@Antimortem I know what this feels like and I sympathize with you. I took Yoshinkan Aikido for ten years with one of the top instructors in North America. In that time, I quit twice but returned three times. The first time I quit was out of frustration with my physical conditioning. The second time, I was physically hurt in a major way and needed time to heal. Lessons were expensive but I went as far as I could in and earned a Green Belt. In the end, my knees prevented futher advancement...
I still love Yoshinkan Aikido and will always, for as long as I live. I still have the utmost and deepest respect for Kimeda Sensei, my most favourite Sensei. Thanks also to all my fellow classmates who have helped me throughout the years--thank you all so much. And, as all my Senseis have said, at one time or another: "The only person you are really in competition with, is yourself." I wish you the best of luck for the future and success in whatever you choose to do, Antimortem. Peace.
Kimeda sensei is amazing a great person I was only there for a month but I had to move because of family now that I'm living in Hamilton I want to train aikido with kimeda sensa i
@@brennanroglich9886 I was only for a month the same as you and it was a lovely place to train ,such a great sensei so friendly and humble i remember saturday morning watching videos and drinking beer with him in the dojo.
Yoshinkan Aikido is similar to Daito-ryu Aikijutsu. Both O'sensei and Shioda sensei said that Aikido is 70% Atemi i.e. striking the vital points of the attacker.
Yoshinkan Aikido is considered a "hard" system because it was developed during the Pre War Era. It's hands on and your body will take a lot of impact. Your breakfalls have to be sharp. I learned it as part of our training in Kito Ryu Jujitsu. Note: It explains why the Metro Tokyo Police use this martial art.
At the fastest, one can become Black Belt in three years with a huge amount of hard work and practice. (Black Belt only means you've learned the BASIC techniques well enough to continue further.) What no one told me was that it takes you a lifetime to perfect and MASTER Aikido, which can do you well into your eighties because the art is more gentler on the body than many others. My dreams of reaching third degree Black Belt (my personal goal for Aikido) will never happen but I accept this.
Wow, there is some really bad understandings of bruce lee in this comment section. Thambu (I hope spelled that right) is a good teacher and a good martial artist. If anyone here actually studied with him they would know that and they would know aikido is for real and 2 solid years of yoshinkan produces tough people both mentally and physically. I'm sure Tokyo police department agrees.
@october4891647 I believe all Aikidoist should practice Kihon Dosa for the core of their curriculum. People know that Yoshinkan practitioners advance a lot quicker than other styles. The reason for this is their firm foundation in understanding fundamental movements, it's not magic. It's not witchcraft, it's tradecraft.
Hi wodfest, you are so right about the training, it is very tough even the warm up exercises nearly killed me at first. I also got whiplash type injury in my neck when my head hit the mat once. Its not all lovely and tranquil like it makes out in the video!!!
@dustymiller65 And so my research consisted of finding the right martial art for my body type, and I chose Jiu-jitsu. I am greatfull for my background in Aikido (and Judo, too) because it helps me so much with my matwork (both for falling and grappling). I have been doing Jiu-jitsu for three years now and I'm not concerned with obtaining a Black Belt but my focus is on mastering the techniques, and thus the martial art. Doing this will only add to the reward of earning a Black Belt, in good time
@Antimortem And so, Antimortem, the best advice I can possibly offer you is...to keep searching for a martial art that is right for you. Something that is compatible with your level of skill and body type. You only need ONE martial art at a time to fight with. Sometimes we have to let go of our previous dream and seek out a new one. Sure, it's painful letting go but it's also healthier for you to do so...so you can get on with your life. The Meaning of Life, is to find or ascribe meaning TO life
@Yakshinian I know you left this comment a year ago but I have to address it. A black belt symbolizes a commitment to an art. In some styles it means you are permitted to teach. I and most martial artists believe you never master an art. You merely spend your life as a student, learning more every day.
@Antimortem I'm sorry to hear of your loss and personal perspective on the whole thing, antimortem. I hope that in time, you will heal as much as you are able to. I wish you only the best in your future, and in your future endeavors, whatever they may be, friend. Peace.
i know this man joe thambu. he visited the malaysian master ramasamy back in the day. even though i am a man with a broken dream for aikido, i enjoy seeing others doing it. but sometimes it seems to tease me with its beauty. i am a victim of the reality of life, the need for money and employment forced me to quit my dream of aikido :( is there anything out there that can cure or atleast rid of this cold pain of mine?
@dustymiller65 In my family, all males, as they get older, suffer joint pain and deterioration in their knees mainly and eventually get knee replaceemnt surgery for one or both knees. The strength of this style of Aikido comes from the hips and the bent knee is critical in whatever stance or technique is used. I "retired" about fourteen years ago at the age of 30. Usually, at the age of 30-35, a martial artist is at his prime--at that point, my knees were experiencing too much pain to continue.
@FearThisChannel Well knowledge comes with experience and through trust of the senses, as they say. Reading on the other hand allows for refining one's knowings in my case, wouldn't you agree?
@CosmoShidan If you want to know what the hubbub is, I'm Epicurean. As for Starship Troopers, I mean the 1959 classic novel by Robert Heinlein, which is on the reading lists of the US Army, Navy and Marine corps. I suggest reading said book as their are some Dawinian themes in it. One last thing, check my book list on my channel for some reads, otherwise have a nice day!
@Antimortem It's military culture. Like the Spartan Hoplites, the Japanese Samurai are a race of warriors whom worship the blade and are dedicated to perfecting their art as they are dedicated to the service of the state. This may sound cliche just as I have stated above, but to civilians like ourselves, we probably won't understand a way of life such as century's past or even today's military culture in a modern army.
@Antimortem Try studying history since age 12 and now literature, philosophy, writing and poetry at age 25. Also I've been two fights and have learned that any martial art, is but a form to refine the ability to combat the other. To simply put, a punch, kick, or block is a reactionary defense mechanism; sort of like how an animal knows when it's being attacked, it takes a stand or flees, both I've done.
@Antimortem Bruce Lee meant that the for the movements to be fluid, the motions of the human body in martial arts are to act as one whole unit. Gozo Shioda on the other hand once said"water goes one way down by taking the easy way" which is a perfect analogy on how we human beings always try to find an easy way, in which there is none. Also get a security camera for safety in your home, own a gun if your a fire arms hobbyist. Also budo is about the mental health not strength. Peace.
@Antimortem I'm 25 years of age. Plus I've read from Epictetus, Tao Teh Ching, Dhamapada, The Essential Epicurus and many other treatises that indicate man has no grand scheme of things in an existentialist sense; otherwise, there is no free will and only determinism.
@Antimortem More like, if you have the will to go through with it then your in aikido for life. Or to simply put, it's all in the mind; whether you want to or not, it's all in the mind. Although, perhaps that's just too much thinking as overuse of the void could be devastating...
@Antimortem Another thing I forgot to mention, if you have a large frame, weighing in at 240 pounds with 30 inch pythons acquired from weight lifting, push-ups, sit-ups, jump roping, bicycling, leg-ups, swats, and other work outs, then you wouldn't need martial arts in fact. I learned that today from my Sensei!
@Antimortem Am I bitter? Yes, very much so; all that time and money wasted, it seems(?). Am I disappointed (in myself)? Yes, but what could I do about my knees? And what did I do about it? I took a long break and thought about it all and did some research. Everyone MUST try as many martial arts as he/she can, and go with the best one for his/her body type, plus martial art style requirement. They both need to be mutually compatible. Remember, all you need is ONE martial art, mastered effectively
@CosmoShidan You seem to be very proud of what you have achieved academically. I know what you are like, but I can tell you that one doesn't have to have read dozens of books in order to say something about a subject. In other words, it's not necessary for me to read works of philosophers, great thinkers or scientists to contribute to a discussion. If you can think clearly and rationally, then that is adequate. It will yield more than knowledge of books.
@Antimortem Have you met anyone who's come out of the military in one piece, not had shell shock, plays paint ball, and is a squad leader?! Not all troopers suffer such misfortune, and most of the time when soldiers lose battles there's shell shock, or they're simply unwilling draftees. Again, I have to go back to Darwinism to proclaim that only the strong, iron willed and dedicated will pull through. BTW, did you know that volunteerism in modern armies was proposed in "Starship Troopers?"
@Antimortem Well, Wing Chun has a very weak defense-system against weapon, especially knifes or other stabbing weapons. I agree, for boxing and self defense without weapons it is good, but not against weapons.
@Antimortem More like I know things, but not everything. And besides, I found out later that he was joking, of course. BTW have you ever been in a real fight?
@spamllpitdept First of all, aikido was founded in 1931. Secondly, Japanese martial arts were not meant for competition. Third, a martial art teaches the basics of the art of the body's movement. Lastly, once a martial skill has been learned it becomes your own in a real fight.
@Antimortem Akido is for everyone, but not everyone is for Aikido. It's all natural selection in my experience; especially if you look at it from a very militaristic P.O.V..
@CosmoShidan every time i read your "man has no purpose whatsoever..." quote, i think , who are you to make such assumptions?! and yet youre still a young boy.
@FearThisChannel you know i used to think that way , you know, "defensive-offensive" or maybe like what brush lee would say..."be like water my friend.." imagine becoming a liquid! :) i guess it was the canabis in brush lee stomach talking :) but that was when i was a teen. now days have been through so much styles and training, i dont know if there is a martial art that you can rely on. but a usefull advice is to stay away from japanese& chinese art.im considering a gun.....
aikido is a curse for anyone that falls in love with it. advice from a victim , dont do it! you'll end up loosing money, damaged ligaments and heartbreak when you discover that it's a scam.
