football and aikido

I thought I would share a little perspective on something I have been working on. I have recently taken a break from my aiki training to play football on a men's semi-pro team. Of course I put aside the fact that I most likely would have tested for my Shodan this month to do this. But, I believe that if you reach a personal plateau, maybe a little break is in order. Anyway, at first glance, football is all violence and pounding. But I have since discovered that good aiki principle does actually apply. For example in blocking a 250lb Linebacker, at 165lbs I would be a fool to absorb his energy, but a good kokyu nage seems to work very well in re-directing his energy. As a Tailback, keeping my center is crucial, staying low with my shoulders square and my eyes straight ahead, helps me to keep my balance.

I recall having a discussion with a friend in the dojo about his boxing. How often he found himself referring back to aiki training to be successful.

It just proves that where we may take a break from the dojo and our aiki training, it is always with us.

I do look forward to the end of my season as I have really started to miss my dojo and all the folks that train there.

Pete

I remember we had a short thread here about football and aikido several months ago. Yeah, I think aikido principles definitely apply.

Compare being a quarterback in the pocket to being nage in an Aikikai-style multiple-person randori, for example.

One of my teachers told me once that the Oakland Raiders defensive line brought in someone to teach them some aikido at some point. I'm not sure how true that is or if they still do it.

Something to think about, definitely.

=wl

p.s. Semi-pro, huh? That's pretty cool.

During a football game everything happens extremely fast, and there are many rules which severely cripple application of Aikido technique.

Well, you cant realy do technique's, but you can still apply aikido to football. For example: you could use tenkan to dodge people. Or, if you ever get tackled you can do some ukemi.

Tenkan is what football people are better at than some Aikido people.

I totaly agree that foot ball players would benefit big time with a little Aikido training.

Here's another one! You know how when hockey players grab each others jerseys with one hand and proceed to wail on each other with the other during those infamous hockey fights? Well what if when one grabs the jersey the other applies a nikkyo! Fights over!

just as long as you remember that other football players don't know how to do ukemi...

I have been training football for some two or three years and left it two years ago. Now when sometimes I play football with friends I find that I am a better player now then I was earlier. I feel more relaxed, more calm, I can better concentrate on the game. I am not affraid of my opponents, not affraid to do something wrong. So Aikido definetely can help.

Yep, get off the line, blend with the momentum, unbalance and redirect them into the ground, sounds like a tackle to me.