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Thread: Aikido in the Yukon (was: Inquiry aiki jujutsu)

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    Default Aikido in the Yukon (was: Inquiry aiki jujutsu)

    I have a mild concer regarding a dojo in town. There are a few things that raise red flags and I would like individuals who have experience in the art to maybe put me more at ease. Im interested in aiki jujutsu and found a school near by, the instructor seems good but he's mixing his own philosophy into the art. This dose not concern me too much, I would just like to know if what he teaches is Aiki jujutsu, and if its good quality as I find his class rather expensive but having said that it is 5 times a week.

    http://www.yama-dojo.ca/instructors.php

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    The guy has aikido history and training...no AJJ that I could see on his site..
    Jeremy Hulley
    Shinto Ryu Iai Batto Jutsu
    TNBBC

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    After having spoken to him, he claimed that what he teaches is aiki jujutsu even tho his site ststes aikido, I am aware of this, its one of the red flags I mentioned. Maybe I should post in the aikido forum?

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    His 6th dan rank is, according to his site, from the Aikikai, which is the mainstream aikido organization. And he makes no mention of any other training in aikijujutsu or any other aikido system. As such, I would not consider him an authentic teacher (or practitioner) of aikijujutsu. Aikikai aikido moved away from Daito-ryu (aikijujutsu) format and content long ago.

    He mentions iaido/iaijutsu training, but not what his affiliation is, present or former. If he has genuine credentials there, and is willing to teach, you might enjoy studying that in tandem with or instead of aikido. Anyway, since you say there isn't much else available in your area, perhaps it would be worthwhile to talk to this person again and get more details on his background and approach. Good luck!

    If you are comfortable with Aikikai style training, and this person's rank is legit, and it's the only game in town, it would at least be a good workout.
    Cady Goldfield

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    Thank you for your response. Maybe I miss understood what he was trying to explain, in which case I apologies for posting this in the wrong thread. The way he spoke when I quizzed him, he seemed to imply that Aikido was more meditative and the form he thought was not aikido but more Budo in nature. At any rate im unfamiliar with the different schools of aikido, I have tried a few different dojo and they all had the same aspects that I wasn't found of. They seem to encourage a lot of compliance between the students and when I would resist (I only did this with black belts) they had a very hard time performing the techniques. I understand compliance in order to learn a technique but shouldn't you also be able to perform them in a more realistic scenario? I'm sure I'm kicking a dead horse here. The thing that drew me to this particular dojo is that it wasn't as showy, the uke wasn't being led around in circles, the techniques seemed more effective and efficient. Anywyas, perhaps a mod could move this thread to its proper home?

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    I will move this to the Aikido forum.
    It does look like this teacher is using Aikikai aikido as a vehicle for expressing the values and ideals of his personal philosophy and religion. There's nothing wrong with that, as long as students are comfortable with that, and are getting authentic physical training. Training that does not stick to sound principles will not cultivate confidence. If I were in such a setting, I would try it out for maybe a month to get a better sense of the approach and whether I fit in with it... and it fit with me.
    Cady Goldfield

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    I was going to edit my post but I can't find the option. This is the current Dojo im attending, good guy, fantastic instructor, my only concern is what I stated in my post above about the techniques not being effective when resisting.

    Thank you for moving the thread.

    http://www.aikidoyukon.ca/instructors

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    The editing option lasts for 15 minutes, after which time your post is graven in stone for eternity. You can ask a senior moderator to edit for you, however, or you can just post another post with the edits as you did.
    Cady Goldfield

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    Concerning techniques not being effective when uke is resisting, an opinion (FWIW):
    Aikido, as Morihei Ueshiba practiced it, used a different underlying body method that worked in a different way than does contemporary aikido (Aikikai and its scions). Under Kisshomaru, aikido was adapted to rely on expert timing and subtle evasive movements of the body in order to psychologically draw the attacker into his own "void" and unseat his own center. I believe it takes longer to attain this degree of skill than it does to develop Morihei's aiki -- which feeds into uke's center to mechanically/physically (as well as mentally) control him.

    While a strong grab is harder to deal with for beginning and intermediate-level students, at the higher levels I have seen Aikikai people handle that kind of resistance quite well, using timing and the ability to feel gaps in the uke's structure which can be exploited.

    So, I wouldn't summarily dismiss this kind of aikido.
    Cady Goldfield

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    Hello Mr Martel,

    Happy New Year and welcome to E-Budo.

    I have looked at the website and know (or knew) most of the people mentioned as teachers. However, this does not give any real indication about the person's main teacher or the kind of training. There is another dojo in Whitehorse, Aikido Yukon, and I suspect from the website that the emphasis is somewhat less spiritual than in the dojo you have referenced. For me, one important indication of the person's training orientation would be to know which instructor awarded the 6th dan rank. It would have been awarded by someone who is close enough to the Aikikai and of sufficient rank himself / herself to be able to award or recommend such a rank.

    Best wishes,
    Peter Goldsbury,
    Forum Administrator,
    Hiroshima, Japan

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    Thank you for your reply Mr. Goldsbury

    Neither dojos seem abnormally spiritual, Aikido yukon is more typical of what you'd expect from a traditional dojo, you do not step on the mat until invited if you are late, you bow before and after stepping on the mat, bow to you instructor, your typical formalities. Yama dojo, or vitold dose not implement these practices other then the tardy policy. Apart from that I haven't seen anything that would suggest implementing philosophical views. I asked Vitold about the religious aspect of his dojo and stated that he is a pastor, he is their if someone requires spiritual guidance but he doesn't implement it in dojo life otherwise.

    The big Vs. Argument I would have between the two dojos is why dose one dojo seem more affective then the other? Aikido yukon seems to be more typical of what I know as aikido and what I mean by this statement is that lots of movement, leading the uke in circles before preforming the techniques, and the compliance seems excessive. Yama dojo, from what I saw was more efficient, not sure if that is the right word for it. He didnt really lead the uke, on the contrary it was usually the individual performing the technique that moved to position himself to execute the technique, the techniques were preformed closer to the body, and he implemented strikes. Is it normal to see difference such as these between dojos?

    Regardless, I will probably try both dojos, but hearing from experienced members would maybe put me more at ease, I always worry that I'm not receiving what is being advertised.

    Cheers

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