Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > AikiWeb System

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 10-02-2005, 12:30 AM   #1
AikiWeb System
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,320
Offline
Poll: How helpful has using visual media (videos, DVDs, software, etc) been in your aikido training?

AikiWeb Poll for the week of October 2, 2005:

How helpful has using visual media (videos, DVDs, software, etc) been in your aikido training?
  • I don't do aikido
  • Critically helpful
  • Very helpful
  • Somewhat helpful
  • Not very helpful
  • Not at all helpful
Here are the current results.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2005, 03:16 PM   #2
siwilson
Dojo: Kenshinkai Yoshinkan Aikido
Location: Portsmouth
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 450
England
Offline
Re: Poll: How helpful has using visual media (videos, DVDs, software, etc) been in your aikido training?

As the Malay say - "To learn from a book is to learn from the Devil!

Same for videos!

They supplement, but do not replace, a teacher. Hence, they help, but are extra to your teacher.

Osu!
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2005, 05:06 PM   #3
Don_Modesto
Dojo: Messores Sensei (Largo, Fl.)
Location: Florida
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,267
Offline
Re: Poll: How helpful has using visual media (videos, DVDs, software, etc) been in your aikido training?

Quote:
Si Wilson wrote:
As the Malay say - "To learn from a book is to learn from the Devil!

Same for videos!

They supplement, but do not replace, a teacher. Hence, they help, but are extra to your teacher.
I said very helpful; meant helpful as inspiration.

Last edited by Don_Modesto : 10-02-2005 at 05:13 PM.

Don J. Modesto
St. Petersburg, Florida
------------------------
http://www.theaikidodojo.com/
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2005, 02:26 PM   #4
Mark Uttech
Dojo: Yoshin-ji Aikido of Marshall
Location: Wisconsin
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,224
Offline
Re: Poll: How helpful has using visual media (videos, DVDs, software, etc) been in your aikido training?

Actually, I found it hard to believe that folks would pretend that videos were not helpful. It could be because the majority of those who voted thought the poll was inferring that you could "learn aikido" without actually going to class.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2005, 09:15 AM   #5
ian
 
ian's Avatar
Dojo: University of Ulster, Coleriane
Location: Northern Ireland
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,654
Offline
Re: Poll: How helpful has using visual media (videos, DVDs, software, etc) been in your aikido training?

I think in aikido you often cannot SEE what is going on (often for beginners they get confused on who is doing the technique!) and thus you need explanaition and feeling, and repeatedactual training is essential to learn to do aikido.

However I think reading and watching DVDs is good for the exploration of aikido, especially at a higher level. For example I spend alot of time watching Ueshiba doing techniques on DVD because so many people say aikido is this or aikido is that, or that Ueshiba did it like this or that. By watching him move repeatedly you can see that often these people are just wrong (at least with respect to Ueshiba). DVD also has the advantage of very slow play or freeze play without distortion. I don't want to get in an argument of the development of aikido, but if we don't understand what Ueshiba was doing, how you develop from that? Unfortunately, by the same token, much of what you see is quite fast and subtle so you generally have to know what you are looking for to spot this in Ueshiba's body movement. DEFINATELY though, examining Ueshiba has changed the way I think of and do aikido.

Fortunately we have the advantage over many martial arts of being able to see the originator practising it. What is often suprising is that when you are able to more critically evaluate aikido technique you can see that in the old footage even his uschi-deschi are doing something which is only superficially similar to Ueshiba (not saying that they are still like that). Fortunately for many of us we can spend 20 years plus learning aikido and still analyse the originators technique.

Last edited by ian : 10-05-2005 at 09:21 AM.

---understanding aikido is understanding the training method---
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2005, 10:16 AM   #6
billybob
 
billybob's Avatar
Dojo: Academy of Warrior Spirit
Location: tampa
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 440
United_States
Offline
Re: Poll: How helpful has using visual media (videos, DVDs, software, etc) been in your aikido training?

I posted this for last poll but will reprint:

looked for a link, but found none. I'll relate a study done a few decades ago:

College basketball team split - one group physically trained, one group visualized under coaches direction - same regimen as physical team. The 'mind only' team got better as measured by their physical skill level.

My physical therapist, who has studied neurology in depth suggested I get video of the master in my martial art. He said that if I make an 'efferent image' and repeat this over and over in my mind I will develop the skill I am imaging. 'Efferent' refers to nerves that carry signals from the brain, in this case to my muscles.

I have improved. FWIW

Next reply I agreed that 'feeling' was true because the eyes can not be trusted.

I just got a great dvd of OSensei. He is truly wonderful. Did anyone else notice him have other than perfect footing at times? When I read OSensei's words every day I get the impression he was telling me that my true teacher is the universe, and my experience of it, and not he himself. Sensei facilitates the process, but I must learn and be responsible for my success and failures.

Of course, this is my opinion of my own training, and not criticism of others.

Dave
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2005, 12:11 PM   #7
charron
Dojo: Jiyushinkai
Location: The Colony, TX
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 14
Offline
Re: Poll: How helpful has using visual media (videos, DVDs, software, etc) been in your aikido training?

I think that what we will all learn eventually, that videos can become very useful tools, and should be incorporated more in ourt practice. The videos I am referring to we be videos of your own performance. Thus you would be able to see, objectively, what you are doing right, and what you recognise as problme areas. By using videos periodically, you could then also see if you have been working on the problem areas, or if they are still there. Other people's videos, are nice to open yourself and your practice to other ways to practice your techniques. There is just no one way to do this stuff. Eventually if we continue to improve , we have to find our own way, which personal videos can be of tremendous help in showing us both our strong points and weaknesses.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2005, 09:56 AM   #8
ian
 
ian's Avatar
Dojo: University of Ulster, Coleriane
Location: Northern Ireland
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,654
Offline
Re: Poll: How helpful has using visual media (videos, DVDs, software, etc) been in your aikido training?

Hi Ron, - we also video ourselves and it is really encouraging. When you see your students from even a year back, the difference is tremendous. I think the progression in aikido is so difficult to feel personally that often you feel like you aren't progressing, but seeing video footage is not only a good way to spot current mistakes, but a good way to feel that the training you are doing really is worth it.

---understanding aikido is understanding the training method---
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2005, 09:58 AM   #9
ian
 
ian's Avatar
Dojo: University of Ulster, Coleriane
Location: Northern Ireland
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,654
Offline
Re: Poll: How helpful has using visual media (videos, DVDs, software, etc) been in your aikido training?

Hi Ron, - we also video ourselves and it is really encouraging. When you see your students from even a year back, the difference is tremendous. I think the progression in aikido is so difficult to feel personally that often you feel like you aren't progressing, but seeing video footage is not only a good way to spot current mistakes, but a good way to feel that the training you are doing really is worth it.

P.S. Dave - that is really encouraging 'cos I do spend/waste alot of time looking at Ueshiba and I agree, I have NEVER seen him put a foot wrong (but maybe all the stumbling and cock-ups are edited out !)

---understanding aikido is understanding the training method---
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2005, 01:46 PM   #10
sullivanw
Dojo: Portland Aikikai
Location: Portland
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 82
United_States
Offline
Re: Poll: How helpful has using visual media (videos, DVDs, software, etc) been in your aikido training?

To contribute, I voted that videos haven't been helpful to my training at all because I haven't watched any - aside from the occasional video clip online.
Which isn't to say that I think that they are not or cannot be helpful. An analogy to observing videos would be my experience last week when I was coming down with a cold and didn't want to be on the mat. So I went to the dojo and watched the class. It was quite illuminating to watch two yudansha - who happen to be among the highest ranking in the dojo - while they trained, and while they were... I hesitate to say 'corrected', but it is what comes to mind... by the instructor.
So, I think that it can be very useful to observe and later mimic the form of skilled aikidoka, and thereby have more of a blueprint for the 'world of feeling' that exists in the connection between uke and nage.
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
For Ted Ehara - Boundary of your aikido? billybob General 123 12-18-2006 04:52 AM
failed? Leon Aman General 15 09-28-2006 05:15 AM
Article: Clarity and Self-Delusion in One's Training by George S. Ledyard AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 65 12-24-2005 07:34 AM
Poll: How helpful are verbal instructions in learning aikido for you? AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 22 12-07-2005 10:09 AM
Aikido and pregnancy Anat Amitay General 5 03-17-2002 11:49 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:25 AM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate