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Traditional Martial Arts >> My first Aikido class in 12 years
| 7/25/11 11:26 AM | |
twinkletoesCT
3 
Member Since: 12/26/02 Posts: 9879 Modern Self-Defense Center, Head Instructor |
Tried to make this thread earlier but the forum glitched... I started out in TMA as a kid in the mid 1980's. In college, I trained Aikido for a year, fairly intensively (5x/week). The dojo had a good reputation and the training was good, but they were going through a tough period of transition and there were political/interpersonal issues both internally and externally that led me away. After college, I got more into BJJ & JKD and moved away from many of the TMA I'd trained. A friend of mine just helped open an Aikido dojo outside Boston, so last week I drove up to visit and take class with him. IT WAS AWESOME! I had forgotten a lot of the things I liked about Aikido, not the least of which was the work ethic in classes (there is no sitting around or chatting in class. You practice hard, and at a good clip, and for a long time). He taught a great class, and I had a blast. It has me all fired up for TMA grappling again! (I'm taking my JJJ shodan exam later this year, so hopefully I can parlay this excitement into preparing well for that exam!) I never would have guessed that a random Aikido class, after 12 years away, would get me so excited. It was awesome. |
| 7/27/11 2:23 PM | |
|
jrrrrr
5
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 653 |
Good for you.. Know why you are training and stay focused, consistency... |
| 7/28/11 8:29 AM | |
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cdueck
2
Member Since: 7/31/08 Posts: 493 |
I think for most of us that have grown up or trained through the start of the UFC need to walk away from the Traditional martial arts we love for a while to remember what it was we loved about them. When I was younger I used to see fighting ability as effectiveness, now I look more at ending ability instead. Alot of the good TMA's might not make you a good fighter but they will be very effective when needed and they are very fun to train. We also seem to forget that a good traditional class(not mc dojo) will be as hard as any other class or workout you might take. |
| 9/1/11 2:48 AM | |
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TerreM
Member Since: 4/24/06 Posts: 73 |
Excellent post. Although I was always taught that TMAs were never just about technique, when UFC came to consciousness my focus/interest changed in favor of "effectiveness". Lately I've thought of revisiting just for fun. |
| 9/8/11 3:46 PM | |
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Ogami Itto
54
Member Since: 11/12/02 Posts: 51236 |
Glad to hear it! |
| 9/8/11 6:24 PM | |
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cdueck
2
Member Since: 7/31/08 Posts: 523 |
I for one have realized as I've gotten older that the tma's I shunned in my youth would just as effective for the street as all the other training I've done. I have much more respect for the old school guys now than I used to as well. |
| 9/9/11 11:54 AM | |
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Munk
Member Since: 9/4/08 Posts: 14 |
I've only ever found a few videos of tomiki guys sparring. Does anyone know of an aikido school that trains with any realism? |
| 9/9/11 1:10 PM | |
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cdueck
2
Member Since: 7/31/08 Posts: 526 |
I've seen video's of aikido guys training with realism but not in class. It has always looked like they were training outside of class with a student. |
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