(soccer, basketball, crew) but they were never able to hold my attention. After my 15th birthday I decided to start taking a Martial Arts again and started looking around. I found a site about Aikido and how it stress non-violence and thought "Hey that is pretty cool." After I started I got more into reading the philosophy of Aikido. I really enjoyed such views, especially since I am in highschool and everyone there has an over inflated ego and most seem to think violence and war is the coolest thing ever. Aikido gave me a good foundation, so I guess that is why I keep taking it.
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Old 03-06-2006, 06:02 PM   #21
Tommy_S
Dojo: Aikido society Zagreb
Location: Zagreb
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 28
Croatia
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Re: How old were you

I started Aikido when I was 19, with no previous martial arts experience.
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Old 03-06-2006, 07:19 PM   #22
giriasis
Dojo: Sand Drift Aikikai, Cocoa Florida
Location: Melbourne, Florida
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 823
United_States
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Re: How old were you

I started aikido at age 29.

As a young girl I was physically active: swim team at age 6-7; Tae Kwon Do 8-11 years old. (Swam, biked [I was faster than the boys at that age] played basketball with the boys in the neighborhood, too. Then I got into competitive baton twirling which is more dance like until I was 14 years old. Then Marching Band in highschool. Took two Goju Ryu karate classes, in lieu of aikido, while a freshman in college. After that I was physically inactive for 10 years until I was 29 weighing in at 210 plus pounds. I've been practicing aikido for 6.5 years since and it is a key part of maintaining an active lifestyle for myself.

Anne Marie Giri
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Old 03-06-2006, 08:12 PM   #23
David Anderson
Location: In the evening shadow of the Rockies
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 6
Canada
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Re: How old were you

I started Aikido when I was 45; I'm now in my 6th year of practice. I had no previous MA experience [unless you count shooting in uniform] I came to Aikido mainly because our organization does a lot of sword work, and I was a [passive] admirer of the JSA. I got hooked on Aikido and plan to make it a lifetime pursuit.
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Old 03-06-2006, 08:25 PM   #24
nathansnow
 
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Dojo: Ryokukai
Location: Michigan
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 53
United_States
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Re: How old were you

I was 18 when I started. I had just started college and went back to the dojo that I saw an aikido demonstration. 8 years later, I'm still there having a blast!!

Nathan Snow
Michigan
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Old 03-06-2006, 11:06 PM   #25
seank
Location: Victoria
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 132
Australia
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Re: How old were you

I started studying Kyokushinkai at 14 for about six years, then drifted into boxing and a few other bits and pieces before settling on Aikido at 28. Have been training in Aikido for about two and half years, but am enjoying the differences immensely.

I started Aikido because I was tired of the confrontational nature of other martial arts and the chest-beating. I also much prefer a challenge, something that can be a life-long pursuit rather than a quick fix.
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