@ Tawakalna,

When I have my daughter, which will be in a long time, I'm going to train her to play with weapons, to be a scout, and to control people. She will be come queen....*sighs and dreams*

Life: No one gets out alive.

I'm not currently training, but I will be soon... perhaps I'll check out an Aikido school... had no idea they did weapons training!

I've studied Tae Kwon Do (2nd Kyu Red belt, I think... very near black)
Some Budokai (Green belt... about mid-way to black. Had to leave... needed to quit smoking... I've now quit smoking. It's been about a year, with only a few instances of cheating... I've kicked the HABIT, anyway)

@ Taw:

way a sword!
Maybe teach the lad to fight with a Claymore

I always thought Aikido was more of a passive martial art. I knew a guy who got his black belt in aikido and he said that most of the moves are throws and parries that use the opponents energy against them. I think I recall him saying there are very few moves in Aikido that are attacks. Almost all of them are responses to an attack. It sounds like a very defensive type of martial art to me, which may appeal to some.

Anyway, I must be a little mistaken because if that were completely true then it wouldn't make much sense to have weapons in aikido. Weapons are primarily (though not exclusively) for attack and from what I understand, Aikido is rarely used to attack.

Can anyone speak factually on this matter? I think I shall do some Aikido research...

I'm still partial to Shotokan Karate though. All the weapons and the moves are designed to maim. Cool....but I would never use it unless it was a last resort. (That last sentence was just in case my sensei is reading this.) lol

Wap

@ WapCaplet

With Aikido; the weapons are primarily used for practice of defense, never for the attack, there are lessons that exist with the use of various weapons for the practice of parry and defense.

I no longer study but when I did it started with Korean Tang soo do Moo Duk Kwan
then got some training in the military offically and unofficially. Ran with a group of guys that new alot trained a little after that then pffft for about 8 years Now finances and time keep me from getting back in....for now but when do start to train again I think I am going for Tai-Chi. The Chi (or ki or kai depending on your discipline) aspect of martial arts has long held fascination for me. The physical aspects will be helpful and fun but I want to learn the stuff that makes me closer to myself and the world. I want to learn ....wisdom I guess sorry to get metaphysical but there you have it.
this may be double posted sorry if it is

Everyone dies I'm just going to be last

ah, wisdom. only age and experience will provide you with that, my friend, and nothing else.