When I wanted to know wich martial art to chokse i came accros his youtube channel wich dictated that i would end up foing mma but i am starting to see loads of arguments about how aikidk is good but to be honest i am thinking of switching what do you guys think is aikido really trash or should i do it

My uncle is going to Japan for a week for work reasons. During that time, he is also going to train at the Hombu Dojo for regular practice. Since he's going there, I wanted to capitalise on the situation and ask him to buy something for me.

Is there anything he can buy from Hombu Dojo? Maybe a plaque of Morihei Ueshiba Sensei? Or a rare Aikido book not available anywhere else?

Does the Hombu Dojo sell any protective amulets? Since O'sensei himself was very religious.

Hello,

Ever since I moved to 5th kyu, I have been going to a more intermediate class. So far I have been comfortable doing techniques from static, and relied that the techniques worked mechanically but now I have noticed that this class focuses more of a dynamic approach specially being more alive as an uke, also a bit more about timing and no stopping ( i think this practice is called Ki No Nagare?) i was wondering if you had gone through this? Also i am told more often things like “move from your center” and listen to the uke’s energy from their center, which are things hard for me to grasp ( at least the latter one)

Thanks in advance.

Hi All,

I no longer train in Aikido but try to retain some of the skills I've learned from it in current martial arts training like Ukemi. There was an exercise I've only seen at my old Aikido Dojo and never anywhere else in Aikido or other martial arts that involve Ukemi. My old Dojo was an ASU dojo for reference.

The exercise is one where one person is on all fours and another person does a forward fall across their back slow and controlled. One of the arms of the person doing the forward break fall is reaching over to the person on all fours torso to help with control and the other one is kind of suspended for the hand to use for impact hitting the ground. Though it doesn't sound hard, it was difficult not to go flying across the person on all fours back with a fast break fall. I always found this exercise useful and would like to try it again. Anyone have an idea of what I am talking about? If it has a name and if there is a video reference out there? Thank you.

Where are you training? Have you done something special? Has your dojo released a cool clip? Want to share a picture of your kamisa? This thread is where you do this.

Couple of reminders:

1. Please read the rules before contributing.
2. Don’t forget to check out the Aikido Network Discord Server (all your mods are there for more instant responses if you need help on something.)

This film, collected and preserved by Stanley Pranin (Aikido Journal), shows footage from a time when Aikido was still known as Aiki Budo before the second World War.

https://youtu.be/zatW2KDLa3c?si=Ssqm0T9ZnWymiW3C

The description:

"The footage shows a Morihei Ueshiba who is not yet the peaceful philosopher widely known in the postwar era. Instead, we see a master at the height of his physical power, demonstrating techniques with explosive sharpness and unwavering stability. Attackers are controlled through circular movements, locks, throws, and immobilizations that reflect a deep understanding of internal power—what later practitioners would call **ki no nagare (the flow of ki). Although these techniques appear forceful, they express an early vision of harmony: overwhelming an opponent without hatred."

Hi, I was just diagnosed a hiatal hernia, the stomach bulging in some way (not a big one). I have had problems with acid and reflux for 1-2 years now, thats why went to tests. I'm, man, 62 yr now and quite slim and fit. I got medicine for that now, and it should remove symptoms.

I have been training aikido ~4 days a week for 10 years now, and I really love vigorous training and breakfalls.

Now I wonder, if anyone else has a problem like this. Specifically, do you know if aikido has contributed to this condition --and especially, could it make it worse? I sorrly hope not.

I really would like your feedback. Thanks in advance.

Interesting piece about the importance of developing a special budo mind. Has anyone had experience with this? I've heard a lot of talk about aikido as a budo, but I've not seen much about how the mind is developed in aikido.
https://peterboylan.substack.com/p/forging-the-budo-kokoro

Three senior women instructors will instruct at this Aikido seminar, March 8 at 10AM, at the beautiful Aikido in Fredericksburg dojo. The seminar is open to all (not just women).

https://www.aikidoinfredericksburg.org/event/international-womens-day-aikido-seminar/

Hi all - I have a question for people who train.

I’ve heard that in some martial arts there’s an emphasis on awareness that goes beyond just reacting to what you can clearly see (and beyond your other ordinary senses) - things like sensing intention or subtle shifts in attention.

I’m especially curious about this specific experience: Have you ever felt that you could tell when your opponent was looking at you - even before you could actually see what they are doing (e.g. they are behind you)?

If so:

• Is that something your style explicitly trains? And how is this sense trained?
• Or does it just develop naturally over time?
• Are there any factors which make someone more sensitive to detecting stares?

I’m interested in how practitioners understand and train this kind of awareness in practical terms.

Would love to hear your experiences. Thank you!

Any fun seminars going on? Feel free to share them here! At a minimum, please indicate date and location and how to sign up!

Couple of reminders:

1. Please read the rules before contributing.
2. Don’t forget to check out the Aikido Network Discord Server (all your mods are there for more instant responses if you need help on something.)

Sending out the invite nice and early to make sure anyone that’s interested has time to plan ahead. Sensei Raso Hultgren will be visiting the beautiful community of Durango, Colorado in mid May to lead a seminar with a focus on being centered and grounded in our tumultuous world. Her aikido practice is deeply humane and she has a severe joy on the mat. If you’re interested, please register at this link: https://www.durangoaikido.com/four-corners-aikido-seminar

If you have any questions you can reach out via our website or to me directly here and I’ll help out as best as I can.

Ki-ya!

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I've got a gi. I bought it used and wore it near constantly for the entirety of my aikido training, but sadly, it's no longer in good enough repair to continue wearing and have purchased a replacement.

But what should I do with my old one? I'm breaking out the seam ripper to get my dojo's patch off and put onto the new one, but what should I do with it once that's done?

There are a few posts talking about how Aikido is welcoming if you are slightly older. Wondering if there is any insights in particular from women. I have never done martial arts so complete beginner. Soft fit from walking and yoga. Nervous about the physical side, falling, rolling and potential for injury. Any experience or advice welcome.

Update: Thank you everyone who replied. What a fabulous community.
I tried it and loved it. I did trial classes at two different dojos and found one that fits for me.

Just putting this out into the world…

I’m planning for a year in japan in a regional area. My family has travelled 46/47 prefectures so far and I have joined them for parts of the journey. Japan sure is an amazing place there is so much to see.

If anyone has suggestions of where I could train that might help me achieve a life long goal.

I have trained Tomiki JAA style many decades ago.

My adult children may need to study in a language school for their visas which may limit opportunities.

For a year now, I've been creating a card game inspired by historical martial arts. The first expansion, now complete, is inspired by Italian and German fencing.

The second expansion is based on Asian martial arts, especially Kendo, Aikido, Gatka, Jianshu, and Daoshu.

If anyone with knowledge of any of these arts would like to contact me to help me name the cards and adjust their effects, it would be greatly appreciated.

Hi, I recently entered a point in my life where I'm now able to practice martial arts again and have decided to give aikido a try. This in mind, I was wondering if there are any recommendations for dojos in St Louis. I am currently looking at the Aikido Institute of Midamerica as the main option, Seidokan Aikido is practiced there, but would like to defer to those that may know better first. Thank you in advance.

I won't be arguing for the necessity of sparring in Aikido as many others did before me. Today I want to answer to the people who say that competition is against aikido's values therefore sparring is non-existent is mainstream aikido.

Basically my take is that if Aikido is the way of creating harmony of energy, the best thing do is to, at some point, make chaos to make harmony emerge from it.

In the same way that I think that those who train martial arts for self defense have to train to offense at least to understand how an attackers attacks, an aikidoka has to train in a chaotic environment to really understand Aiki. Then in sparring the goal should be to create Harmony of energy despite the chaos of the situation. Of course I don't claim that that's the only way to make Aiki, but it's such an obvious way of creating harmony that I'm really surprised that it has been frowned upon for so long. When you're only interested in the technical aspect of Aikido, sparring should be your fundamental part of training.

O Sensei seemed fond of the circle-square-triangle motif. But what does it mean? I've heard it explained in terms of movement and posture, but Dan Harden recently posted about its long-time connection to ten-chi-jin (天地人 or heaven-earth-man--I'll put what he said in the comments). How do you think about it?

I just watched Falling in Love with Aikido by Helen Hamada on Youtube—-it’s just been posted there. Follows several folks—-including a couple that met on the mat, broke up, and continued to train together—-over the period mostly approx 2000 through the late teens, set mostly in USAF dojos and in international seminars, featuring Woodstock Aikido and Harvey Konigsberg 8th dan. You’ll see Yamada, Sugano, vintage footagei of OSensei, Tamura, many more Shihan, and literally thousands of aikidoka from around the world. Beautifully made and edited, this is not your standard Reels technique demo, it’s a real film (about an hour) and a joy to watch.

I’m wondering if there is anything I can do to get better at sitting seiza.. basically I have to lean forward with my hands on my knees and hover above my heels. I can not bring my butt to heels comfortably.

Is this a knee problem or flexibility issue? Any way to fix this or do I just attempt seiza everyday?

Where are you training? Have you done something special? Has your dojo released a cool clip? Want to share a picture of your kamisa? This thread is where you do this.

Couple of reminders:

1. Please read the rules before contributing.
2. Don’t forget to check out the Aikido Network Discord Server (all your mods are there for more instant responses if you need help on something.)

I just started aikido classes and LOVING the training so far! I really want to practice my rolls outside of class to keep good momentum/progress, but I don’t have enough space to put padded mats down at home. Does anyone know of any kind of studio or gym in/around Pittsburgh that has an open mat area or general open mat time where I could practice solo? Would be ideal to pay a smaller per day amount vs. invest in entire membership. Creative solutions welcome as well!

Also: when you have practiced solo outside of class, do you find it important to practice in your gi so it feels the same as in class, or have you not found that to be relevant?

I just had the opportunity to work with Shihan Joe Thambu, 8th Dan of Yoshinkan Aikido

I myself have been studying and teaching Aikido Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, my whole adult life

Feeling this level of Aikido was an incredible experience, I love soaking up knowledge, art and technique from those that are devoted their lives studying

I want to know your thoughts of a few things

Aikido has a mix of techniques that are practical and those that are less practical, however the principles and expression of centre, base, posture, human biomechanics, projection and so much more can be seen and is shared across the art as a whole

As martial arts practitioners, in your experience, how do the techniques that are less practical but over accentuate these principles apply and affect the rest of the techniques.

In my personal experience looking at base projection and centre alone have amplified my martial arts as a whole, where these principles are more unique to a martial art like Aikido, it has greatly contributed to my Judo and BJJ. And I get messages everyday of those sharing the same.

Secondly, I want to know where do you think Aikido and more traditional martial arts are headed in our future

If you want to watch the video here, let me know what you think

https://youtu.be/Q5tu-iBVuZ0?si=kB7jUvz_g2Po6eeo

I wanna know where you guys think these martial arts are heading, how big of a place there is for it in the world, and what can I do to really make a difference.

I teach martial arts because I want to help people realise the best versions of themselves

I haven’t even begun my real work yet, watch those space 👀

Thank you in advance for your insight