Aikido, White Belt
I've been studying aikido for a little over two weeks now. My friend Jeff had been doing it for a while and was really enjoying it, and I was looking for something structured to help me get in shape, but also to help me become more sure of myself. So far, aikido is challenging and fun. Last night I got my gi (uniform) and my first belt. The white belt is the symbol of the committed beginner, which is a pretty good description of me at the moment.
The dojo I'm training at is called the Aikibudokan here in Houston. Check out their website. They do a good job of explaining some of the central philosophies of aikido, particularly its use for defense and the redirection of your opponent's force. The word aikido translates roughly to "the way of blending with the energy or spirit of the opponent." This gives the art an elegance and simplicity I really appreciate. The way is not about using force or attacks to overcome your opponent, it is learning how to move with your attacker, forcing them off-balance as their momentum works to your advantage. Most techniques end with throwing your opponent or locking one of their joints. Probably one of my favorite aspects of aikido is its non-competitive nature. There are no tournaments, no Karate Kid style brackets with crane kicks and sweepings of the leg. Instead, training is done in pairs, where one student plays the role of uke and the other the role of tore. Put simply, uke is the student receiving the technique, and tore is the one performing or practicing it. You switch off and learn both roles, so that the training is symmetrical.
So far, I've progressed through a lot of the basics, but I don't yet feel comfortable in many of the techniques. That said, I feel like I'm gaining more confidence with each class, able to think more clearly and decisively about what I need to do and how to do it. Soon I'll learn more about how to fall and be thrown. I'm a 29 year-old computer programmer. Falling isn't really in my everyday repertoire.
If you're interested in seeing more about what aikido is and if it might be for you, check out the link I put up there and feel free to come out and watch a class. Wilkinson sensei is a great guy and will probably spend the whole time explaining stuff to you and answering your questions. It's a great dojo and it's been a fun thing to do. I'm looking forward to the day when I'm deemed worthy of a darker belt.
