Style Change

theletch1

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I am giving serious consideration to leaving the school that I am currently in. The style is kenpo. I truly love my style but, for various reasons, may have to leave that school. There are and abundance of TKD schools in the area as well as a few karate and jujutsu schools. There is only one Aikido school in the area but I seem to gravitate towards it for some reason. If I make this change how big a change will I be looking at in style? Are there any comparable techniques, how do they differ? Any assistance you can give will be greatly appreciated.
 

arnisador

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I'm not an expert in either art but I suspect you'll find Aikido rather different. You'll certainly find it interesting but I doubt you'll find it at all similar. Why not check out several of the schools?

I did Aikido briefly after Karate and it was educational and of course my prior training helped--esp. in breakfalls--but it was quite different.
 
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chaosomega

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I know very little, but here it is;

Aikido is a very soft martial art, as it used little to no striking. You keep a safe distance and attempt to bring your opponent down by locking joints, throwing, etc... I think. Someone will correct if I'm wrong, I'm sure of it.

Good luck.
 

Aikikitty

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Originally posted by chaosomega
I know very little, but here it is;

Aikido is a very soft martial art, as it used little to no striking. You keep a safe distance and attempt to bring your opponent down by locking joints, throwing, etc... I think. Someone will correct if I'm wrong, I'm sure of it.

Good luck.

Well, there are different styles of Aikido--both soft styles and hard styles with some in-between. You're right about the joint locks, throws, etc. but we do have some strikes (atemi) that we use sometimes (to mainly use as a distraction and gain another second or two of time to do the technique) but we don't (at least in my dojo) practice kicks, punches, or blocks. The other thing incorrect is none of the Aikido I've ever done (or at least TRIED to do) in my dojo or seen at any seminar is ever done from a "safe distance". I've been told many times that Aikido is an "up close and smell 'em type of art" and I have to agree! (I get rather self concious sometimes about whether I recently washed my gi or not! :eek:) If we were too far away then the other guy could kick us and we wouldn't be able to reach them to do the techniques. I'm always being told to get in closer, move off line (so I'm not in front of the guy and can get hit), get the person off balance, etc.....

I should say that I do NOT know or understand everything there is to know about Aikido (I might never be able to understand it all) and what I've said above is from what I've seen and experienced in just the 2 1/2 years of practicing Aikido and going to a couple of seminars. :asian:

Oh yeah, I can't answer theletch1's question because I have never seen Kenpo before and don't know enough about it to make any comments. :eek:

Robyn :asian:
 
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Field Cricket

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Originally posted by The Opal Dragon
...but we don't (at least in my dojo) practice kicks, punches, or blocks.

I think I understand what you mean here: there is no explicit drilling of these techniques. However, as uke (the victim :)) various strikes are used, and in some dojos kicks. Blocks are used all the time, but, as flow is such an important part of Aikido, they aren't as clear cut as in other arts.

The other thing incorrect is none of the Aikido I've ever done (or at least TRIED to do) in my dojo or seen at any seminar is ever done from a "safe distance". I've been told many times that Aikido is an "up close and smell 'em type of art" and I have to agree!

Most definitely. One of the difficult things, especially if you've done something like karate where there can be a block-counter mentality, is moving in on your opponent as he attacks so that you can use his own force against him.

FC
 

Yari

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Originally posted by theletch1
I am giving serious consideration to leaving the school that I am currently in. .... There is only one Aikido school in the area but I seem to gravitate towards it for some reason.

Give it a try and see how you feel about it. I would think it very different than kempo, but I dont know kempo that well.

Then come back and give us a review of what you tried. I love to hear it, and also which school of Aikido it is.

/Yari
 

Aikikitty

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Originally posted by Field Cricket
I think I understand what you mean here: there is no explicit drilling of these techniques. However, as uke (the victim :)) various strikes are used, and in some dojos kicks. Blocks are used all the time, but, as flow is such an important part of Aikido, they aren't as clear cut as in other arts.
FC

Oh yeah, I forgot about uke strikes! I was mostly thinking about punching and kicking as nage! We probably have blocks too but I never really noticed because we're told that we're not supposed to just stand there--keep moving! keep moving! :) Thanks Field Cricket! :asian:

Robyn :asian:
 
F

Field Cricket

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Originally posted by The Opal Dragon
Oh yeah, I forgot about uke strikes! I was mostly thinking about punching and kicking as nage! We probably have blocks too but I never really noticed because we're told that we're not supposed to just stand there--keep moving! keep moving! :)

An example that springs to mind is shomen uchi ikkyo: the way I was taught it, as you step in you raise one arm to cover your head and grab the attacker's wrist. The technique of the arm raise is precisely that of age uke (as taught in karate) but without the hand closed in a fist. This includes twisting your wrist.

You may not notice this as a block for two reasons: first of all the intention is not to stop the attack dead in its tracks but to guide it in a more 'convenient' direction; the second is that once you have really got the move sussed there's almost no block and you are focusing on the wrist grab.

That's how I see it anyway. I'm not an expert on Aikido by any stretch of the imagination! :)

FC
 
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theletch1

theletch1

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The style of Aikido is Nihon Goshin. I finally got the chance to talk to the instructor on the phone last night. The styles are quite different but they still have some similarities to what I am doing now. The big bonus to making the change is the introduction of budo to the training. That's the big reason I'm leaving the school I'm at now. I'd go to another kenpo school if there were one available in the area that had a more stable environment for training but I'm out of luck there. I've always been into philosophy and the spiritual side of MA so I think that this will be a good change for me. I will go to his dojo on monday to watch a session and go again on wednesday to join in with a session. I'll keep you all posted on how it goes and thanks for the input.
 

Yari

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Originally posted by theletch1
I'll keep you all posted on how it goes and thanks for the input.


I'm looking forward to hearing about it. I know that Old_sempai(martialtalk name) pratices this style. You could also PM him if you had any questions!

/Yari
 
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theletch1

theletch1

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I sat in on the class on monday night. I am very impressed with the way the class is run, the techniques taught and the discipline of the students. I saw similarities to my kenpo training that should help my transition. I'm going back on wednesday night to take part in the class.

I'm looking forward to hearing about it. I know that Old_sempai(martialtalk name) pratices this style. You could also PM him if you had any questions

Thanks for that info. Old_Sempai has proven to be a wealth of knowledge.
 

don bohrer

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Just a little about my limited experience in Aikido. I took it for a very short time. Class started with lot's of stretching, falls and basic rolls. We normally worked 4-6 techniques hands on with a partner during class. I found each class had a common theme.

Aikido is a cooperative art. The spirit of cooperation is such that both must practice correctly. No dummying up to make the technique work. The (Nage?) needs proper feed back to know he has keep his center and if his technique is working. You as the (Uke?) must apply your breakfalls and rolls to escape being hurt and to test what you've learned. You will also position your body to protect your joints and the rest of you. I found there to be an Aikido way for everything.

Aikido is a great art, but some will voice how unrealistic looking this defensive art is. I would just add that it's an art that runs deep in concepts and takes a greater time to be proficient. Also keep in mind that your learning how to be both (Nage and Uke). You will indead find Atemi (striking) in Aikido. Just not as indepth that your probably used to.

Hope that was of some help.
 
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theletch1

theletch1

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I did class on wednesday night. I loved it. The instructor went through some of the basics to intriduce me to class, falls and rolls a couple of techniques and theory. The teaching style impressed me. He even stopped at one point in the training to illustrate a theory behind a technique on a dry erase board. My kenpo training helped a good deal to ease me into the class. My classmates seem to be very attentive and disciplined. I'll be going back on monday to join up and do the paperwork.

Here's a bit of a curiosity for ya though. In my kenpo class my favorite training partner was a cop named Chris... the first guy I met in the Aikido class was a cop named Chris. Think maybe I am supposed to be in the class :shrug:
 

Yari

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Originally posted by theletch1


Here's a bit of a curiosity for ya though. In my kenpo class my favorite training partner was a cop named Chris... the first guy I met in the Aikido class was a cop named Chris. Think maybe I am supposed to be in the class :shrug:

It's all in the matrix......

;)

/Yari
 
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theletch1

theletch1

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I'm all for hearing what jiujitsu has to offer and we do have a jiujitsu school in our area, however, I am truly enjoying the Aikido training thus far and was searching for an art more along the spiritual line to begin with so I doubt that I would even consider changing. I studied kenpo for two years and really hated to leave it. I am just not one to change horses in mid-stream if I can help it. Thanks for the suggestion though.

As to the question of weapons training, I have seen tanto, bokken, tonfa, escrima and guns in the dojo. I believe the students are taught to use them as a precursor to defending against them. The only weapon on the list I didn't train with in my kenpo training much was the bokken. I really enjoyed the weapons training in kenpo and am looking forward to any other training I can get with them.
 
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theletch1

theletch1

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Oh yeah, and jo and bo staff as well. But I think that the jo at least is pretty well universal with aikido. Did another class last night and did the paper work to make it official. I love this stuff:D
 

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