Aikido?

[signet]

I have a chance to train in this style. It looks a bit rigged though with all that flying about. Is it any good martially?

For the same money I can play around with budo taijutsu one night a week, where as in aikido I can train every day.

For a crapload more, I can do whatever is being shown ( hsing-i - bagua ) once a month from an awesome, reputable teacher.


I hate this economy but I want to get into a method of moving about effectively...

Thanks for any input in advance.


Please be well................

[Joe L.]

Any website available? Videos you know of showing the school/teacher?

If you get a chance to train everyday, and have the time and a place to do it, then go for it. One night a week more than likely won't really get you anywhere unless you are a nut about this stuff and can train often on your own (hopefully without ingraining too many mistakes).

Then again man, when you say for a crapload more you can learn xing yi/bagua for a ''reputable'' teacher.. if its the same school and they offer these two as something to be paid more for, well that sounds fishy to begin with. Go there, see if you can watch a class, and if you want to make something martial you will. You'll learn, drill it hard, and then explore and test it against others. So do what is around you if you find the teacher to be good, and best of luck.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

what's your goal? do you want to learn how to really fight? or do you want to spend a protracted amount of time learning an highly esoteric set of principles and studies?

it's ok, but it all depends on your goals. I can say that in what you've listed, the budo stuff will have you breaking a sweat and exercising whereas with the others, maybe not so much. with the tcma, maybe, but it totally depends on the teacher. I have found tcma teachers who are on both sides of the fence when it comes to cv fitness. there is an odd amount of them who seem to think that cv endurance is not important to their art.

[signet]

Hi, and thanks for you helpful input.

Joe, the "reputable" teacher is not affiliated with the school. It's expensive to show, and I have to drive for just around an hour just to show.... so it's expensive.

Darth, my goal is to really learn to fight, but to keep my compassion. I'm not looking to be a bouncer. If a highly esoteric set of principles is in hand - I'm all for it! Who wouldn't want to better themselves. I don't care about cardio - This ani't a dress rehersal man! I want to live, and live to my max.....


I'm 36 now, fit enough, but I noticed I'm getting slow with my speed. Arrgh.

[Jake]

I don't care about cardio - This ani't a dress rehersal man! I want to live, and live to my max.....

LOL!!!

[Interloper]

Martially, aikido doesn't have much to offer. Your initial response of it looking "rigged" is pretty accurate: participants have to cooperate in order for most of the techniques to work. It's unfortunate, because aikido is descended from a traditional jujutsu art that itself was composed from koryu (old classical) battlefield/combat arts that had real martial applications. It just lost effectiveness due to various changes, both intentional and unintentional, that took place during aikido's development.

IMO, about the most valuable thing you'd get from aikido is learning how to fall (should you ever slip on a banana peel or black ice, that comes in handy).

[signet]

Hey Interloper, thanks for taking the time ( and everyone else ) to reply. Your words bring to light what I had already thought regarding Aikido. Not to say it's junk, it's probably helped a bunch of people. I'm just looking to have fun, and be martially effective into these later years of my life. Karate looks like it will give me bad elbows lol......

Looks like I have to choose between budo taijutsu or biting the bullet financially and doing a bit of hsing-i and bagua.

I'd much rather bite the bullet, but money is a serious concern right now in my life.

Stupid economy.

[johnwang]

my goal is to really learn to fight, ... I don't care about cardio ... I noticed I'm getting slow with my speed.

- A and B contradict to each other.
- C is the result of B.

[strawdog]

Aikido practitioners gets a bad rap, but what is true about Aikido practitioners is probably true about practitioners of other martial arts including Xing Yi and Ba Gua. It's not the art, it's the person doing it.

[kshurika]

You want to learn to fight? Learn Xing Yi, especially if the teacher's good.

[Formosa Neijia]

I have a chance to train in this style. It looks a bit rigged though with all that flying about. Is it any good martially?

For the same money I can play around with budo taijutsu one night a week, where as in aikido I can train every day.

For a crapload more, I can do whatever is being shown ( hsing-i - bagua ) once a month from an awesome, reputable teacher.


I hate this economy but I want to get into a method of moving about effectively...

Thanks for any input in advance.


Please be well................

I would highly advise you to check out the clip and the DVD I mention in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2514

Roy Dean makes the aikido work against resistance. His DVD would greatly compliment any aikido classes you took and give you ideas to train effectively.

Dave C.

[edededed]

Depends on who is teaching... some aikido people are very good, others are less so. Same goes for bagua/xingyi people.

Once you have an idea of how each teacher's skills are, you can then balance with money and make a good decision for yourself.

Not sure about the budo taijutsu, though - Japanese seem to scoff at all the "ninja stuff" that is still hanging around in the West.

[Joe L.]

I think the bigger issue here is if your finances can't afford it, and from what you say they seem to be a big issue, take what you can get and train it hard while testing it. Being able to ''fight well'' at 36 has to be weighed against being able to afford your bills/support a family (if you have one, that is).

Staying within your means and living realistically is a big part of Martial arts IMHO, so might as well go check out the aikido/taijitsu and see if you can't gain something good out of them. Or, post your area and see if someone can't suggest another school that maybe you haven't heard about near you. Some good teachers don't advertise and may be closer than you think (and cheaper).

[RickMatz]

Who is the better teacher? You can tell by looking at the students.

[Interloper]

Aikido practitioners gets a bad rap, but what is true about Aikido practitioners is probably true about practitioners of other martial arts including Xing Yi and Ba Gua. It's not the art, it's the person doing it.

Strawdog,
There are many other systems and styles a person could benefit from much more, martially, and in far less time than it would take for even a talented person to extract martial functionality from aikido. Why waste time and money? Aikido is fine for people looking for a graceful art that simulates a martial system, but its purpose is not really to be martial. Otherwise, it would still be Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu.

signet,
Xing-yi and Bagua, with the right teacher, would probably show you a good time and give you some good martial tools. My personal preference would lean toward Xing-yi, but I know others who are passionate about Bagua and find it to be an excellent vehicle for not only martial application, but for internal training that provides the power for the martial application.
If your budget allows, it wouldn't be a bad choice.