[bamboo]

Gong sao,

I will this evening afterclass.

[Gong||Jau]

Thanks!

[bamboo]

Here is the basic breakdown.

OLD SCHOOL

Aiki-Budo
Name given to the art O sensei taughtbefore it became known as aikido. It is very close in style to Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu. It is considered to be one of the harder forms of Aikido.
Shin'ei Taido
Founded by Noriaki Inoue. Not officially aikido as the founder of this art claimed it was the same but "different" He studied under O sensei
.
Yoshinkan
Gozo Shioda style. Shioda sensei studied with O sensei from the mid-30s. This is considered the hardest of of the aikido schools and is still used by Tokyo police to this day

Yoseikan
Formed by Minoru Mochizuki, early student of O sensei and also of Kano-sensei at the Kodokan. This style includes elements of Karate and Judo, also called "Yoseikan Budo"

NEW SCHOOL

Aikikai
This is the mainline branch of aikido as headed by the third doshu, the founders grandson son. This is the Ueshiba family organization. Has groups in N. America like USAF and CAF.

Iwama-ryu
While still a part of the Aikikai, the style taught by the late Morihiro Saito. Saito sensei wanted to preserve aikido from the early 50's as to taught to him in Iwama.

Nippon Kan
Founded by Gaku Homma,VERY traditional school..

Aikido Schools of Ueshiba (My school and "style")
Heaaded by Mitsugi Saotome. Saotome sensei has an eclectic approach to teaching Aikido, we learn everything from hard practical techniques through to soft abstract sensitivity exercises. We do tons of weapons under him. Was independent for years and rejoined aikikai organization, but style is dissimilar enough to warrant mention.

SPORT AIKIDO

Tomiki-ryu
Founded by Kenji Tomiki, Tomiki didn't do ki and believed that aikido should be sporting and competitive along the lines of judo. Lots of rubber knife and kata type competition.

Jiyushinkai
Off shoot of tomiki.
Fugakukai
An off-shoot of Tomiki-ryu founded Karl Geis.
NO competitions


KI styled schools ? as originally split by Tohei Sensei

Shin-shin Toitsu Aikido
Founded byKoichi Tohei - Aikido with Mind and Body Unified. This is ki development and as far from the martial aikido as you can get. Practitioners look like they are dancing or even skipping from time to time.

Shin Budo Kai
This style is headed by Shizuo Imaizumi

Kokikai
Founded by Shuji Maruyama. He was a chief instructor with the ki society but split to form his own ki group. More weapons and technique here than with Tohie's group.

Seidokan
Founded by R. Kobayashi. Another Ki split

(I'm sure there are more but I don't think its worth getting into as they independent groups doing Ki aikido)

There are more but these are the main ones.

-bamboo

[Gong||Jau]

Wow, thanks for all the info. What sort of sensitivity exercises do you guys practice? Also, do you know of a website for one of these organizations that has a school directory? I'd like to check out a school some time, because I've never actually felt Aikido, only seen it done.

By the way, I note with some dismay that you didn't take my suggestion to change your name permanently

[bamboo]

Gong Sao:

I'll keep the name change in mind!

We do different types of sensitivity drills from a very "push hands" like exercise where both people are firmly rooted and one uses push like strikes to off balance the other to an exercise of where each person reverses the others tecnnique and flows into another back and forth but very softly, first open eyes then closed. It can change slightly from dojo to dojo.

Here is the my organization's dojo directory: http://www.asu.org/dojo.html

Heres the USAF http://www.aikido.org/california.html

Ki society http://ki-aikido.net/KS-USA/Directory.html

Please note that dojos change from one to another based on the sensei and that beginners classes may seem rather different than what you may be used to. Beginners all cooperate to learn form, body mechanics and awareness. My advice is to always call ahead and try to watch an advanced class. Beginners can't really give you the "feel", ask a senior student or the sensei.

-bamboo aka bambeer aka old man bamboo

[8LimbsScientist]

Bamboo

What is the aikidoka's response to other styles?

If an aikidoka were to come up against an experienced grappler (from whatever style) that person would be extremely resistant to being off balance. Does the typical dojo's randori represent this effectively?

Also, are you trained to respond to strikes in combinations instead of single swings?

[bamboo]

What is the aikidoka's response to other styles?

Play our game and not fall into to thiers.

are you trained to respond to strikes in combinations instead of single swings?

Yes. Single swings for beginners to understand mai-ai (critical distance, de-ai (moment of "interaction"), timing and form.
Combinations (free and fixed),once the basics are down. We learn to expect the unexpected and isolate needed energy .

If an aikidoka were to come up against an experienced grappler (from whatever style) that person would be extremely resistant to being off balance. Does the typical dojo's randori represent this effectively?

This is a great question and really one of those "what ifs" that we get all the time. Aikido is a type of grappling, only modified so as not to go into the clinch if at all possible. We do however deal with the clinch, I personally have found the technique "heaven and earth throw" to be very effective in that regard. Also, a good aikidoka will also have amazing balance.
As far as randori goes it really depends on the dojo. A traditional randori will deal with traditional attacks in the japanese traditional sense. A more progressive dojo with the "martial" in mind will practice with all types of attacks. At my dojo, only the senior students practice against wrestling type take downs and shoots and similar attacks. We have alot of guys with alot of experience in other arts so it makes it much easier.
We also use feints to elicit response and use that energy to our advantage.

Like any other art, it really depends on the artist and their understanding of the art. I know some Aikidoka that I would not let face a 12 year old girl and others that seemed more like fire breathing monsters than anything else.

cheers,

bamboo

[Gong||Jau]

Do you think Aikido could be a good art to crosstrain in, or do you think that it requires too much of a time investment to initially become effective? I guess what I'm saying is, do you think it's something that requires more devotion than you would normally give to a second or third art?

[bamboo]

Personally, I don't think cross training in aikido would help you much. Alot of people start aikido after years of other training and focus entirely on aikido afterwards. It takes a long time to use effectively and really takes 100% of your focus. Whenever we get guys that want to cross train and use aikido as a 2nd or 3rd art, they quit after 2-3 weeks.

I plan on training in shinden musu ryu jojutsu after shodan (in 2 weeks) as a supplement to my jo work, but this works with my aikido and uses much of the same principles.

-bamboo

[samadhi_fire]

Hi Bamboo,

Regarding the breakdown of Aikido schools, what aspect of the Yoshinkan school makes it the "hardest" school? Like what makes it "harder"?