Is two days enough?

I was going to start Yoshokai Aikido in the fall. The club meets Mondays and Fridays for an hour and a half, and I was wondering if you all think that that is enough time for weekly lessons.

Oh, and has anyone heard of Yoshokai Aikido? I've heard that its related, or similar to Yoshinkai Aikido. Is this true? Thanks in advance for any info you guys can give.


Mason

I personally think that it depends on your own physical condition. Anyway, please take a look:
http://www.aikiweb.com/training/goldfield1.html

I began with just one class a week when I started and now do 2 classes a week. I find that plenty for now whilst I am still learning and I also find that practicing the basics on my own at home helps some too. I would say give the two classes a week a try and see how you go. If you feel you aren't getting enough out of those two then perhaps you need to think about fitting another one in somewhere along the line.

You may also take a look how often do most Aikiweb readers practice:
How often do you practice at Aikido dojo poll

My answer then was 5 days a week.
Now I'm practicing 3 days a week.

But does that make any sense? You are the one to decide how much practice you need

Good luck!

[Edited by Victor on August 23, 2000 at 07:35am]

Maso Baso wrote: I was going to start Yoshokai Aikido in the fall. The club meets Mondays and Fridays for an hour and a half, and I was wondering if you all think that that is enough time for weekly lessons. Mason

two days is better than no days

It has been said by many that Aikido is not just the two days one spends in formal training but it is somthing that a person will do all the time.

The basic principals of aikido can be use in everyday life...I like to think of it as two days of instruction and a life time of practice!

go to the dojo twice a week, use what you learn in that dojo seven days a week.

-Nick

Thank you all for your great responses.

So has anyone heard of the Yoshokai?

Max Factor wrote: I like to think of it as two days of instruction and a life time of practice!

Nice touch. If I am driving along, and a semi begins to pull into the path of my car, you bet that I will begin to come into harmony with the intentions of the driver. Not to do so would be... ugly... at best.

'how long?' is important than 'n times
a week'

Many beginners are eager to train everyday and really push them into such hard training. However, most of them soon quit.

As others said, '2 times a week for 10yrs.' is better than '7 times a week for one month'.

I have only been able to attend class at my dojo two times a week since my son was born a year ago. I would definitely like to be able to go more, but right now that's all I can do while balancing time for my family, work and my aikido practice. There are others in my dojo who practice once a week and others who practice seven days a week - I think it's really all about finding the right balance in your life. If you like what you see at this particular dojo, and it only holds classes twice a week right now, you might want to give it a try. Maybe additional classes will be offered in the future as the club grows in size. You never know...

One day, one lifetime.

Two days......


Rob

Two days a week is fine for the beginner I think. Our Senseis recommend no less than two days for training, however. If you're going to train for two days a week, stick to it. Be disciplined, and show up on time, ready and properly outfitted.

In any case, you'll eventually want to train more and more. My personal experience was similar: I started off 2 days a week, then 3, then four, etc. Now I train six days a week; 1 1/2 hrs Monday-Friday and 2 hrs on Saturday. Although I've had to cut back a little due to work I try to make it at least 4 days a week: 3 days M-F and definitely Saturday.

My girlfriend says that when I don't go to every single class, I get all cranky, though. I certainly feel anxious and I get the jitters, like having an itch I can't scratch, or something. I get irritable and impatient too. But I feel much better as soon as sit ins seiza for a while, do some ukemi and Ikkyo someone. Please tell me this is normal, please, someone? It's normal, right? Please tell me, I'm not an... Aiki-holic!???

I have been practicing 2 days a week with solo practice on Friday. At first I thought that was enough but now I wish I could go more often. On a more painfull note I with Andy, YMCA bought and remodled(sp?) the place we practice. I have been idle for 2 months now. I think Im gonna die, I can feel myself getting fatter, and stiffer.
Matt Chavez

Heh, heh. About a year and a half ago, our dojo had to relocate to a temporary location until we could find a permanent space. In the process of moving out of the old space and into the new temporary space, there was a three week period where we didn't have any classes while we were scrambling to finish the buildout of the temporary space and get it functional. Anyway, toward the end, EVERYONE was getting a little edgey and frustrated at the continuing delay of opening the new space. Then one day toward then end, one of the senior students/instructors, who is known for his quiet and calm demeanor, just kind of lost it. All of a sudden in the midst of people painting, hammering and getting the floor ready for the mats, he just stood up in the middle of the space, clenched his fists and screamed at the top of his lungs "I NEED TO DO SOME AIKIDO!!!" Everyone just kind of froze for a couple of seconds until laughter erupted throughout the room. It was a total catharthis for everyone in the place, and helped relieve the tension that had built up since we had stopped having classes. We opened new space three days later with a mat so crowded you couldn't even take your falls most of the time, but was one of the best classes ever...

I think that unless you are doing an intensive period (which won't last for more than 6 months) 2 nights a week is plenty. The more you do the less you concentrate. Once a week results in you getting out of the natural response an is very slow learning, more than three times a week and I find I get blase about it and don't get as much out of the training (and you can easily burn out). Two to three times is ideal for me.

Ian

At present I can sometimes only make it
to the dojo once a week due to work and
other commitments and I just ache for more Aikido. The more often you go, the
more quickly you will start to get
some insight into where Aikido comes from. The important thing is to just
turn up ,be it once, twice or however many times a week, and take something away with you each time, even if it's just one small subtle realization about part of one technique.