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Old 09-20-2003, 09:02 PM   #1
BKimpel
Location: Alberta, Canada
Join Date: Sep 2003
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Question Do you eat your Aikido with a spoon or a fork?

Ok, I'm curious of other peoples's background in the martial arts and how their Aikido serves them today. It's my turn for a mini-poll.

How many people:

(a) Had no martial art(s) background, Aikido was their first art, and continues to be their only art

(b) Studied other martial art(s) before they began Aikido, but *still continue* the other art(s) as well

(c) Studied other martial art(s) before they began Aikido, but *stopped* training in the other art(s) when they switched to Aikido.

(d) Have studied other martial art(s) *as well as* Aikido in order to supplement something lacking in Aikido (e.g. ne-waza / ground fighting, etc.)

(e) Have studied *root art(s)* (like Yagyu-ryu Kenjutsu, Kito-Ryu Jujutsu, Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu, etc.) in order to enhance/improve their Aikido

(f) Also study other *complimentary art(s)* (Iaido, Kenjutsu, Jodo, Karate (for atemi), etc.) in order to enhance/improve their Aikido

And please give a little "why" as well (after all, that's half the fun of a poll).

I'll start it off:
Coming from a Karate and Judo background, I started off with (b) but changed to a (c) after a year (I just didn't have enough time to do Karate, Aikido and weight-training). Now a days I am mostly an (f) using Karate/JKD striking techniques to improve my atemi and parrying ability, to provide a better uke, and to better understand the attacks in order to defend against them.

Bruce

Bruce Kimpel
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Old 09-21-2003, 05:46 AM   #2
Kensai
Location: South West UK
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Started as a B, then went to a C and probably gonna be a D.

I started out with Shotokan, then Ninjutsu then to Aikido. At the same time I did Judo too. However the Soke of your organisation advised me to stop the style of Judo I was doing. Unfortuntately it was too physical and not doing a lot for maintain the light feeling I had generated in Aikido.

So at some point I'd like to do some Hsing I and some CMA generally really. But Aikido will always be my center.

"Minimum Effort, Maximum Effciency."
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Old 09-21-2003, 06:40 AM   #3
Chad Sloman
 
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Aikido was my first martial art. Now I practice aikido and atarashii naginata. I couldn't pass up the oppurtunity to practice naginata since it's pretty rare around these parts. I wish that I could have the time to pick up kendo, iaido, and kyudo but I have to pick and choose what I spend my spare time doing. I also wish that I could practice a martial art that would help me with strikes but I'm not sure which striking art would complement my aikido whether it be karate, kempo, jiujitsu, tae kwon do, etc....

I often complain that it bites that my work schedule gets in the way of my budo training. If I win the lottery, I think that's all that I will do.

A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will awaken from your dreams.
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Old 09-21-2003, 07:17 AM   #4
bob_stra
Location: Australia
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Re: Do you eat your Aikido with a spoon or a fork?

(B) Because (1) I didn't know aikido even existed until 1999 (2) It wasn't available in the area I lived. All in all I had abt 12yrs "other" experience before stumbling into aikido.

I still continue with other arts (MMA, BJJ, boxing) because I feel they enhance aikido.

(D) As per above. I do miss my judo ;-(

Curious abt (E). Did one lesson of kenjustu and it improved my footwork incredibly.

I've been away from aikido for abt 4 months now. It itches something cruel. Fingers crossed, I should be starting up again this Sat.

I'd also love to give kendo and jodo a stab (ah ha. Funny). Do you folks feel they are useful to aikido re: maai / footwork?
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Old 09-21-2003, 11:13 AM   #5
Suzanne Cooper
Dojo: Retsushinkan Dojo/Alabama
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I'm an A). I'd have never considered aikido even had one of my offspring not gotten really enamoured of anime and begun bugging me for martial arts classes.

And of course, I couldn't let her have fun without me.

I got guts, yes I do. I do aikido--do YOU?
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Old 09-21-2003, 02:15 PM   #6
aoerstroem
Dojo: Renshin Aikido Dojo, Copenhagen, Denmark
Location: Copenhagen
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I'm an A, but with a dash of C.

Being born in '83 I was a part og the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle generation, so I was aware of various MA's from the beginning.

I tried Shotokan Karate and Escrima briefly, but neither one really did it for me.

Then after several years I started getting in to Anime, and that fueled my fascination of Japanese culture, and I started getting the urge to start a new MA.

I went down to my library and started reading about various MA's, and the one that appealed me the most was, you guessed it, Aikido.

So here I am
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Old 09-22-2003, 01:25 PM   #7
SeiserL
 
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Stared at 17 in Isshin-ryu and Judo. Studied various styles. Later FMA/JKD with ted Lucaylucay. Still make blade/stick seminars. Been in Aikido for 9 years. Love it.

Do I eat my Aikido with a spoon or a fork? Actually its with both hands and I lick my fingers as I go back for more.

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 09-22-2003, 02:30 PM   #8
Lyle Bogin
Dojo: Shin Budo Kai
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Hmmm...well basically C, with a splash of B and/or D depending on my mood and my company.

I stay away from the arts I've studied in the past because it gets boring, or they excite my injuries. But a little now and then is fun. I like to pick up "off the record" techniques. Everyone has a few techniques that they know really work, but are outside of the gospel. If you trust someone, or like them, or just feel like doing it, you can share.

"The martial arts progress from the complex to the simple."
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Old 09-22-2003, 05:07 PM   #9
Fiona D
Location: Ottawa
Join Date: Oct 2002
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Started with Jiu Jitsu in the UK (1995) - it's a style called "Shorinji Kan Jiu Jitsu" and our governing body is "The Jitsu Foundation". It's a style mainly confined to the UK, but with a 2nd (small) core of clubs in Ontario, plus a few scattered clubs elsewhere. When I moved to Canada I was able to carry on with Jiu Jitsu, being in the right bit of Ontario. Also started Iaido a year or so later (2001).

When I moved to Copenhagen for a year (2002-2003) I knew there were no Jiu Jitsu clubs of this style, and also knew I wanted to give Aikido a try, so I joined a club there, and had a wonderful time. Now I'm back in Canada. With the Jiu Jitsu, the Iaido, the bit of Jodo I've also just started (in connection with the Iaido club), and the other stuff I do, I don't have time to do Aikido at the moment. But who knows where I'll end up after next summer, when my current contract finishes? I'm hoping it'll be somewhere I can take up Aikido again.....
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Old 09-22-2003, 06:41 PM   #10
BKimpel
Location: Alberta, Canada
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It's fantastic to see so many different backgrounds.

This is great stuff folks, keep it coming!

Bruce

Bruce Kimpel
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Old 09-22-2003, 08:35 PM   #11
sanosuke
Dojo: Seigi Dojo
Location: Jakarta
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let's see, my searching started off from pencak silat beginning at 8 yrs old, quit then switch to shito-ryu karate for just a short time. Then at junior high re-learn silat until i finish junior high, then switch to WTF taekwondo bcos i want to be van damme, and studying this art for approximately two years, then quit because i'm tired to giving my back as a blocking device during TKD sparring (in which i damaged my lower back). During this vacuum time i try a bit of judo, kendo and Tarung Drajat (sort of indonesian kickboxing), in which again i damaged my body more.

during my study in malaysia first i took ITF taekwondo because i respect its purity and also because of the need of exercise, about one week after joining ITF i walked into a dojo that says "AIKIDO" at the front and start asking "what is aikido?" to the man accompany me sitting while watching the class. The man said as he pointing at one end, "stand over there and walk towards me". I walk towards him, giving way to him as he walked towards me, repeating two times. As we sit down he told me, "That's aikido, aikido doesn't resist people as you giving your way to me, in aikido you don't block or stop the attack, you give way to the attack." This art suddenly interest me that i joined straightaway.

having trained ITF TKD and aikido for about two years, i decided to give up TKD due to injury and because i have found my art and have decided to learn it deeply for as long as possible. I already make my choice, now i have to understand why i made my choice.

Too long? confuse? doesn't matter, i just want to share.
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Old 09-23-2003, 01:14 AM   #12
JJF
 
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Started out with five years of shotokan karate from when I was 14 until I was 21 (a short break somewhere in the middle). Moved to a different city, where I took up Kendo and Seitei Iaido. Did this for about two years, during which a friend of mine showed me a videotape with an Aikido-demonstration.

I was very intrigued and a year or so later when I had moved once again, I decided to check it out. Praticed at first for about two years. Took a 3½ year break due to job, exams and kids. Now I have been back for 3½ years again, and I love it....

Would really like to do other MA's too, but it's not likely to happen.

- Jørgen Jakob Friis

Inspiration - Aspiration - Perspiration
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Old 09-23-2003, 03:17 AM   #13
fjcsuper
 
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Im type A.

I was introduced to Aikido by Steven Seagal's movies. Did some research on the net, this forum was one of my sources.

Now I have done Aikido for more than a year, and I'm addicted.

Too bad my institution does not have a Judo club, or I might have become type D or F... Is there a difference between the two, by your definition, Bruce?

It is inevitable.
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Old 09-23-2003, 03:42 AM   #14
PeterR
 
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I use chopsticks.

Peter Rehse Shodokan Aikido
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Old 09-23-2003, 08:41 AM   #15
BKimpel
Location: Alberta, Canada
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Well Fun, I think there is a difference between (d) and (f), but I don't consider one "better" than the other.

(d) You learn a different art to fill a gap. Such as learning ne-waza to defend against a ground-fighter, instead of say…adapting the series (ikkyo-gokkyo) to a horizontal level. You are looking outside of Aikido instead of takemusu (adapting). Different but not wrong.

(f) You are learning complementary Budo arts in order to improve or better grasp the fundamentals of Aikido. Such as learning Kenjutsu in order to better feel how you need to be connected to your center in order to generate power, while easier to understand using the sword it improves your tai-jutsu as well (empty-handed techniques). Some Budo are used to improve your martial ardor or "spirit", such as calligraphy or chado (tea ceremony) -- but also improve your kamae (posture) and movement as well. I personally wish to take up tameshigiri (test cutting with the live blade) next, as I have been told it is the best way to connect with your center (it just doesn't work without it, so you have pretty good feedback!).

As they say in New Brunswick (a province in Canada) -- It's all good! (pronounced "s'all good"). I love that there are so many different paths that people choose. It is indicative of how unique each of us is.

Bruce

Bruce Kimpel
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Old 09-23-2003, 08:49 AM   #16
Ron Tisdale
Dojo: Doshinkan dojo in Roxborough, Pa
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Re: Do you eat your Aikido with a spoon or a fork?

Quote:
Bruce Kimpel (BKimpel) wrote:
How many people:

(b) Studied other martial art(s) before they began Aikido, but *still continue* the other art(s) as well

(c) Studied other martial art(s) before they began Aikido, but *stopped* training in the other art(s) when they switched to Aikido.

(d) Have studied other martial art(s) *as well as* Aikido in order to supplement something lacking in Aikido (e.g. ne-waza / ground fighting, etc.)

(e) Have studied *root art(s)* (like Yagyu-ryu Kenjutsu, Kito-Ryu Jujutsu, Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu, etc.) in order to enhance/improve their Aikido
Pretty much some combination of the above. I wrestled in part of high school and part of college. Started kickboxing and Hung Gar Kung Fu and a little pukulan (silat) in college as well (the last two years). Spent a year in shotokan in Kenya. Then went back to kickboxing in Rochester, New York. Then took a long break, and then tried some aikido (kokikai) for a short time, then another break. Started up with a kokikai offshoot off and on for about two years (never tested). Another break. Then started Doshinkan aikido, and stuck with it (its been about 8 years I guess). Right now I'm sidelined with a knee injury.

I do a little practice in the other arts (mostly on my own, but occationally with training partners at my dojo) informally. I also attend seminars in Daito ryu (mostly in the main line under Kondo Sensei) whenever I can, and practice the kata from ikkajo with a couple people in my dojo some.

I'm not sure I would say I do the other things because I find something lacking specifically in aikido. Its more that they increase my understanding of martial art in general, which aids in my understanding of aikido. And in my case, a little understanding *has* to go a long way.

Ron

Ron Tisdale
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"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind."
St. Bonaventure (ca. 1221-1274)
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Old 09-23-2003, 09:27 AM   #17
Bronson
 
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Did tai chi for about three years. Left that and moved into collegiate fencing then into renaissance fencing and medieval European armored combat. Found aikido about a year into the medieval stuff. Did them both for about four years until a new work schedule made it impossible to participate in the local medieval scene. Have been doing aikido almost exclusively for the last three years. I say almost because just a few months ago I started studying iaido. I didn't start studying iaido to fill a gap in my aikido training though, I started because I was interested in iaido...so I don't really fit into any of the listed categories

Bronson

"A pacifist is not really a pacifist if he is unable to make a choice between violence and non-violence. A true pacifist is able to kill or maim in the blink of an eye, but at the moment of impending destruction of the enemy he chooses non-violence."
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Old 09-23-2003, 10:33 AM   #18
Ali B
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I'm an A and after seven years, I still don't feel the need to inject Anything else into my practice, EXCEPT AIKI.

I have a blend of several diffent syles though and having practied in several countries, with people of many nationalities I hope mine has an international "flavour".

Love and light

Ali
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Old 09-23-2003, 01:59 PM   #19
bca333
Dojo: Nashville Aikikai
Location: Ft Campbell, KY
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Started late in life with Aikido as my first art. Trained in Aikido exclusively for about seven years. Recently began training in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido, but Aikido will always be my "home" art. I had no martial background before Aikido. I wasn't really seeking to fill any gaps, just wanted to check out other stuff and have fun. However, it has given me a fresh outlook on attacks and is hopefully helping me become a better uke.

Regards, Brad
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Old 09-25-2003, 10:01 AM   #20
Arieru
 
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(c) i studied wing chun as an adolescent.
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Old 09-25-2003, 11:39 AM   #21
Thalib
 
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Started with Karate as a kid. That didn't last long. I was still in elementary back then.

TKD WTF in middle school. That lasted only for 2 years.

A year of fencing in high school.

Dislocated my knee and torn my ligaments after high school doing a stupid stunt.

Took TKD ITF in university. Dislocated the same knee for the second time. A friend introduce me to Aikido.

Switched university and been in Aikido ever since.

When I have to die by the sword, I will do so with honor.
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Old 09-25-2003, 12:49 PM   #22
Eik
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I`m an (a). Because Aikido is the only MA

in my area. I have been training for ca a year. Somewhere down the road I would imagine trying something else, but only to improve my aikido.

Those who ignore history are
bound to repeat it.
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