Aikido/Martial Arts

I know there have been plenty of posts on martial arts and what everyone thinks. Recently I've started taking Aikido classes and I find it rather interesting. I like the concept of self-preservation not at the expense of the attacker. I feel it aligns with the Jedi way, even while attacked we don't wish harm on the attacker. I just wanted to see if anyone else has learned some form of aikido or similar martial art form and their thoughts on it.

I've done some training in Aikido, though it was some time ago. Depending on your teacher, it can be a harrowing experience.

You might find this to be an interesting supplement to your practice.

I have trained in Aikido for quite some time now and I very much agree. The ability to protect yourself without causing massive damage is great. I also enjoy that those same techniques can be extremely devastating.

To me it's about the options it provides. I can use the same technique to keep my fiance from tickling me (not that I'm ticklish ) with zero pain and to disarm an armed attacker, possibly ending their life if absolutely needed. I can control the level of my response to the situation.

I also love how it's not about directly fighting an opponent strength for strength. If they want to go one way I'm going to let them, I'm just going to alter it slightly so that they end up where I want instead of where they want. When they push I don't push back, I shift their pressure to go a slightly different direction and then put them in a technique. Why fight them?

As my father says, the name of the game is "I win!"

Cabur Senaar wrote: I've done some training in Aikido, though it was some time ago. Depending on your teacher, it can be a harrowing experience.

Same, and I absolutely agree!

I need some aikido in my life, but no one around here teaches it.

I train in Krav Maga. It is a very emotional, challenging experience and has opened up a lot of mental wounds ... as well as breaking bones lol (I broke my collar bone in training a few years ago)

I think it is valuable to be able to defend yourself and others, but to do so in a reasonable way. In Krav, the principal is to make your attacker unwilling or unable to continue fighting, not to deal unreasonable/disproportionate damage. I would heartily recommend that everyone trains in at least one martial arts discipline.

I have recently started my children in Kendo. I have practiced several martial arts in the past, and I have to say that I absolutely love what I see in Kendo. I find that it seems to match up very well when following the Jedi path. Once I get over recovering from a recent surgery, I am planning on joining them and hope to be able to practice Kendo as a family.

Kendo, though great for developing spirit and learning to master one's self, is not really a self defense martial art. I find many martial arts, however, have only limited practical real world self defense application. Perhaps, in a way, that is what I find so appealing about Kendo - it doesn't pretend to be something that it is not.

I also really like that Kendo is often practiced as a non-profit club, and that there really is a sense of camaraderie and belonging to a 'team' as opposed to other types of martial arts that I have studied. The fact that it is one of the easiest martial arts to follow as a life long pursuit (can be realistically practiced from age 5 up and into old age) due to its lack of abuse on the body when practicing is also a really good thing.

The official ideas about what Kendo is:

The concept of kendo is:
to discipline the human character through the application
of the principles of the katana.

The purpose of practicing kendo is:
to mold the mind and body, to cultivate a vigorous spirit,
and through correct and rigid training, to strive for the improvement in the art of Kendo, to hold in esteem human courtesy and honor, to associate with others with sincerity, and to forever pursue the cultivation of ones self.

Thus one will be able:
to love his/her country and society, to contribute to the development of culture, and to promote peace and prosperity
among all peoples.

Cenrus Kuno wrote: I absolutely love what I see in Kendo. I find that it seems to match up very well when following the Jedi path.

I very much prefer Kendo over Aikido any day! I let my girls watch the Anime "Bamboo Blade" to try and get them interested during these cold winter months. We will be doing a family casual Kendo classwork this year in the backyard when it warms up (+some Rapier) and next year we hope to make it more structured.

I hear there is a Kendo class a hour away...once I get my own transportation my ultimate goal is to join it.

Trisskar wrote:
I very much prefer Kendo over Aikido any day! I let my girls watch the Anime "Bamboo Blade" to try and get them interested during these cold winter months.

You reminded me of this video I had seen from a Kendo club in NJ:

https://youtu.be/fPueEHR_C-E

Kendo is fantastic for kids!

The Bogu (armor) can be expensive, especially if you have growing kids, but the club we belong to actually has rentals. I will purchase my own set, since hopefully I won't be growing anymore. I order my Shinai and equipment from E-bogu which has pretty good stuff, good prices, and sizes for kids. I even purchased their DVD set so that the kids will have an easier time understanding in detail what they are being shown in class.

haha!! Cute!!

Yea, we tried to get our daughters into it earlier but the sparring actually scared them. I actually got way out of practice because everytime my husband and I went rounds they would start to freak out and cry it was cute but...frustrating lol

They are now reaching a age where we can re-visit it. I can't wait to get them their own Shini's. I miss my old one! my husband customized it to fit the size I prefered (Smaller than traditional)

It is most certainly a great basic for kids and even adults to start out in