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What is the difference between Aikido and Tae Kwon Do?


justamouse
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Both are martial arts. Aikido is Japanese in origin. Taekwando is Korean in origin.

 

Aikido is based on the idea of using your opponents momentum against them by deflecting attacks and throwing them. In order to practice the throws, students must also learn to attack so that the other person has someone to throw.

 

Taekwando is primarily a kicking martial art. You learn various kicks and blocks.

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Both are martial arts. Aikido is Japanese in origin. Taekwando is Korean in origin.

 

Aikido is based on the idea of using your opponents momentum against them by deflecting attacks and throwing them. In order to practice the throws, students must also learn to attack so that the other person has someone to throw.

 

Taekwando is primarily a kicking martial art. You learn various kicks and blocks.

 

 

Do yo know how Aikido advance in ranks? They say on the website they have no tournaments and such--so I'm kinda confused.

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My kids have taken both. My dad has an advanced Aikido belt (forget color), my ds is a yellow belt, and my oldest dd is an orange belt in Aikido. They are COMPLETELY different. Now, every instructor is different. But in our experience (and when my brothers were in TKD), TKD is a very offense-oriented art that teaches a lot of punches, kicks, etc. For my kids, this meant that they became very very violent. Since starting Aikido, it has been enormously different. It is all about defensive moves, so they never get to beat on each other. They are taught respect, meditation, and using an attacker against themself. I really love it. Even my 6 yo took it for awhile, but money was tight and she had some medical issues.

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Is this for you or a child? Dh recommends tkd for a child, aikido for an adult.

 

 

Yes, Aikido for children is not very common, although some do allow children to start on a provisional basis. It considered a more "adult" martial art.

 

I like the philosophy, and it is a flowing, beautiful martial art.

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Hmmm.

 

 

This is for my 10 yo who is amazingly physically gifted. This kid was born with a sense of physical space and how to move. It's been everything I could do to keep him from football. :D

 

I want to choose carefully because I know he could do this the rest of his life. When he was 7 he had a 6 pack. When I was teaching him to dive, he practiced and practiced until he was diving so beautifully. Taught him to pitch and he pitched perfectly...It's almost effortless for him, so I want him to learn the discipline of physicality, if that makes sense.

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My kids have taken both. My dad has an advanced Aikido belt (forget color), my ds is a yellow belt, and my oldest dd is an orange belt in Aikido. They are COMPLETELY different. Now, every instructor is different. But in our experience (and when my brothers were in TKD), TKD is a very offense-oriented art that teaches a lot of punches, kicks, etc. For my kids, this meant that they became very very violent. Since starting Aikido, it has been enormously different. It is all about defensive moves, so they never get to beat on each other. They are taught respect, meditation, and using an attacker against themself. I really love it. Even my 6 yo took it for awhile, but money was tight and she had some medical issues.

 

I would agree that every instructor is different BUT every instructor I've known would have seriously disciplined anyone using taekwando offensively. The instructors I know took very seriously the task of teaching self control, honor and respect.

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My kids have taken both. My dad has an advanced Aikido belt (forget color), my ds is a yellow belt, and my oldest dd is an orange belt in Aikido. They are COMPLETELY different. Now, every instructor is different. But in our experience (and when my brothers were in TKD), TKD is a very offense-oriented art that teaches a lot of punches, kicks, etc. For my kids, this meant that they became very very violent. Since starting Aikido, it has been enormously different. It is all about defensive moves, so they never get to beat on each other. They are taught respect, meditation, and using an attacker against themself. I really love it. Even my 6 yo took it for awhile, but money was tight and she had some medical issues.

 

Our instructor is such a wonderful teacher, which is the reason why DD is still attending. There is definitely not much violence or any screaming involved. Maybe that's best for a younger girl. I just don't quite understand how Aikido skills transfer to real-life street encounters. I've been observing her classes for 2 whole years and all attacks are choreographed, which is the way it's supposed to be of course in a class situation. I'm just hoping that with enough practice, these skills are automatic. But honestly, maybe it's just DD. She does better in water than on land.

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My kids have taken both. My dad has an advanced Aikido belt (forget color), my ds is a yellow belt, and my oldest dd is an orange belt in Aikido. They are COMPLETELY different. Now, every instructor is different. But in our experience (and when my brothers were in TKD), TKD is a very offense-oriented art that teaches a lot of punches, kicks, etc. For my kids, this meant that they became very very violent. Since starting Aikido, it has been enormously different. It is all about defensive moves, so they never get to beat on each other. They are taught respect, meditation, and using an attacker against themself. I really love it. Even my 6 yo took it for awhile, but money was tight and she had some medical issues.

 

See, I like that about the philosophy of Aikido. Classes for kids are twice a week, taught by 2nd level Dans, and the whole of the schools is taught by a 6th level?

 

BUT, the Tae Kwon Do is taught by a Korean who immigrated from Korea adn his schools are VERY well respected. And I know this kid would *thrive* in tournaments and competitions.

 

Ha! Maybe I should sign him up for both.

 

Yes, Aikido for children is not very common, although some do allow children to start on a provisional basis. It considered a more "adult" martial art.

 

I like the philosophy, and it is a flowing, beautiful martial art.

 

I like the beauty of it too, and the philosophy. Why more adult?

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It depends on the lineage of the dojo, but some don't teach children because they have less self-control and focus to handle it. Aikido does have special seminars and clinics in the major metropolitan areas, and every one we've been invited to required that you be a brown belt or above and be at least 16 years old. So it is indeed more adult-oriented.

 

In our branch, they don't learn weapons until they are preparing for a brown belt, and free fighting doesn't begin until you are a black belt. So they delay some of the heavy self-defense part until the fundaments are established. A child who starts at 8 or 9 wouldn't make black belt until they were 16 at the earliest.

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Different schools teach Aikido different ways. Some forms are so soft that it's hard to imagine a practical application. Some are so hard-core it's a little scary . . . they just move so fast. My DH has taught Aikido for a while. I've made it to blue belt twice. The first time I quit when I got pregnant with my first. About 7 years ago I started again in DHs class . . .made it to blue belt again . . .and quit because I didn't want to get hurt and be unable to dance. (I'm just not that dedicated to Aikido and prefer not to get tossed around when I have shows coming up.)

 

The lower levels are nice and choreography-like with compliant opponents, fun wrist locks, and gentle rolls. Once you get to black belt is apparently where training really begins. Its so fast and graceful, but there are lightning fast break falls and, well, wrist locks work because they hurt. It is a 'martial' art and things can get violent.

 

I'd say Aikido is a very specific taste. It's defensive, so you can't really start a fight with it. There are very few belts (about 8 tests) and no tournaments, so it might not provide enough recognition for children. You won't find warehouses with custom uniforms and scores of children's classes. They can work with sticks, wooden swords, and wooden knives . . .kids seem to like that.

 

It's much less common that other arts, so finding classes can be difficult. Finding children's classes can be really tough. If you DO find a class I'd say try it. It's a rare opportunity and your son may fall in love with it. If he doesn't care for it, just try something else later. I think people say its more 'adult' because it's just not flashy enough to keep most kids interested . . .no after-school shuttles, or themed birthday parties, or tournaments. The good news is there are also no exorbitant testing fees or multi-year contracts. Aikido instructors make next to nothing. They all have regular day jobs. I swear they're all in it just to make more people to practice with. There are some children who do very well in it, but generally they're in mixed family classes with more adults than kids.

 

ETA: Google some YouTube videos to see what Aikido 'looks' like. It almost looks fake because if the person is really good, they barely look like they're moving and their attacker just goes flying.

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