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So, I went to the university Aikido demonstration. Overall, it looks great. The atmosphere is friendly, the people are really nice. The techniques at lower levels were more static than I'd choose, but that was partly a lack of high grades at the demonstration, I think. There's a nice big mat and the sports hall was a good temperature, and there was a photo of O'Sensei.
Oh, and people were putting committment into the techniques rather than just sort of doing a ballroom dance with each other. Even if the attacks were a bit telegraphed at times (and I don't mean for the live weapons, as I'd telegraph them too!)
My only reservations are:
1. They don't teach any formalised weapons at all! Meep! *is a big fan of a large weapons component*
2. They managed to do a demo without mentioning the word "ki" once. I consider this to be a bit like teaching someone to drive without mentioning the car's brakes.
Still, I'm keen to train again, and the classes seemed well-paced.
I just hope I'm not the one the Sensei picks next time to attack him with a live katana! The poor 1st Kyu got nicked as the sword was taken from him, and left the mat with blood pouring from his eyebrow. Like all face wounds, pretty much, it bled a lot without being deep, but was still rather dramatic!
So I'd say the club was not very traditional - the etiquette is rather more relaxed than I'm used to, and I suppose there was less connection to the origins of the art than I was accustomed to in the Lancashire Aikikai. But yeah, nice people.
Oh, and people were putting committment into the techniques rather than just sort of doing a ballroom dance with each other. Even if the attacks were a bit telegraphed at times (and I don't mean for the live weapons, as I'd telegraph them too!)
My only reservations are:
1. They don't teach any formalised weapons at all! Meep! *is a big fan of a large weapons component*
2. They managed to do a demo without mentioning the word "ki" once. I consider this to be a bit like teaching someone to drive without mentioning the car's brakes.
Still, I'm keen to train again, and the classes seemed well-paced.
I just hope I'm not the one the Sensei picks next time to attack him with a live katana! The poor 1st Kyu got nicked as the sword was taken from him, and left the mat with blood pouring from his eyebrow. Like all face wounds, pretty much, it bled a lot without being deep, but was still rather dramatic!
So I'd say the club was not very traditional - the etiquette is rather more relaxed than I'm used to, and I suppose there was less connection to the origins of the art than I was accustomed to in the Lancashire Aikikai. But yeah, nice people.
