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Aikido - aikido

Expert: Keith Patton - 8/21/2007

Question
QUESTION: Is aikido and aikibujutsu the same? because i am going to a dojo to watch a class and i want to do aikido, but if im not doing aikido i want to know.

ANSWER: Yes to your question. There are a lot of flavors of aikido. Just as jujitsu is a form of judo, there are different "schools" or styles of aikido. Some ar hard, meaning they use a lot of force in their techniques and are therefore somewhat static. Others are soft, meaning you use very little muscular force, but generate force by your movement. Mass X Velocity = foot pounds of force. So my 250 lbs moving at 2 feet per second (one step) can generate 500 foot pounds of energy at the end of my extended arm. Not a punch, which generates much less, but my arm like a battering ram.

When you go to watch, llok for these things.

1) are they more interested in playing japanese than teaching the forms
2) does the instructor act like he is a demi-god and lord it over the class
3) is the dojo filled with the teachers ego, if so he will be a bully with a black or red belt.
4) do they use the sempai kohei relationship, high ranks pairing with low ranks? If not it will be the blind leading the blind and your skills will grow slowly
5) does the instructor show the technique once then let the students figure it out for themselves?
6) do you get a sense of welcome? or are you made to feel like the low man on the totem pole?
There are a lot of dynamics in the dojo just be aware of them before you decide to call one home.
Are you in Houston?

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QUESTION: no, im not in houston, why??
ANSWER: Just curious. That is where I study and lead classes. I recently had a falling out with the owner of the dojo. He has a habit of alienating his top students over time and running them off. He leads a national organization. The style is great and is pretty much practical. Meaning it is a form of aikido that works on the street. We don't play japanese. Having said that, the guys personality reminds me of my ex wife and she had serious emotional problems and was on meds. Nuff said. Anyway that brings us back to your original questions. You can explain away some behavior, like I did with him, in order to learn something of value. Over time though, it may become intolerable an outweigh the pluses. This sensei would periodically break everyone down through verbal abuse, attacking your character etc then try to build you back up in the mold he seemed to deem acceptable. I'm 51 years old and that s**t got old over time. So just be wary.

Keith

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QUESTION: I viewed the class it was nice, he helped all the students, they use some japanese in the class just for moves and naming things. There arnt that many poeple not big but not 1-3 people. He came over talked to us and explained what we do, and all that.the classes are 1 hour long monday-thursday. the website is http://www.atlantabudokan.com/budokan/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=...
if you would like to tell what u think that would be nice.
ANSWER: It sounds like a nice place. The student teacher ratio is good. The japanese they use is unavoidable. While some of the names for techniques translate fine, like Kote Gaeshi = wrist throw or Kubi Garuma = Neck Wheel. Still others make no sense and defy translation, such as Akinage = fitting in throw. While that might seem to make sense it does not describe what the throw involves. There is probably one called "falling off the mountain" throw. Translation of that would be meaningless. So some japanese is unavoidable. If you liked it go with your instincts.

From the pictures it is apparent to me that the style is the hard style. Look how the instructor is off balance and leaning into the throw. Bad form in my style. The Uke (the one being thrown is totally out of control and is in for a hard landing. Poor falling technique in my opinion.

Having said all that, is appears they have a lot to offer, and nothing says that you cannot learn there, and improve on it as you do.

A word of warning. No two martial artists are the same athletically or in speed and strength, so no two people can or will do the same thing in the same way. If the demand you do it exactly one way, that is artificial and in point of fact, you might never be able to do it "exactly" like your instructor.   My teacher use to tell a story about a 70 year old Dallas Judo instructor who did this. they competed with his school every year. He said that all the students executed judo like 70 year old men. Get the message? If the demand it one and only one way, they don't foster growth in the individual. I say take the principles of aikido and then make your own personal aikido from them.

Keith

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QUESTION: Hey,
  I am usually a smart kid, but i dont get this paragraph.
"A word of warning. No two martial artists are the same athletically or in speed and strength, so no two people can or will do the same thing in the same way. If the demand you do it exactly one way, that is artificial and in point of fact, you might never be able to do it "exactly" like your instructor.   My teacher use to tell a story about a 70 year old Dallas Judo instructor who did this. they competed with his school every year. He said that all the students executed judo like 70 year old men. Get the message? If the demand it one and only one way, they don't foster growth in the individual. I say take the principles of aikido and then make your own personal aikido from them."

.....meaning i shouldnt try to imatate my instructor, but to form my way from his teaching?
ANSWER: What I was saying is that if a school has a system that demands you and everyone else to copy the instructor in every way, it is artificial. I an 6' and weigh 245lbs. I probably move slower than you, but having been into ball room dancing, so I probably move more fluidly than you. I am probably stronger, but you can probably move in ways I can't. So demanding that you do it exactly as I do, is making you do it like a 51 year old , 245lb man and therby compromising advantages that you might have over the way I do it. I am not talking about the principles of the technique, but the actual performance of it. The principles deal with why and how you do what you do, and why a technique works. I am talking about how we perform a technique utilizing the principles.

A lot of schools will have the instructor do it for the class then everyone tries to copy it. Some guys never connect the dots and realize that aikido is collection of principles, a tool box full of tools, and that you can easily apply them to every situation. You should not think in the context of "applying technique number 5". It should just happen and if #6 presents itself from Uke's action then do it. But don't try to make it happen. If you think, "I'm going to do #7" Then Uke might do something to make that impossible, then you're in deep doodoo.

So the bottom line, is learn the principles, then combined with your own physical abilites, make your own aikido. I think this is why there are so many different styles in aikido. The principles allow for a lot of variations in exectution.

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QUESTION: ok, i get what you are saying, i dont need to copy him because im not him, i need to just learn from him but not try to be him. right? =D yea im not 245lb....im 85lb lol.
anyone other suggestions?
ANSWER: Right! The principles are what are important, not exactly how you move or apply them. Focus on timing and try not to use strength. Real aikido is using your mass to generate force, not your muscles. Some people don't get that. Also don't inflict pain on someone in a submission hold or joint lock. If you inflict pain someone will only fight harder to get out of it. If however, you put them in a hold where trying to get out CAUSES pain, then they will stop struggling and stay put. Nobody likes to inflict pain on themselves except a masochist.

Keith

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QUESTION: ok, im just wondering how long it will take for me to learn enough for me to put it to use in real life?
ANSWER: In my experience, the just about every one gets in an altercation (that they finished, by the way) sometime in their first year. It didn't happen to me till my second year or so. It really depends on how much you put into it. Aikido is a lot of muscle memory. Your body has to internalize the movements so you don't have to think, just react. After your first experience, you become more cautious when you see how dangerous it can be. Time in jail for a "I didn't mean to do it" mansalaughter charge, is just as bad as a conviction for an intentional act.

The guy I threw, he went 4-5 feet in the air upside down and was on his way to kissing the pavement head first. As it was his shoulder hit a parked car and it broke his fall.
He wasn't hurt too bad but his two friends lost interest real quick in pursuing anything else.

If you practice at home in your spare time and put in about 3 hours a week in the dojo, you should know some stuff in the first 3 months or so that would help you out. It really depends on what they teach you first. We teach a straight arm, Shomen-ate to the face as the first thing, and we call it our "Oh, Shit" move. The first thing we do in a crisis. A short sliding step forward with your hand on the guys chin shoves his head back just as he is planting his front foot for a swing or whatever. In my case (240 lbs body weight) taking that one step generates 480 ft pounds of force on his chin. His upper body moves back from that force, but his lower body is still moving forward as he completes the step. The result is he maked a nice 180 degree turn in mid air. Now his feet are up and his head is down. That is what I used on my guy. Simple but effective. Learning to move and internalize the stuff is the key. It all depends on you and your ability to do that. If your Dojo is Uesheiba ( it appears more like Tomiki style) they will teach you Shiho-nage as the first technique. There are a lot of variations. That along with walking and taking falls.

Cheers

Keith

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QUESTION: wow, that sounds like you beat the shit out of the dude....or more like he tried to hit you and you just defended....lol. I dont know what style it is, but i gave you the website so you might be able to tell me? how do i practice at home if i dont have someone to spar with?

Thank you so much for all your help =)
Taylor
ANSWER: You can practice at home by repeating the movements in kata form. Internalizing the movements is important. In my style, walking or movement of the feet is very important so internalizing them allows you to do them without thinking and focusing on other things. Sure the throwing techniques require a sparing partner but you can practice everything up to the throw without one.

Keith

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QUESTION: what is kata?

Taylor =D thank you for your help once more.

Answer
Taylor:

Kata is just a technique broken down into a series of descrete steps. YOu have seen karate-ka practicing their kata in shadow boxing form, punching and kicking. Each of those is a series of actions that they practice over and over again. Advancement in most schools is based on you learning a number of kata. When you have perfected them, then you can move on to the next series. It is a way to measure knowledge and proficency.

Aikido uses the same form, Tomiki, a student of Ueshiba the founder codified the basic Aikido movements into Kata. There are 8. Each kata contains anywhere from 8 to 50 techniques. There is a basic theme in each kata. For instance, Closing with the opponent, retreating, walking, releases, etc.

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