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Old 09-24-2015, 07:15 AM   #1
chris87
Location: Rotherham
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England
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Thinking twice about iwama ryu

my recent thread i stated i was just starting out in the styke iwama ryu and joined the takemusu iwama aikido europe..the dojo is set up by a 4th dan and his wife but in our dojo i feel a little like its not what ive seen on youtube and other reviews on the style theres only 2 begineers including me thats training... the instructor does only little warming up if any not at all..the dojo does not have a picture of o sensei or saito we just sit in seiza and bow to the instructor. The instructor and his wife sometimes have a debate over techniques i know it sounds comical but its the truth. we dont do kiai even though ive heard iwama ryu do kiai in the techniques..is this bad practice? ive actually been in touch with a 3rd dan thats affiliated with the aikikai and it looks really good quite martial so im thinking going over to aikikai
see what you think on youtube type in rotherham aikido and i just need your opinions i dont want to be going to a place where it be like acrobatics

regards
chris
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Old 09-24-2015, 09:26 AM   #2
Demetrio Cereijo
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Spain
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Hi Christian,

The things I see in your post which can be problematic are the debates about technique between instructor and his wife and the lack of kiai.

Searching for rotherham aikido in youtube gives me this. Is this the club you are talking about?
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Old 09-24-2015, 09:56 AM   #3
PeterR
 
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Dojo: Shodokan Honbu (Osaka)
Location: Himeji, Japan
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

This is the good thing and the bad thing about the internet. Yes you can research but no you can't define practice from what you find - especially youtube videos.

Not sure what you are looking for but you may also be disappointed by the new place when it comes down to day to day practice.

Peter Rehse Shodokan Aikido
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Old 09-24-2015, 10:04 AM   #4
kewms
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,318
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

You are unlikely to find any dojo, in any style, where daily practice resembles YouTube demonstration videos. In the video, the dojo is showing off: the best students doing the most spectacular techniques with a lot of energy. Daily practice is how you get there: lots of slow, painstaking repetition, starting with the most basic aspects.

I'd suggest watching several actual classes at any dojo that you're considering. That will give you a better idea about the actual training at that dojo than any amount of video.

Katherine
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Old 09-24-2015, 11:03 AM   #5
chris87
Location: Rotherham
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England
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Quote:
Demetrio Cereijo wrote: View Post
Hi Christian,

The things I see in your post which can be problematic are the debates about technique between instructor and his wife and the lack of kiai.

Searching for rotherham aikido in youtube gives me this. Is this the club you are talking about?
That's it that's the club mate yes does it look alright? I'm going up on Monday to check it out
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Old 09-24-2015, 11:24 AM   #6
Dazzler
Dojo: Bristol North Aikido Dojo
Location: Bristol
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England
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Quote:
Christian Brownlow wrote: View Post
That's it that's the club mate yes does it look alright? I'm going up on Monday to check it out
Good solid guys. The instructor is a gentle giant with an open mind. Go train with them.
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Old 09-24-2015, 11:39 AM   #7
chris87
Location: Rotherham
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Quote:
Daren Sims wrote: View Post
Good solid guys. The instructor is a gentle giant with an open mind. Go train with them.
Thanks for that feedback daren have you trained with this instructor before?
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Old 09-24-2015, 03:19 PM   #8
sorokod
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Looking at the instructor section on http://www.rotherhamaikido.co.uk , I see no reason to think that the club is in any way related to Iwama Aikido

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Old 09-24-2015, 03:43 PM   #9
PeterR
 
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Quote:
David Soroko wrote: View Post
Looking at the instructor section on http://www.rotherhamaikido.co.uk , I see no reason to think that the club is in any way related to Iwama Aikido
He never said it did - that was the Aikikai alternative.

Peter Rehse Shodokan Aikido
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Old 09-24-2015, 03:47 PM   #10
sorokod
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Ah - got waylaid by the thread's title.

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Old 09-24-2015, 05:14 PM   #11
robin_jet_alt
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Australia
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Hi Christian,

I didn't comment on the other thread because I didn't want to get into the style debate, but now that we are getting into Dojo specifics, I think I have something to add.

Firstly, I consider the lack of beginners to be a good thing. I shows that the people who train are serious about what they do. Dojos that have a lot of beginners tend to have a high attrition rate.

The lack of warming up shouldn't be a problem as long as you have an opportunity to warm up in your own time before class. It would be a good idea to see what the others do about this.

The lack of photograph etc. shows poor etiquette, but isn't necessarily a deal-breaker for me. I would be interested to hear their reason for it though. It could be that they just never got around to buying a photo, in which case, maybe you could buy them one

No kiai does not sound very Iwama, but each dojo always has its own flavour. You'll probably find that the aikikai guys don't kiai either.

The arguing is problematic. Depending on how much it happens etc., this might be a deal-breaker.

As for the aikikai dojo, the videos look alright. I can nit-pick about elements of the technique, but on the whole, it looks pretty good. The thing that bugs me is the poorly transliterated Japanese names on their website (uder-kime-nage and shio-nage etc.), but I don't suppose a non-Japanese speaker would mind so much.

Robin
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Old 09-25-2015, 05:37 AM   #12
Demetrio Cereijo
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Hi Christian

I suscribe what Robin has just posted above. Also, I think you are interested in the martial/self defense/street side of the art and reading Chris Walker sensei bio it seems to me he has enough experience in this aspect.
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Old 09-25-2015, 11:40 AM   #13
chris87
Location: Rotherham
Join Date: Jul 2015
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England
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Quote:
Robin Boyd wrote: View Post
Hi Christian,

I didn't comment on the other thread because I didn't want to get into the style debate, but now that we are getting into Dojo specifics, I think I have something to add.

Firstly, I consider the lack of beginners to be a good thing. I shows that the people who train are serious about what they do. Dojos that have a lot of beginners tend to have a high attrition rate.

The lack of warming up shouldn't be a problem as long as you have an opportunity to warm up in your own time before class. It would be a good idea to see what the others do about this.

The lack of photograph etc. shows poor etiquette, but isn't necessarily a deal-breaker for me. I would be interested to hear their reason for it though. It could be that they just never got around to buying a photo, in which case, maybe you could buy them one

No kiai does not sound very Iwama, but each dojo always has its own flavour. You'll probably find that the aikikai guys don't kiai either.

The arguing is problematic. Depending on how much it happens etc., this might be a deal-breaker.

As for the aikikai dojo, the videos look alright. I can nit-pick about elements of the technique, but on the whole, it looks pretty good. The thing that bugs me is the poorly transliterated Japanese names on their website (uder-kime-nage and shio-nage etc.), but I don't suppose a non-Japanese speaker would mind so much.

Robin
Hi robin thanks for your comment i failed to mention that theres a tae kwon do class before hand and we started straight after i must admit i do like the aikido etiquette i really do and me wanting to teach eventually in years time i want to learn the traditions in that area and far as im aware this aikikai club do kiai as well im made to believe i just was dissapointed in the iwama club i know guy had a different laid back approach and its not what im looking for tbh
Best regards
Christian
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Old 09-25-2015, 12:11 PM   #14
chris87
Location: Rotherham
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Quote:
Demetrio Cereijo wrote: View Post
Hi Christian

I suscribe what Robin has just posted above. Also, I think you are interested in the martial/self defense/street side of the art and reading Chris Walker sensei bio it seems to me he has enough experience in this aspect.
ive done shotokan karate for 17 years and wanting to train and settle in a aikido club where i can learn the martial aspect of the art im hoping this aikikai club will be more suites for me
Christian
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Old 09-25-2015, 12:18 PM   #15
chris87
Location: Rotherham
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England
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Also #robin i dont really fancy going into a debate on styles i had that through karate especially within shotokan one club taught better than the other i was really fed up of it and im trying to avoid that if i can...there was one time i got caught in the middle of a fight between a 4th dan and 5th dan over a stupid rumor that was going round that one of them called the other a business man and not a karateka then after tables were flying one of reasons why i left karate tbh but thats by the bye

but regarding the iwama club im juat gutted that it wasnt as i expected far too laid back and the instructors wife was very impatient and frustrated with me especially if i got a technique wrong i mean im a rookie for god sake that really drove me away that did
Christian
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Old 09-25-2015, 05:18 PM   #16
robin_jet_alt
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Quote:
Christian Brownlow wrote: View Post
Also #robin i dont really fancy going into a debate on styles i had that through karate especially within shotokan one club taught better than the other i was really fed up of it and im trying to avoid that if i can...there was one time i got caught in the middle of a fight between a 4th dan and 5th dan over a stupid rumor that was going round that one of them called the other a business man and not a karateka then after tables were flying one of reasons why i left karate tbh but thats by the bye

but regarding the iwama club im juat gutted that it wasnt as i expected far too laid back and the instructors wife was very impatient and frustrated with me especially if i got a technique wrong i mean im a rookie for god sake that really drove me away that did
Christian
Well, it's probably best to trust your judgement on that one. Atmosphere is a very subjective thing, and if it doesn't suit you then it doesn't suit you. We also have no idea about that aspect just from an internet forum. I hope the other club suits you better.

Robin
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Old 09-25-2015, 10:16 PM   #17
rugwithlegs
Dojo: Open Sky Aikikai
Location: Durham, NC
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Well, not all schools are the same. It really isn't even necessarily the ryu.

While there are different styles, when you join a dojo you are making a huge commitment to spend your available time in that room, with those people, doing what they are doing. If the thought of that makes you cringe or wince, maybe time to go. If the thought of that makes you smile, stay.
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Old 09-27-2015, 09:52 AM   #18
Cynrod
Location: Las Vegas
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Hello Christian,

One of the biggest mistake that a beginner can make is to move from dojo to dojo in a short period of time. You should stay on one dojo for at least six months just for you to learn the basics, in which the basics are the most important part of your Aikido training. Ask yourself what do you really want and what are you looking for in a dojo or a sensei. What is a good Aikido dojo is good to you? You've trained 17 years in Shotokan Karate and maybe after those years you're at least a Yondan or a Godan? Just like in Shotokan Karate, there's a lot of affiliations. SKIF, ISKF, JKA, JKF in which some katas and wazas are slightly different from each other. Don't you think that being at that Dan grade in Karate does not play the EGO on you to start as a MUKYU in Aikido? Or, maybe you're looking for that Aikido dojo/sensei that's going to feed your curiousity and contentment? Aikikai or not Aikikai as long as it's AIKIDO are all the same to me. Some are Affiliated and others are Independent, as long as it's Aikido isn't it? You're the only one who can answer your own question and the only one that can find what you're really looking for in a Aikido dojo/sensei. My only advise to you is step on the mats and just "SHUT UP AND TRAIN". That's the enjoyment of it, it's AIKIDO.

Oneigashimazu.

"For The Secret That The Warrior Seeks: You Must Know That The Basic Principles Lie In The Study Of The Spirit." - Morihei Ueshiba
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Old 09-28-2015, 08:25 PM   #19
rugwithlegs
Dojo: Open Sky Aikikai
Location: Durham, NC
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

I wouldn't be quick to accuse someone of being on an ego trip for having questions or doubts - especially someone used to training.

I have told students to shut up and train, but only when the desire to talk is robbing people of actual practice. I don't jump through absolutely every hoop, with absolutely no questions, for absolutely everyone. I've seen the marital spat in the middle of the mat stopping classes a couple of times, it makes me uncomfortable too.
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Old 09-30-2015, 11:31 AM   #20
chris87
Location: Rotherham
Join Date: Jul 2015
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England
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Finally joined a club i like at rotherham aikido club part of the shobu aikido uk good ettiquite and nice approach to teaching aikido a huge thanks to daz for the guidance i needed
Chris
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Old 10-01-2015, 01:07 AM   #21
robin_jet_alt
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Australia
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

I'm glad you've found a club you like. Good luck with the training!
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Old 10-01-2015, 11:12 AM   #22
chris87
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England
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Re: Thinking twice about iwama ryu

Quote:
Robin Boyd wrote: View Post
I'm glad you've found a club you like. Good luck with the training!
Thanks robin
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