A couple of years ago I took up Aikido, because I'm in my 50s now, and have to be realistic about what I can and can't do anymore. Don't get me wrong, I still like Aikido and respect those that practice it with fidelity. But at the end of the day there is NO REAL Randori, and, therefore, we can't really know what techniques actually work against a resisting opponent or attacker. The Senseis kept arguing that they did do Randori, which was complete bullshit! Their Randori is a whole class running after you and pretending to fall when you touch them. It is absolutely ludicrous to call that "randori." One day, the only sensei at class was a younger guy. He was showing a throw that I KNEW would be virtually impossible to hit against a resisting opponent. He actually told the student to resist, and sure enough the sensei couldn't implement the throw. Then one day he let some of us play around with real randori. Man, not to brag, but I destroyed those guys with EASE. Suffice it to say, I felt compelled to leave the dojo and quit Aikido all together.
If Aikido schools would actually have classes that let you play around with real randori at full resistance, I think you would quickly find out what works and what doesn't, thereby sharpening the art. But that, sadly, will never happen, as it goes against Usheba's philosophy.
PS - I mean no disrespect to the art or it's practioners.
I always felt like Aikido mastered the arm. They understand the mechanisms from the shoulder to the wrist. But then they felt that wasn’t enough to build a martial art on, so they preceded to build a bunch of bullshit around a solid principle.
It could be argued that Aikido, the ENTIRE art of Aikido, is merely kata. That being said, though not totally realistic and/or practical, it does have some benefit.
It’s on par with stuntwork, fight choreography and pro wrestling. You’re essentially teaching a performance art with some BS philosophical foundation. No, you’re not going to cause a guy to fly across a room with a shove or wrist lock/throw in any reality-based situation. The randori is there to sell Aikido. Without the essentially choreographed demos between instructors and adblvanced students, like what is Aikido? It’s like the unarmed martial arts equivalent of Larping.
As a teacher by trade, and a perpetual student myself, I always try to learn something new each and every day. Never heard of "larping" until now. Thank you sir!
It’s mostly for men who want to start enjoying some of the grace and freedom of dressing in women’s clothes, but don’t quite yet have the courage to pull the trigger on becoming a transvestite.
If you like doing Aikido because you like Aikido that’s a perfectly legitimate reason to do Aikido.
I have to think though, Is it really a surprise some scumbag, lying conman type like Steven Seagal rose up through the ranks like he did?
He married the daughter of a big school owner in japan.
I have no idea about Akido “standup” except locks don’t work while the guy is punching you in the face, even worse while he is stabbing you in the liver.
The katana/boken training tho is another level of bulshit, at least dancers have to have good cardio, be pretty fit, have good coordination, be very flexible. Akido, not so much.
To the OP, being 50 is no excuse for anything, we train till we die, that’s just the way it is ( I am 50 ). The age is just another problem that has to be accounted for and worked around, your slowing and don’t heal so well and have accumulated injuries from being an idiot when you were young, so work on your speed instead of grinding it out so much, less circuit training more sprints, acute awareness of warming up etc etc etc. Have a look at one of the Kenjitsu schools, or HEMA is ok, both try to be serious .
Hey Gemma, thanks for responding. Honestly, no excuses here man. I'm turning 52 this year and training Judo 3 days a week and competing. :) Train hard!
It’s mostly for men who want to start enjoying some of the grace and freedom of dressing in women’s clothes, but don’t quite yet have the courage to pull the trigger on becoming a transvestite.
lol, fucker. It was my gateway art to jiu jitsu so there! Wait a sec ... do transvestites like to grapple men?
