I've been looking for a while for a martial arts group to join up with that help the same kind of idealism that I do about martial arts. For instance... they don't give 7 year olds blackbelts. Yet at the same time I wanted a good sense of humor in the instructor and fun people to learn with.

The NC State Aikido Club (http://www.ncsu.edu/stud_orgs/aikido/) really fit well. The instructor Chris is exactly what I'd look for in one. He really knows his technique and discipline and applies it well in teaching while still keeping a sense of humor to us noobs.

I went last night and man... I realized how badly I missed it. Average classes have about 5-10 people in it currently and the instructor is from the http://www.raleighaikikai.com/.

So yes as I said in my title I was flipped by a 95lb woman. I'm about 245/250 and she had no problem forcing me into a flip. You learn a lot about pivot points and stances right from the gitgo.

This club is open to anyone with a Gym Membership (aka: Students and Alumni) or has access to the gym. Classes are Tuesday and Thursday 7pm and 8pm. It seems that most people tend to stay for both classes. It's not a repeat class, they tend to expand on more things.

Btw... you will be thrown into the thick of things. Read the website before you go. I did, and was kind of glad I did. You'll play Johnny catch up for the first 20 or so minutes. Noone seemed to stretch before and I saw why. Part of the class is stretching out and muscle strengthening. Good stuff.

Very very glad I went. I highly recommend going.

[Edited on February 28, 2007 at 1:23 PM. Reason : !]

2/28/2007 1:22:12 PM

Is that what Steven Segal does?

2/28/2007 1:26:43 PM

hell no

2/28/2007 1:27:41 PM

*laughs* yes that's what Steven Segal does.

[Edited on February 28, 2007 at 1:28 PM. Reason : gah spelled his name wrong.]

2/28/2007 1:27:47 PM

steven segal is a pussy

2/28/2007 1:29:56 PM

I'll do it if I can act like Steven Segal and wear a black suit to practice.

2/28/2007 1:34:05 PM

I tried to go to the Judo club last semester but then I found out it didn't exist anymore.

2/28/2007 3:18:31 PM

Do you practice Hokuto Shinken?

2/28/2007 8:55:25 PM

gg on the Fist of the North Star reference

2/28/2007 9:25:41 PM

Do they teach you say things like "You should put some ice on that black eye" and then when they ask "What black eye" you punch them in the face and say "That one"?

2/28/2007 9:27:51 PM

Steven Segal at once point practiced and taught Aikido. His earlier movies had a fair bit of it. His later stuff is less aikido and more flashly crap. I'm told he actually went in the dojo of Kanei-sensei (the sensei of the founder/instructor of Raleigh Aikikai) and was told off because he was acting and speaking "too familiar" to him. Hollywood arrogance?

2/28/2007 9:48:20 PM

As long as they promote the celery stalk arm crack, I'm cool with it.

3/1/2007 3:58:51 AM

*laughs*. Okay okay seriously. This is a good resource for people. I'm just letting you know it's a good class and if you're interested you should check it out!

3/1/2007 7:31:13 AM

haha...I think my roommate was that 95 lb woman. She's always trying to get new people to come, so I'm glad she finally got to throw someone new. I went once, and you are right. I got thrown right into the thick of it...I was like "you can't throw me, you could hurt me!!" so then I had to practice rolls for twenty minutes. LoL. It's a fun crowd though...

[Edited on March 5, 2007 at 10:12 PM. Reason : Bow to your sensei...]

3/5/2007 10:10:39 PM

i wanna try it
but seriously, aside from the joint lock throws and stuff, what is an Aikido competition? is it wrestling or grappling too?

[Edited on March 5, 2007 at 10:18 PM. Reason : f]

3/5/2007 10:17:24 PM

do you get to grope a 95lb woman?

3/5/2007 10:34:34 PM

I'm not sure...I tried to get her to explain, but I got confused...I think it has more to do with positions and stuff than actual fighting, but don't quote me on that, lol. You should come!!

3/5/2007 11:13:02 PM

lawlz

3/5/2007 11:13:23 PM

The basics behind Aikido are different than most martial arts. Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Muy Thai are mostly about punches, kicks and stances to get maximum affect. Pretty much head on approaches.

Aikido, is fighting without fighting. You use minimal effort for maximum affect. Say someone punches. In Tae Kwon Do or KArate you block hard and attack. In Aikido, you move out of the way or deflect the punch and help the person continue their momentum using little force of your own.

A master of Aikido can last far longer in a fight than most because they don't tire themselves out. The main reasons women should learn Aikido is simply because you learn how to get out of holds, and fight on the same level as a big guy attacking you. Lets face it. Most women are nowhere near the strength of the man attacking you. Men are generally faster, stronger, and more aggressive.

Aikido offers a method to counteract those things. You really can't understand until you experience a correctly executed technique.

Btw, there were two very small women there. One with blonde hair and one with dark hair. I sparred with the blonde haired girl. I plan to go again tonight if possible.

[Edited on March 6, 2007 at 7:11 AM. Reason : !]

3/6/2007 7:10:50 AM

I have a friend doing that. He had good things to report. And one time I saw a demonstration by some ppl who were REALLY into it. It looked pretty cool.

But i just don't see how useful it would be for beating the crap out of someone. Damn self defence...

3/6/2007 7:56:48 AM

heh you obviously have never seen someone good at it. The point of the martial art is NOT TO FIGHT. It's to stop a fight. Arm locks, pressure points, throws etc. The point is to use an opponents force against themselves. If they aren't attacking why are you?

3/6/2007 8:02:28 AM

dur. Forgot this week was spring break. Vet schools spring break is next week. Wierd eh?

3/6/2007 7:05:06 PM

that is weird...no, the one with the long, dark hair is my roomie, but I sparred with the blonde one when I went, I think. I can't remember her name...they are fun people, though!

3/6/2007 7:14:50 PM

you have to wear a gi? i wanna go, but I took enough jkd to know that a gi is worthless.

3/6/2007 7:54:12 PM

I have a gi.

3/6/2007 8:52:06 PM

You don't have to wear a gi, at first. Eventually you'll want to just for comfort. I don't want to post her name but it begins with a C. Your roommate is very cool btw. The instructor was tossing her all over the place in a repeated attempted to teach a difficult technique to those new to akido movements. I think he enjoyed it hehe.

3/7/2007 12:48:52 AM

id like to try it

but id also like to join the boxing club

3/7/2007 1:17:37 AM

^^ All the defense tactics and unarmed self-defense courses I have taken (for work) were based on aikido. For many of the reasons you have described here, aikido is often referred to as the gentleman's martial art. If I get motivated, I might come check it out.

3/7/2007 2:07:09 AM