Tomiki Aikido

[brothershaw]

For people with aikido experience what do you think about tomiki aikido, I have seen some info on it and it sounds very interesting. Is the general quality of the style (not individual teachers) well regarded in aikido circles?

 

[twinkletoes]

If you get responses to this, they will be interesting.

The tomiki school is a branch of aikido that emphasizes competition. Some of it is in demonstrating aikido techniques on an attacker, and some of it is like judo randori.

A friend of mine who studied aikido for years said that most aikidoka spoke badly of the tomiki group, and that their techniques were "bad judo tricks, masquerading as aikido." Strong words.

Unfortunately, I do not know any tomiki practitioners personally, so I cannot give their side adequately. I can say, however, that they are trying to restore resistance and competitive practices to aikido, which are something that enhance the combat effectiveness of any art. Whether their actual approach is successful in this endeavor is an issue I am not well-enough informed on to comment about. Often it really just creates an artificial ennvironment relying on "tricks" over effective techniques. However, if the goal is effectiveness, sometimes the tricks win out.

~TT

 

[Ken JP Stuczynski]

Martial arts were outlawed in post-WWII, US-occupied Japan. That's why all the schools became sports schools.

Except one - Aikido.

That distinction may be why a sport-focused Aikido school would be looked down upon by traditionalists.

 

[brothershaw]

thanks for the input, i was briefly considering giving it a try, and never really heard anything about.I already pretty much ruled it out already. I believe it is more realistic to work against some resistance.