How are the Aikikai and Kokikai styles of Aikido different?

**Gezere** · Posted On: 6/14/2012 7:12am

Originally Posted by Anarchy rising

Thanks Gezere for merging the two. I should have just asked them both together.....newbie mistake.

Yeah I did box. Did it for about 5 years. I boxed at the golden gloves level here in Australia through the PCYC progam. I haven't really boxed since breaking my hand and knuckle at the little finger. It hasn't really been the same (it healed fine so the Doctors say but the knuckle area gets pain and soft tissue damage when I do some bag work.....only last resort is the have it fixed in surgery but hey that's expensive, will cost wages since no work while I heal and the doctors say no long term damage but avoid punching) since I broke it. I'm thinking of training boxing still but training palm strikes for my right fist when not jabbing or letting uppercuts lose.

Aikido sounds great but I am also seriously considering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (there is a Gracie Barra class close by too).

So atm it's either Aikido or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

And I was wondering the techniques differences and not the political differences:)

I'm a Gracie Barra Black Belt so I am definitely going to recommend that.

**bigstu31s** · Posted On: 6/14/2012 7:20am

If you like Japanese stuff and you want to grapple then do Judo.

http://stuartjudo.blogspot.com/

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 6/14/2012 8:11am

Do Ki-Aikido.

**daishi** · Posted On: 6/14/2012 8:45am

Originally Posted by Anarchy rising

I want to start Aikido and there are two dojos close to where I live. One is a Aikikai school and the other is a Kokikai school. How are they different? Do they both teach self defense?

I have looked on the internet but I cannot find any information on the difference except that Aikikai is the style run by the founders grandson and Kokikai is run by a high level Aikidoka who taught in the USA for years.

Hey Anarchy,

First I would like to identify that calling "aikikai," as a style, should be considered a very loose term. Aikikai is a huge organization whose quality of instruction and technique vary greatly. You're literally going to have to check it out...a few times...to see if its attractive to you.

Don't get too spun up on someone with the name Ueshiba running the organization and here's why: Aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba was a hard man who subjected himself to eccentric training and self-challenges. Later on in life his philosophies and goals with his aikido changed drastically and moved toward the goal of unifying the body with the universe. Many later students of M Ueshiba's started their training where his ended, basically bypassing all the hard work M Ueshiba went through to get there and attempted to emulate what M Ueshiba was doing at the time. Anyway, the legacy since has mostly been academic as it relates to M Ueshiba's sons.

Commonalities in aikikai are limited but here is what to expect:
attacks include a variety of grabs (one-hand, two-hand, both hands, behind grabs, bear hugs, etc), reverse punch, open hand strikes to head.

Now here's where aikikai gets a little different. Due to some teacher's bias you will find a varying degree of many things. Firstly, the crapiness of the above mentioned attacks...often executed lazily and without spirit. Observing how these attacks are executed will tell you a lot about dojo atmosphere.

Neglected attacks/techniques. Another disparity within aikikai schools is that some dojo neglect, or poorly execute, kicks and defense against kicks. Technically they should be doing front snap kick, roundhouse kick, side kick, and back kick.

This is also true for hip throws. Many schools neglect them or execute them poorly.

I can't speak to Kokikai, can't say I've ever met someone from that group.

Do you live near Thornbury, Melbourne, or Oakleigh?

Best of luck!

**Gezere** · Posted On: 6/14/2012 9:10am

Originally Posted by Bodhi108

Do Ki-Aikido.

:Gasp::SideMouth::DudeComeOn::ohno::Baww::mad:

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 6/14/2012 9:12am

Originally Posted by Gezere

:Gasp::SideMouth::DudeComeOn::ohno::Baww::mad:

I miss the old smilies. These are dumb & ugly.

So basically they remind me of Phrost & Scrapper.

**Mister** · Posted On: 6/14/2012 6:03pm

Originally Posted by Bodhi108

I miss the old smilies. These are dumb & ugly.

So basically they remind me of Phrost & Scrapper.

That's a bit excessive...

The smilies are not that dumb and ugly.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 6/14/2012 6:42pm

Originally Posted by Mister

That's a bit excessive...

The smilies are not that dumb and ugly.

There is an entire thread that disagrees with you.

**Petter** · Posted On: 6/15/2012 12:37am

Originally Posted by Anarchy rising

When Shuji Maruyama went to America, he was challenged in his Aikido classes. He found that he needed to adapt his teaching to impress Americans, deal with the strikes and challenges from Karate and Judo plus to deal with those who were larger and heavier.

Is this true? Did it make his Kokikai style a practical style for self defense?

In my experience, 99% of martial arts claim that the founder modified what he learned to make it more practical for self defence (and 90% seem to claim that he was unusually small and frail). It’s hardly a distinguishing trait.

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 6/15/2012 6:02am

Originally Posted by Petter

In my experience, 99% of martial arts claim that the founder modified what he learned to make it more practical for self defence (and 90% seem to claim that he was unusually small and frail). It’s hardly a distinguishing trait.

Would this mean that everyone practicing martial arts has created their own style or sub-style? Technically, unless you practice and teach the system exactly as it was taught, it is a variant of the original style.