Like football (re: my previous post on the Azkals), I learned Aikido for all the wrong reasons.
It started in highschool upon the height of my struggle to "fit in". I reasoned at one point, "hey, if I can't join them, might as well beat em (up)..." or, "look cool enough." When the announcement that our local highschool will hold summer training for anyone interested, I signed up immediately. Like in my previous post, all I was required to do was to pay required fees, get a nice pair of jogging pants (to be used temporarily in place of official uniforms), and show up at least thirty minutes before the start of the session. And so it began. My quest for awesomeness was well on its way. Except for several speedbumps that slowed my acceleration.
THE WHITE BELT
Basic training. Our style of Aikido stemmed from (I think now defunct) the Philippine Combat Aikido Federation (who turned into the ridiculously jaded Tapondo International Federation) system of hybrid Aikido. Not too far from the traditional Aikido that Osensei (Morihei Ueshiba) developed. Ours involved for the white belts, the "Traditional Twenty Basic Techniques" to practice and memorize. I went through all the movements, the techniques (that I considered up to a point as dance steps), and the exercises. I did feel like I was getting stronger and better. Until we get to the promotional exams. Randori is actually... exciting... when you're not the one in the middle of it.
GREEN BELT
Nothing interesting. Newer techniques to master, more difficult ones I might add. Twenty-five "basic-to-semi-advanced" basics. Randori (multiple attackers) with more aggression designed to immerse the student to a semi-realistic attack scenarios designed to relax the mind of the practitioner to perform each technique without hesitation, and to face each attack without fear.
PURPLE BELT
Same pace as the Green belt. Only there are Thirty "advanced basic techniques", and an introduction to grappling defenses. They also teach you to defend against mugging and "hold-ups" here. At this point I will have to say that I suck at techniques. I have had a hard time memorizing them and only pass promotional exams by sheer luck. Getting the lowest passing grade in each exam is my definition of sheer luck since other students get relatively high marks.
YELLOW BELT
Now here things get pretty interesting. You get to defend against kicks. Fun. Especially when your instructors have trained extensively in kicking arts and watch too much Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride FC. Oh, I did mention you are the one defending against kicks? So, after exercises, warm-ups, advanced techniques and grappling practice, the rest of the session involves you being target practice by really good kickers. On the bright side, you are considered a senior student, so you've earned the right to get kicked around. Bravo. And your exams require you to perform all the techniques from white to purple belts. Fun.
BLUE BELT
Aside from getting kicked, you also earn the right in this belt grade to get stabbed. By an equally painful wooden knife. Nope, no spring-loaded toy practice knife. You get the bamboo one. Stings like hell. At least, when you're not treated as something to sharpen that knife on, you get to play hostage in hold-up defenses and advanced grappling sessions. And randori is much more interesting. No more two-againts-one. Three-against-one to the more thrilling adrenaline rush of random attackers from different sides is there for your training enjoyment. Plus by this stage, you must have the ability to somersault and break falls properly. Trust me, it's for your own good. I've been thrown around by girls half my size and almost broke an arm, leg, and almost suffered a concussion.
BROWN BELT
To make things short, this is the REVIEW belt. All you've learned - kicking defense, hold-up defense, grappling, knife defense - you'll learn new tricks while re-mastering all of it. Additional things to learn are: defense against boxing and stick and long bladed weapon attacks. But the fun part is weapons training. The bokken, jo, bo staff, and kali/arnis sticks get thrown in the curriculum. All to prepare a student to his transition to
BLACK BELT
I've learned that the real training starts here. So far, I'm still stuck to the first degree, since there are no more promotional exams held in the Cubao HQ. Our dojo split from the main years back and became an independent dojo.
I've continued my training since then and finally grasped the ideals of the art only superficially. You see, Aikido was a mindset - a philosophy; a religion; a way of life - for dear old Osensei Ueshiba. It preaches non-combat over direct opposition against an opponent's force. You direct that force against your opponent not to hurt him, but to neutralize and frustrate the attack. Same applies to real life, as with most martial art philosophy. So when I said I learned aikido for all the wrong reasons, I just wanted to look cool and be able to kick ass. Of course I got into fights, as many fledgling martial artists do, but age and wisdom tend to change that perspective. One only fights when he needs to. Aikido translates to the Way of Harmonious Living.
Despite my deep understanding of the art, like I said, I have yet to realize and experience it in its entirety. I have yet to experience the "enlightenment" that many Aikido masters have had for them to be called as such. But I am indeed looking forward to it someday. I do practice the non-combative attitude, but sometimes when that punch is thrown, instinct takes over and philosophy is thrown straight outside the window. It's not a question of how you did it, but rather how did you react?
Nevertheless, I have really benefited from it. I've become more patient (I do think so), learned nifty techniques to get calm, and face things without fear. I've become more calculated, motivated, and goal-oriented. So I wanted to kick ass, and I got more than I hoped for (most of the time my ass was the one gettig kicked a lot). So did my parents and friends noticed.
But I am still lazy and hard-headed as an ox sometimes.
"Oh dear, after this he'll go get his old gi and sit on one corner and pretend to meditate." Says my mom.
But, mom, you have to admit, I do look good in it.
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