important question

Posted by: Anonymous

important question - 08/21/04 04:15 PM

I was told recently to start training in aikido, due to the fact it has a lot of hand work and less lower body work. (keep in mind, I've had surgory on my one knee, and soon to have it again on both when my growth stops...) Anyways im 17, young and eager to learn a style which uses less foot work and more hand work, i can not kick as high as i used to, I used to have a black belt in tae kwan do, training under Char He, and Kim Sung Woo, i was directed on this forum to Aikido... I read many articles on Aikido, mostly seems this style uses your oppenents force against them and self defense. There are no dojo's around me that teach Aikido that I know of.

#2 and for those who are wise in this art, please tell me how your training is, i would one day like to dedicate my life to an art, hopefully move to japan, and start my own dojo. I am very dedicated and strong in spirit to do so. Someone who has studied this art please let me know your training schedule...i can still run miles..i can still do lots of things..just kicking irratates the inside of my knees cuasing inflamation; however after Im done growing, ill be fine from surgory...I need any advice out there im open minded and ready to learn!!!
Posted by: senseilou

Re: important question - 08/21/04 08:50 PM

There are many ways to use your lower body(gedan)one of them is kicking, and many people who have injuries have to adapt their kicking. I have 2 surgically repaired kness and a bad hip(from a combination of Aikido breakfalls and kicking most likely)yet I still kick. You have to adapt the way you do it. Keeping your kicks low really takes the pressure off. But enough about that. In Aikido one of the major tenents is tai sabaki(body movement/body posturing)and align yourself with your attacker's attack. The only way to do so is using your lower body. There are a group of exercises(Aiki Taiso)and many of these are killer on the knees. Just because you don't kick doesn't mean its going to be easy on your knees or feet. It may be easier than kicking, but not easy. Also Aikido involves going to the ground and getting up, rolling and getting up. The up down can be tough on your lower body as well. Breakfalls are another thing that takes it toll on the lower body. All of us who have trained know what it means to fall wrong and have to get right up. There are alot of aches and pains in Aikido as well. No art is refrained from wear and tear, its the nature of the Martial Arts. Aikido which incoporated circular movements, can be tough on your lower body as well.

Any art can be adapted so you can train. You need to find which one you can adapt to. Many disabled people train and can not do so like non-disabled counter parts. But they can train, it just has to be adapted. Many people confined to wheelchairs practice karate. I have personally trained students with MS and Muscular Dystrophy, so if they can anyone can. Aikido can be done with lower body injury as any art can, but Aikido will not keep you from wear and tear on your lower body any more than say Brazillian Jujutsu