Aikido + other MA, What and Why?

I was curious if anyone here who started with Aikido and is fairly highly ranked has picked up another martial art.

My question is what martial art did you pick up and why do you feel you needed to?

I have just started my training (relatively) and Aikido is my first martial art.

I don't think people begin training in other arts because they need to. It may just be a desire, an interest.

Great question, and I'd like to hear responses from those who have, but I think the question may be better asked:

What martial art did you pick up, and for what reasons?

Peace,

...if people who have become quite proficient in Aikido would view a second MA as an augmentation of their skills by adding more "weapons" to their arsenal or a hinderance by learning new skills that may not fit well with aikido...

..and if there are certain arts that fit nicely with aikido and maybe others which force you to relearn everything...

Stone wrote: ...if people who have become quite proficient in Aikido would view a second MA as an augmentation of their skills by adding more "weapons" to their arsenal or a hinderance by learning new skills that may not fit well with aikido...

I would have addressed your question sooner but I am not highly ranked in Aikido, perhaps partially because I spend much of my time doing other things.

Certainly, more correct practice will result in more skill. Whether any of these skills "fit" with Aikido is, to me, unimportant. If I practiced Aikido as a religion I might feel differently.

I'm a Sandan in Aikido and a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. The reason I started BJJ was because I thought it was like aikido, very subtle and gentle. I like the idea of being able to handle myself on the ground, in a one on one situation. It also has helped my understanding of escaping from the ground quickly to avoid multiple attackers. BJJ compliments Aikido when I use it to escape the ground and not get hung up in trying to submit an opponent.

I have "dabbled" in other MA's and I feel that, if you look hard enough and learn from the right people, there are more similarities than you might think. One Nidan at our Dojo teaches Taichi and his Kokyunages are devastating.
Let me know what you think.
Have fun.

I am not highly ranked in aikido in the overall scheme of things, but I have also done karate, penjack silat and judo.
The only martial art I think is compatible is Judo.
Generally it is a body type, body tension issue. Karate and other similar arts build up isometric or static strength and beyond a certain point this can hinder the fluidity of aikido.
Judo builds up dynamic strength of the same type as aikido so the two are compatible.
Although I have only been doing judo for a few months, I have found it very easy to pick up due to similar principals.

Hey,

Aikido currently is my only martial art and was the first one I started with. Soon, however, I'll be practicing Tai Chi as well. Searching for complete harmony of mind, body, and spirit, I feel that aikido can only take me so far. I believe Tai Chi will take me the rest of the way, and contrary to the last comment, they should complement each other very nicely (in my present opinion at least).

-Jase

I am not an expert in Aikido, though I have practiced for the past few years.I have recently had the opportunity to practice BJJ, and I enjoy it a great deal. I find that it gives me a serious appreciation of the realities involved in possibly being taken by surprise and finding yourself pinned under a larger opponent. I find that it is a nice complement to my Aikido experience.


-Krzysztof M. Mathews
http://www.firstgearterritories.com