I don't know if Aikido counts as grappling or fencing (without hands) art, but for aikidokas out there (who are a minority here), I have some questions: 1. My sensei insists that in performing a technique, I should relax my legs and shoulders, but the hard one is using my center (hara). How is this done? Do I contract my diaphragm? 2. I performed a technique on my uke and he intentionally resisted. I leaned on him to make him fall yet he didn't. The sensei also said that I'm not using my body but I'm merely leaning to him. I don't get it. Is using my body or center != using my weight? My sensei sort of beats around the bush when he answered the question. He said that'll take years. Anyway, that's all. Thanks.
Point in case for Aikido being garbage? Except for steve s. He's badass. Like Norris. Norris vs. vin diesel vs. SS vs Mr. T ultimate death match of doom huh? wha?
Lay off the crack. Aikido is pretty good after a while. It takes at least 5-6 years to develop any kind of applicable skill in it.
I am a brown belt in Aiki, so I can probably answer this. Using your center is very difficult, and takes time to learn. Always move your whole body and stay balanced at all times. When preforming technique, you should breath out in a long, steady stream of air. Do NOT push the air out like you would in boxing. A long exhale from the diaphram will help relax your body and help you to use your center. Never lean, you should keep your balance at all times. Push with your whole body using your legs. Also, make sure that you are pushing in the right place and in the right direction, and that you got uke off balance with your entry. Hope that helps. Just keep at it!
The technique I was supposed to perform was an armlock from standing position. By the way, are you taking other MA other than aikido? How long does it have to take before you become shodan?
Just that fact alone means its bullsheedo.5-6 years to develop any applicable skill?wtf hella naw.I could get my bjj bb in that time
I'm sure if he wanted everyone to tell him how poor Aikido is he would of asked you. Let the aikido players answer the question.
Unless you are very gifted or you go to a school that just gives belts away, you will most likely not get a black belt in bjj in that period of time either.
Aikido is useless until 5-6 years because you can't substitute technique with strength. Not that I do aikido or anything, but even in judo you can't expect to throw anybody until you have a good amount of experience.
Well I did Aikido and had a similar problem that some of techniques were very hard to apply, specialy on people stronger or bigger than me. Anyway, to take somebody down it rally takes much more than what I was taught at Aikido. We did learn some Judo throws and subs that will work but hardly ever had time to pracitce them for real. My advice is go to Judo or BJJ you will see that in esence they are very similar to Aikido but are much more applyable. Live sparring is much better than anything I ever did in Aikido class.
I got to a green belt in Aikido back in high school. Learned some nice little wrist locks/takedowns and that was all I wanted. (police work = wrist locks)
Yup, I train JJ and vale tudo as well (a pretty eclectic combo, I know). I started 3.5 years ago and am testing shodan this summer. However, I also train everday with my training partner, which helps.
Well, I did Wrestling in high school, then Judo for 7 years, then now BJJ for 4. I have tried Aikido when I lived in Japan, for a few months, and I can honestly say that with the exception of 4-5 specific techniques that I like and are applicable, 75% of Aikido is crap, 25% useful. Sorry to poo-poo on your martial art, but it is really a largely useless art against anyone with any sort of grappling experience. And don't get me started on those stupid stupid Chi exercises we had to do. Generating Chi from within, felling the sensei's Chi, etc. I broke out laughing a few times watching the sensei perform his demonstrations. The sensei would do a touch of death thing where he wouldn't touch the black belt student, but then the black belt would go flying backwards. And mind you, this is in Japan where it originated, where they are supposedly true practioners. Those idiot Americans have a bastardized version of Aikido that is even worse. For a good laugh (I don't think this Aikido, but it is the same type of martial art) check out this download. http://s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=07P4I4LHSKCHQ10LGKE5U8X56L
Like any TMA, you need to train for decades before it's useful! Most of the top guys are fat and grey! It works, but you need to be almost like a jedi!
The point of Aikido is not to be useful per se, although it can be. It is about principles of balance, etc., which I find useful in my other arts as well.
I did Aikido for a while and never saw any of this shit - so please don't tar it all with the same brush
