Aikido (martial art) (8)

5 Name: Anonymous Enthusiast : 2006-07-18 20:10 ID:wwAtJXgw

BE CAREFUL WHEN TAKING FALLS/UKEMI/WHATEVER. I took aikido lessons and was in some pretty lousy situations and got injured twice. I am no longer a student, but I realize where I screwed up and where the dojo screwed up as well.

I started out as an aikido student and was enjoying myself. When you start practicing, you should be taking ukemi at your own pace. Your partner shouldn't be actually practicing the moves on you, he should be more concerned about letting you learn the movements. After a month or two worth of lessons, you'll probably be in decent shape to take a fall as a result of a move, not just from being told "and here's where you fall," a la Johnny Cage from the Mortal Kombat movie.

When doing a roll, be absolutely sure not to end up inadvertently on your head. That means your body is pressing down on your head upside-down and bad shit ensues. I was caught in a forward roll, legs up in a new move, before I realized I was on my head. Something popped in my neck/shoulder, and that was in January '05. It still bothers me to this day. I can't fully stretch and have been in chiropractic care and physical therapy. It's now turning back to normal very slowly, and very expensive. It's good to have Aetna health insurance, kids.

Also, be sure that the partner you practice with is really willing to work at your level. Your sensei should be directing the right people to work with you in that regard. The aikido injury that ended my "career" was done by a guy who was a few levels above me. It was a throw from the shoulder that spun my arm around as I fell onto my back, but he threw me too hard and he didn't let go of my hand at the right time or angle. My shoulder took the brunt and it was nearly dislocated. My right arm was out of action for about a week and a half. Methylprednisone and herbal anti-inflammatories saved my ass.

I respect aikido as a martial art and with what it stands for, but next time, I'm not taking a tumbling/grappling art. There's a naginata dojo near me in Jersey City that's my next choice as soon as con season is over.

>>3

Read up a little on aikido. It's not a fighting style, it's a way to end a fight before someone - either the aggressor or the target - gets hurt, and it does so without injury.

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