Going to start aikido?

Going to start aikido in 3-4 weeks, can you tell me what im going to expect when i start? like how do you train, do you use swords (because i saw pictures of people using them), any other info on what to expect on a average day of training.|||You can expect to learn how to roll and properly fall along with some basic joint locks. The use of momentum and redirection of an opponents attacks, very similar in that respect to Judo and small circle jujutsu. Typically weapons classes are done on separate nights from normal training.





I took aikido for a while, but I found that sometimes it almost seems like choreography. People fall and comply with very little resistance. Most of the strikes seem very impractical as they%26#039;re obviously modified from sword strikes. So basically instead of throwing a right hook you%26#039;ll throw an open hand strike where your palm gradually turns till it is facing the the ceiling (kind of like a karate chop). This is the same motion you would see if a samurai were to make a swiping motion with his sword. You step forward through this motion just as you would in a karate kata.





That%26#039;s not to say aikido has no self defense practicality. There are some really excrutiating joint locks. You%26#039;ve probably seen some of them in Steven Segal movies. Especially the wrist locks. It%26#039;s also the reason people provide such little resistance while practicing techniques, because some of the small joint locks could be very dangerous and cause serious injury if applied with enough force.





Edit- I never said it was used by the samurai I was explaining a movement.|||I%26#039;ll go along with some of the general remarks so far.... Lots of training on rolling and falling, there most likely won%26#039;t be any solo forms exercises (if it%26#039;s a traditional style class - that is no cross training in some other method) so expect to practice techniques with various other students, and though weapons are trained that probably won%26#039;t happen right away. When it does, it will most likely be jo staff (think hiking stick lenght) and/or bokken (wooden sword).





However, your experience will be affected by the particular tradition/lineage of Aikido you%26#039;re taking and the approach the teacher offers in learning.|||aikido is an art that mainly teaches %26quot;non resistance%26quot; avoiding the opponents attack and handling him from a safe angle. The joint locks or balance throws taught in aikido tend to pretty technical so don%26#039;t be surprised that the first few weeks you are not even getting what you are doing. It usually takes some one a few weeks to really get the structure behind the aikido moves. I%26#039;d advise doing some daily stretches of the joints to help with flexibility. Further more relax and enhou yourself. you%26#039;ll improve as you go along. As for weapons, aikido includes the use of the jo (short staff) and boken (wooden sword) as well as disarming techniques of a knife. Most of the empty handed techniques in aikido are derived from these weapons so the use of these weapons is trained for a better over all understanding. Just enjoy yourself and when you start understanding what you%26#039;re doing you%26#039;re just on your path to further growth.|||Aikido techniques are normally performed by %26quot;blending%26quot; with the motion of the attacker, rather than directly opposing the attack. The aikidoka (aikido practitioner) redirects the attacker%26#039;s momentum, using minimum effort, with various types of throws or joint locks.





I have rarely seen use of weapons in aikido. Depends on the style which you are aiming at.|||Aikido was unarmed combat for Samurai warriors.


Aikido is a defensive art not an attacking one, having also trained a TaeKwonDo I would say Aikido is the better form of defence.


Aikido is all about balance, mainaining your own balance through all moves and taking/destroying your opponents balance in order to overpower them.


Technique and Balance are key to Aikido not explosive power.


There are some patterns/kata that involve swords, partly because this is a Samurai art largely because the same technique for the sword will be used on opponents arm.


Training will also involve you, unarmed, taking swords, knives, baseball bats etc from your opponent. Wooden weapons are used in training.


You will get thrown about and need to learn how to land properly.


To see the best of Aikido look for %26quot;Ueshiba%26quot; on you tube and watch the founder of modern Aikido show the grace and power of Aikido.|||Expect confusion (and possibly frustration) in the beginning.





Be open and respectful to the teachers.





Take what comes in your training, then let it go.





Expectations are counter to the Aiki spirit.





Most of all, %26quot;always train with a joyful spirit%26quot;!





Best of luck ... you%26#039;re beginning a marvelous, life-changing journey.|||Aikido is a really good martial arts to learn. So if you have a chance to take it, I would most def. take it, because you will learn all sorts of joint locks throws balance breaking techniques. along with other things. the weapons are Katana sword= wooden bokken, Jo-staff, tanto knife, and if you want to see any vids just go to youtube and type in Aikido, or Shinbu Aikido, or you could just go to my website http://www.sleepingstormdojo.com|||All good answers so far. (Cept for that %26quot;aikido was used by the samurai %26#039;part). Juijitsu was used, and aikido was formed out of daito ryu JJ. But that aside...





DO: expect to work on rolling and falling a lot. Important not to go SPLAT on the ground, as this can hurt.





expect to work with various partners, and do LOTS of partner work thoughout the class.





This art is like taking a theoretical physics class, with a lab. You will learn about body mechanics, how to manipulate them, and how to redirect the energy that an opponent has.





DON%26#039;T: expect to learn awesome %26quot;kill%26quot; techniques, or street defense moves.











Good luck with your training!!





ps. Let me know how it%26#039;s going after a few weeks.|||you will learn it all there.... you should be asking about the proper mind set... but basicly you need to condition your wrist become grounded, learn to tumble, learn to coordinate your hands and feet to move together, learn to drop your body weight into any part of your body at will, learn to keep your center, learn to relax, learn to put every ounce of your body into one movement...and a bunch of other stuff and you will mostlikely eventualy learn a bit of wooden sword(bokken), 4 foot staff(jo),and how to defend against a knife(tanto dori)(but not how to use one... that doesnt make sense to me)|||Training is generally fairly light. I know at my dojo we warm up with sliding (subayashi), knee-walking (shikko-ho), breakfalls (ukemi), then hiriki-no-yosei.


Then we move on to do technique. Then a new technique for group practice. Then maybe one more technique, and then class finishes.





If it%26#039;s not a Yoshinkan dojo you may be a little in trouble here. The other styles don%26#039;t focus on structure and elbow power the same way. Honestly I don%26#039;t like the other styles, aikikai is next best but I%26#039;d still say it%26#039;s not great.


This is just my personal preference from what I%26#039;ve found visiting other dojos and study martial arts.|||Keep an open mind and have fun. The very basic thing you%26#039;ll learn is break fall(ukemi) . When partner with a senior which you will as a beginner . The senior will perform the technic first on both left and right side and you%26#039;ll need to do some falling . First learn how to fall then learn how to throw. Have fun......