Different Aiki - MA

Onegaishimasu.

Can anyone explain the difference between the different schools of Aikido? My reference point is nearly 20 years old, and I'm finding that there is a lot more diversity out there than I imagined!

My first exposure to Aikido was in Ohio; Aikido of Ueshiba, I think the sensei my instructors learned from was Sensei Frank Hreha. Now I'm finding that there are even regional differences within the US (some organizations are heavily west coast, some more prevalent on the east coast), and styles of Aikido that don't necessarily refrence a honbu in Japan.

Aside from organizational concerns is there a significant difference between Aikido and Aikibudo?

Domo arigato

Here's a good place to start:

http://www.aikidofaq.com/introduction.html

Onegaishimasu. If you look for differences, that is what you will find. I think most of us try to 'find our fit', so we look for similarities. Differences will arise, no matter what, because change is what hangs around the most.

In gassho,

Mark

Usually, styles in aikido get their characteristics from their teachers. There is one senior teacher at the top, and the students do their best to copy the aikido of that teacher. Then they tend to form separate organizations, or at least groups of dojos that cooperate.

Unfortunately, it often leads to some kind of isolation - students of one style rarely practice for teachers outside of it. I think that's both sad and unfortunate. Aikido is a wide community, and there are so many ways to practice it. We can only gain from widening our experiences, and learning from others than those that do exactly like we do.

Actually, I think it is each teacher's responsibility to encourage the students to widen their horizon, instead of narrowing it. I am not sure that every teacher would agree, though...

Whatever the differences are, I don't think there's such a thing as 'better'. My Yoshinkan dojo is very involved with the precision of our techniques. Then when we have visitors from the neighboring city's Aikikai dojo and see the natural power in their beautiful, flowing waza, I think, "That has some value- I need to work that into my bodyslams."