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Weemad, i might be throwing a couple of questions about Yoshinkan Aikido your way in this thread as I'm grading in two weeks....you might be of some help as you said you studied Yoshinkan...what rank are you btw?

Anyways, I'm gonna go to class tonight and I'll probably have some questions for you later.

Well, officially I'm white belt, but in reality I'm yellow belt. Thats what comes from doing it on and off for years without ever doing an official grading.

I'd need to get back into it fairly heavily in order to pass a grading now as its been 2 years since I did aikido officially and its been bastardised with some ju-jitsu, greco-roman and brawling skills. Something that the senseis wouldn't look upon favourably.

lol...I'm taking Aikido also (6th dan, and not likely to move up until next year since I won't have the hours this testing period). I've got to do a preliminary test next month, though, so I need to buckle down and study the terms so I can understand Japanese better. I also have to watch out not to blend any karate with my aikido...sensei "understands but disapproves" of it, though he does admit it makes me more effective.

The Dark wrote:lol...I'm taking Aikido also (6th dan, and not likely to move up until next year since I won't have the hours this testing period). I've got to do a preliminary test next month, though, so I need to buckle down and study the terms so I can understand Japanese better. I also have to watch out not to blend any karate with my aikido...sensei "understands but disapproves" of it, though he does admit it makes me more effective.

Which style of Aikido do you study? I've studied for two years but I am an unranked aikidoka (i'm really not a putz, just never tested). So I'll grade for 7th kyu in two weeks. Maybe we could talk weapons techniques?

Next of Kin wrote:

The Dark wrote:lol...I'm taking Aikido also (6th dan, and not likely to move up until next year since I won't have the hours this testing period). I've got to do a preliminary test next month, though, so I need to buckle down and study the terms so I can understand Japanese better. I also have to watch out not to blend any karate with my aikido...sensei "understands but disapproves" of it, though he does admit it makes me more effective.

Which style of Aikido do you study? I've studied for two years but I am an unranked aikidoka (i'm really not a putz, just never tested). So I'll grade for 7th kyu in two weeks. Maybe we could talk weapons techniques?

oooh. Weapons. I like my bo-staff.

Weemad, here's a buki waza that you would like! It is called kumitanto bokken-kote giri tsuki. Uke stikes with his bokken and shte gets out of the way and cuts uke's wrist. Shte then follows with a swift knife stab to uke's throat. Have you done something like this?

Never spent time on sword/bokken/knife assault. I know my anti-knife moves, but not the blade kata...

Next of Kin: I just asked my sensei today what style it is (I forgot to ask last session), and he said it was Aikiki, descended from Chibi Sensei's style. Supposedly that should suffice to explain, if not, he'll try to find other names used for it.

Unfortunately, we're not up to weapons yet (the class as a whole is mostly 6th dan), though we are learning to defend against knives. I've only been training about three months, but I will say it's much more efficient than karate.

The Dark wrote:Next of Kin: I just asked my sensei today what style it is (I forgot to ask last session), and he said it was Aikiki, descended from Chibi Sensei's style. Supposedly that should suffice to explain, if not, he'll try to find other names used for it.

Unfortunately, we're not up to weapons yet (the class as a whole is mostly 6th dan), though we are learning to defend against knives. I've only been training about three months, but I will say it's much more efficient than karate.

Aha! An Aikikai person! No prob, there are many things that I like about Aikikai and the fact that the stress relaxation and softness is one of them. My club studies the hard style of Aikido (Yoshinkan) but don't let the name mislead you. It is the hard style in the fact that we adhere to strict form during our motions. Our school was founded by the late Gozo Shioda who studied with Master Ueshiba before WW2.

I don't understand when you say the class is mostly 6th dan. Does this mean you have alot of high ranking seniors or did you mean to say that you are testing for 6th kyu?

Hey! you guys can visit my club by clicking on the links below!

http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/services/clubs/rec/aikido/

My club is called the Jinbukan

Next of Kin wrote:Hey! you guys can visit my club by clicking on the links below!

http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/services/clubs/rec/aikido/

My club is called the Jinbukan

Can't find a link to either of my old clubs. But here is a guy who I've seen in action and had some people trained by him spar with me.

Nothing but respect for: http://www.hapkidoia.com/kim.htm

Nasty fucking style hapkido...

I wrote that wrong, stupid me got confused on the ranking system again (I know very little Japanese) and used dan instead of kyu (which goes from 6th to 1st before becoming 1st dan, and then back up from there, IIRC). We're mostly lowest rank, just starting, with sensei and one other "black belt" in the class, along with two mid-rank older students (I don't know exactly, and it would be impolite of me to ask if they have not volunteered the information).

According to sensei, while Aikikai is softer than Yoshinkan, it is still a relatively hard form, without the flowing "dance-like" style most laypeople associate with Aikido. Of course, I don't think there's a form of Aikido that even approaches the hardness of Yoshinkan. Shioda-Sensei is a very practical man. Ueshiba-Sensei's form of Aikikai is somewhat softer, with much more emphasis on a standard syllabus and flowing moves, while Chiba-Sensei's style is less standard and more focused on practicality, with eventual emphasis on weapons techniques (though I don't think my dojo will work weapons, since it is run by a college).

weemadando wrote:

Next of Kin wrote:Hey! you guys can visit my club by clicking on the links below!

http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/services/clubs/rec/aikido/

My club is called the Jinbukan

Can't find a link to either of my old clubs. But here is a guy who I've seen in action and had some people trained by him spar with me.

Nothing but respect for: http://www.hapkidoia.com/kim.htm

Nasty fucking style hapkido...

Agreed! Too bad hapkido dojos are few and far between in my area of Southern Ontario.

The Dark wrote:I wrote that wrong, stupid me got confused on the ranking system again (I know very little Japanese) and used dan instead of kyu (which goes from 6th to 1st before becoming 1st dan, and then back up from there, IIRC). We're mostly lowest rank, just starting, with sensei and one other "black belt" in the class, along with two mid-rank older students (I don't know exactly, and it would be impolite of me to ask if they have not volunteered the information).

According to sensei, while Aikikai is softer than Yoshinkan, it is still a relatively hard form, without the flowing "dance-like" style most laypeople associate with Aikido. Of course, I don't think there's a form of Aikido that even approaches the hardness of Yoshinkan. Shioda-Sensei is a very practical man. Ueshiba-Sensei's form of Aikikai is somewhat softer, with much more emphasis on a standard syllabus and flowing moves, while Chiba-Sensei's style is less standard and more focused on practicality, with eventual emphasis on weapons techniques (though I don't think my dojo will work weapons, since it is run by a college).

My club belongs to McMaster University and yet we still practice with the jo, bokken and tanto. Maybe your Sensei is waiting for you guys to rise through the ranks before he delves into weaponry. Start practicing on your own...go to the local hardware store and get some dowl, it will make for a decent jo. Start practicing by griping the the jo in thirds. I tell ya, get the grip down is half the battle! If you wish to learn more about Yoshinkan, and Weemad, I don't know if you've read this book but get a hold of "Total Aikido" by Gozo Shioda. He covers alot of the motions and does a great job explaining it as well. It is commonly known as the Yoshinkan Bible!

Dark, I'm interested in knowing what your yellow belt grading will entail. Are you at that level to grade just yet?