Gingerdave

Originally the GI was just what was worn under the Haks so essentially underwear. The ladies get them earlier for the sake of Modesty I believe.

Thanks, My ukemi is rusty but I think still there from when I did Jitsu, what I am wary of is that I may be doing it wrong for aikido and relying on bad habbits. I did a bit of googling last night about the various Aikido styles. The local club is a Tomiko club (the sporting one I think) and some youtubeing later brought me to one of thier Katas. This Kata was 17 moves of which only 2 were throws which does have me a little concerned as I would like a failry heavy throwing component. One question for you though, at which point in your style do the grades get Hakkama, or is it reserved for Dans/instructors. Always wanted a pair of those....

HI, so after a few years of not doing any martial arts (or much of anything except work) I'm going down to a local class to have a look at Aikido. I've done various bits of martial arts over the years but primarily its been Jiu Jitsu and Karate. So from those of you who have done Aikido what are your tips for newbies?

Sounds like you're on the right track. A small note about body types, some martial arts are easier for certain body types. As a rule taller people find striking arts easier as you have those damn lanky limbs, those of us who are nearer to the ground may find grappling easier due to the lower center of gravity. However I've never seen it be more of a factor than thinking "I need to get really low for this throw" or "I need to close the distance quickly" if you find it interesting and the instructor is good go for it.

Best advice, go and try them all if you can and pick the one that feels best. Everyone I have known who does throwing based arts feels that hesitance at one point or another, grab your instructor or a senior grade and ask to go through the basics with you again. Learning to look after yourself when being thrown is a skill that takes work. Novices throwing Novices is fine but you should both be very careful, if you don't know what you are doing have them walk you to the floor if possible, once you are on the floor, but yourself into the breakfall position so you start to build a muscle memory of that position. Aikido always seemed more flowing to me, not necessarily more compliant but more.... elegant i suppose is the term. Jitsu felt more direct (well it did when I practiced it.) TKD I did for a while, good fun but by Christ being short and fat is not an asset in that sport. I've never done pure boxing but I see some boxers work out at my gym and they are pretty damn hardcore. TLDR: Try them all and let us know which one you pick.

If you are undecided about which one to do, go for the one that has the better instruction. If you really like that art but the instructor can't teach for toffee you're wasting your time. Any legitimate club will let you try for a week (or a couple of sessions) to see what you think, this is the most important think you can do. Go try it and see how each club feels, if you can take some of the senior grades out for a drink post session as they can give you an idea of how the club handles progression. good luck.

The book is very good, but not designed to be read cover to cover. Pick the bits relevant to what you're doing and then research what he writes. It is a good book and a great jumping off point for other things. I'll be honest a goodly portion of the nutrition side went over my head.

It sounds more like pride in what you have accomplished. If you had built a house you would take time to appreciate the work, in transforming your body you get the same thing. As long as you aren't ogling yourself in every shiny surface I'm sure you will be fine.

They are totally both martial arts. I used to run a martial arts group at a previous job. Every so often we would get together and everyone would show a technique from their art, it got to be a fairly regular thing and a lot of fun. In one of these days there was a great discussion about wrist locks that was being had by a tai chi lady and an Akidoka I joined in and learnt a lot. And for anyone who doubts Aikido I point them in the direction of Angry White Pajamas.

Thanks Marybelle! There is a 5K plan in the Rebel Running book which I am going to pick up come payday, if only to help keep this place running. I'll have a look at the body glide. Many thanks

I got hugely side tracked not long after posting this with some upheaval at work trying to remain employed. Free time was taken away and was replaced with studying for exams specified by work, any time I wasn't working or studying for work was spent with my girlfriend, fitness and healthy eating weren't a priority. Over the last 6 months or so I've put all the weight on that I had lost and am now back to 18st 10lbs (118.84kg/262lbs) which is as heavy as I have ever been. Life has calmed down slightly and I'm able to get back into more fitness and health related frame of mind. As part of my motivation I've agreed to run the last leg of a sprint triathlon in April which amounts to 5km run. Far further than I have previously ran. Ever, taking the old addage walk before you can run I've started walking into work (4.5km) and managed it fine through the snow this week. What I did notice however was huge chaffing of my thighs, so much so it caused me to bleed through my jeans on my right leg. Does anyone have any tips for avoiding this chaffing? I've already swapped the jeans out for some track suit bottoms and that's helped but I am still very aware of this problem. Thanks

Thanks for all the suggestions and encoruagement. I'll have a look at the paleo/primal stuff.

Thanks! I dont really like the machines, the only one I do like is the cable machine and I would do most of my worka out on there. Planning on sticking with the PT as he is working me hard so far. Will get the program changed up in 2 weeks. My girlfriend also wants to do some TRX training with the same guy so that might be fun.

HI all, I’m Gingerdave and I am on my way to becoming a recovered fat man  I wasn’t always fat but working in IT brings with it long hours and crappy food and lots and lots of caffeine in the form of Coke. I was drinking 1.5L (50.7 fl.oz) of full fat coke per working day and the rest of my diet wasn’t a whole lot better. This changed about a month ago when I got on the scales and it tipped at 18st 11lbs (263.1lbs/119.38kg) which is the heaviest I have ever been and changes needed to be made. I started with the coke, its gone and that was tough for the first week. Then I started cutting down my portion sizes and swapping sugary cereals for weeatbix and as of today I’ve lost 9lbs in the first month (down to 18st 3lbs/ 115.112kg / 253.8). More importantly I moved a notch inwards on my belt. My food habits still have a long way to go, I’m very prone to ordering take out after I get in after a 10 hour day in the office, but I’m trying to get better. I used to be reasonably fit and I’ve done about 10 years of martial arts in total along with various sints in gyms. None of my previous gym trips seemed to gell as I floated from one resistance machine to another without much in the way of a purpose. I did join a gym near me when I started this change and the same thing started to happen so I got a personal trainer and he has me doing big compound movements with very little time spent on the machines and fun torture with a core bag and medicine balls. My end goal is to have a high level of usable fitness, but for the moment I would be happy if my thighs didn’t touch all the way to my knees!