A few aikido questions.?

Question

First, is aikido a good art to learn for self defense, it seems a lot of it is just for looks.

Second, what are the major differences between the different aikido styles?

Third, There is a dojo near where I live, how do I know if it is a good dojo? (On the website it says the master is in the american aikido assosiation and has the title "Shihan" or "master teacher" and it also says that he is 7th dan.) And then there are also some assistant teacher.

Finally, how much does an aikido class typically cost? The website says it's monthly but, doesn't say the price.

Answer 1

my cousin does aikido

hes not big

he gets into fights alot

hes never been hit once since he started taking it

one time someone started throwing punches and he blocked the kid and dodged in circles. it was real funny

and if he ever feels like hurting someone, if he locks youre arm while you punch he can break it easily

he breaks wrists

its teh **** yo

i beat the **** out of black belts in shukokai, but i cant touch a brown belt in aikido

Answer 2

Aikido has a rich heritage as one of the most important and dynamic expressions of Japan's long martial arts tradition. Aikido is a graceful and sophisticated Japanese martial art founded by Morihei Ueshiba around the turn of the century. Aikido is almost purely defensive; it teaches no kicks or punches and has relatively few aggressive moves . It depends on which instructor that you choose and if you are willing to spend alot of time and effort to learn

Answer 3

aikido is a great martial art for defensive purposes.  it may seem that you are doing a lot of fancy stuff, but even the fancy stuff has it's applications in the learning process.  Aikido still holds on to the ettiquette and the "old ways" of the samurai.   As  for the class you don't know if it's any good until you give it a try.  without any more information there's little else I can say.  I would however be weary of a 7th dan in aikido.  A seventh dan is considered a very high grade in aikido and they don't come by the dozens.  Every grade above a 4th dan is given as a tribute for service towards the art and contributions to the art.  Usually a 7th dan is therefor some one of considerable age(there are of course exceptions).   as for cost price that all depends on the teacher.  where I live I have the good fortune of being in a club where we pay a yearly low fee to cover expences and that's it, the teacher just does it for fun.  However in the us most people try to do this professionally, which means that you'll probably pay more, but how much I can't say.  

My advice would be if you want to enroll in class have a good talk with the teacher

Answer 4

Aikido is an amazing way of self DEFENSE. By that I mean it's hardly so much about "hurting people" but more about keeping yourself from harm. That's a big part of the Budo philosophy, and it's an amazing experience to learn. I feel untouchable with most people nowadays who are taking Muay Thai.

I can't say much for different Aikido styles. The fundamentals are all the same.

A 7th Dan is one of the higher honored rankings, and I'd say that the dojo sounds good.

I can't be sure about it in dollars($), but if my math is right, around $110 dollars/month. It really depends on their own fees. What is actually the more expensive manner, if you plan to take a deep interest in Aikido, I warn you about spoiling yourself with the uniforms. They look pretty cool.

Answer 5

aikido is a good art for self defense, it focuses alot on using your opponents strength against him.

I'm not sure about the different styles of aikido Im a practioner of Meibukan Goju-Ryu karate myself

7th dan means 7th degree blackbelt

there are a few ways to tell if the dojo is good, for expample if the prices are fair and consistant

the hard part of the whole experience is finding a good and trust worthy teacher

Answer 6

aikido can be a very good system for self defense but its not something that will work overnight.

realistically you would have to train for at least 10 years before you find yourself using it in a self defense situation efficiently. It also depends how often you train and if you try to apply the techniques in real time during sessions. i.e. not spend once a week practicing on compliant opponents.

Even an aikido master would do his best to avoid confrontation and only use it if his life depended on it. In situations where its you or you're attacker you will have more drive to perform. As humans our urge to survive is greater than the urge to look cool in a streetfight.

Different styles of Aikido will incorporate different patterns for the grading syllabus but on the whole the techniques are similar and based on the principle of using your opponents force against him instead of relying on your own strength.

A typical Aikdo class shouldn't empty your bank balance but be prepared to spend around $10 (usually about £6 - £8 here in the UK)

As for most of it just being for looks, a lot of the fancy stuff you see on youtube and in Steven Seagal movies is just for show. They don't encourage us to copy what we see in the movies or on youtube as a lot of it is just causing unnecessary harm and putting yourself in more danger.