Rating: 
Summary: Can take a lot of confusion out of learning aikido
Review: Aikido is different from other martial arts I've studied: There are so many parts to any given maneuver that it can be hard, in one's mind, to assemble the pieces into a fluid movement. This book's photographs and captions are the most instructive I've seen, and it has taken a lot of my confusion out of learning aikido.This isn't your book if you want to read on spirituality or history. However, Shioda does an excellent job of detailing, and giving proper emphasis to, throws and "controls" found again and again in variations of techniques. He points out common mistakes. I find that reading this book enables me to duplicate classroom demonstrations I'd previously found much more difficult to understand. I think Shioda's combination of meticulous photography, along with the book's comprehensive scope, makes this book a great text if you practice for fitness, love of physics or aesthetics, or self-defense.
Rating:
Summary: Good book!!!
Review: For anyone looking for a book that will teach the basics of Aikido to the advanced techniques...Get this book. I promise you will not regret it!!! Gozo Shioda did a wonderful job of illustrating this book so that everyone can easily understand the difficult steps to each technique. As a practitioner of the martial arts for about 10 years I can honestly say this is one of the best that I have ever read!!! This book will help you every step of the way!!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Beginner's Manual
Review: I've purchased several Aikido/Martial Arts books in the past few years and I must say that this one is the best. It is difficult, if not impossible, to describe Aikido techniques in text; thus, proper illustration and easy to follow photographic sequences are critical to any Aikido text. This book has the most illuminating graphic representations of Aikido techniques of any that I have read so far. They even thought to number the photos in the sequences (a supprisingly novel concept). The accompanying description and explanation are quite well written. I wish all Aikido books were this well done. It should be said that this book was written by Gozo Shidoa, the founder of Yoshinkan Aikido. Yoshinkan is a style that your local dojo may or may not practice. However, I find myself continually comming back to this book despite the fact that my own dojo doesn't practice Yoshinkan.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent training manual
Review: Like his other book, Shioda does an excellent job of detailing the movements. Highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A yoshinkan treasure
Review: Like most americans, I practice Tohei's ki society. So the book doesn't match class, but it's great to see the hard fighting aikido, and understand how the softer Shin Shin style is the same idea, really. I find this book is great and deepens my ki aikido practice. I don't actually practice these movements with a partner, as I fear that would confuse my muscle memory for class. This book also shows fine points of the controls lacking in other books, and for this it is valuable and immediately useful in any class. A great effort, makes me want to learn more about shioda :)
Rating:
Summary: A yoshinkan treasure
Review: Like most americans, I practice Tohei's ki society. So the book doesn't match class, but it's great to see the hard fighting aikido, and understand how the softer Shin Shin style is the same idea, really. I find this book is great and deepens my ki aikido practice. I don't actually practice these movements with a partner, as I fear that would confuse my muscle memory for class. This book also shows fine points of the controls lacking in other books, and for this it is valuable and immediately useful in any class. A great effort, makes me want to learn more about shioda :)
Rating:
Summary: Gaga aikido
Review: Shioda rocks! This book is fabulous, like a class with the master. Take note, this book is still an introduction to aikido, but more in-depth on the techniques covered. Gives you the flavor of training with Shioda. That said -- the book is fabulous. Detailed pictures, clear writing, excellent diagrams of involved physics, and quality binding make this book superb. Even if you don't do Yoshinkan, it is great, because at some level (higher than mine :) ) aikido is aikido.
Rating:
Summary: Gaga aikido
Review: Shioda rocks! This book is fabulous, like a class with the master. Take note, this book is still an introduction to aikido, but more in-depth on the techniques covered. Gives you the flavor of training with Shioda. That said -- the book is fabulous. Detailed pictures, clear writing, excellent diagrams of involved physics, and quality binding make this book superb. Even if you don't do Yoshinkan, it is great, because at some level (higher than mine :) ) aikido is aikido.
Rating: 
Summary: Good as books go...
Review: There is always a problem learning any martial art from a book. No matter how good the pictures and explanation are, it doesn't translate well to the "real" world. This book does a little better than most. The pictures are good and the explanations are generally pretty clear. If you're looking for help in remembering what you're supposed to be learning, this book may help you. There are a couple of complaints I had, though I think they're fairly minor. First, some of the picture sequences were arranged oddly and I found this confusing. Once I worked it out, it was ok. Second, the names of the techniques are different than I've seen used by most other Aikido dojos. This was also easily overcome as the differences were pretty minor (ikkajo instead of ikkyo), but it was annoying in a niggling sort of way.
Rating:
Summary: Good as books go...
Review: There is always a problem learning any martial art from a book. No matter how good the pictures and explanation are, it doesn't translate well to the "real" world. This book does a little better than most. The pictures are good and the explanations are generally pretty clear. If you're looking for help in remembering what you're supposed to be learning, this book may help you. There are a couple of complaints I had, though I think they're fairly minor. First, some of the picture sequences were arranged oddly and I found this confusing. Once I worked it out, it was ok. Second, the names of the techniques are different than I've seen used by most other Aikido dojos. This was also easily overcome as the differences were pretty minor (ikkajo instead of ikkyo), but it was annoying in a niggling sort of way.
|
