Most topics nowadays are about whether something can be done online, digitally, if you will? We’ve heard of online schools, online work meetings, online gaming tournaments, even online sports betting has gone digital and honestly, viral with offers like Apuestas en carreras de caballos en línea 2022: so yes, almost everything can be done online, right? Given the state of the world and a global pandemic on our hands, it is difficult to do anything in person, otherwise we risk our own health, that of the other person, and all other people we might come in contact with.
Aikido is a martial art that requires other people to be taught the way it was meant. It is primarily a martial art focused on defense. One still requires an attacker in order to practice defensive techniques, because practicing them in a vacuum does not do much except embedding certain moves. So, can aikido be taught online? Perhaps, it depends on the level of the student.
Online Aikido for Beginners
If one is a beginner, taking an online aikido course would most likely be a waste of money unless one has the discipline to practice all the moves they are taught by the instructor, perfectly. That requires time and effort which will have to be spent outside of class time. A beginner is the most vulnerable of all the practitioners and they need to get the basics right. It is difficult to get the basics right if one cannot be instructed and corrected in real-time.
This is why beginners should strive to either learn the moves with an instructor or simply practice physical fitness and stretching to keep one’s body ready. The physical form can help any level of practitioner, but especially beginners.
Intermediate Aikido Classes Online
An intermediate practitioner will already know most of the moves and have them memorized almost perfectly. They could take online classes and get new practice routines, to stay in shape until they are allowed back in the dojos. Intermediate practitioners could repeat all of the aikido moves and techniques that they know, making their move back to the dojos an easy one. However, it should be noted that any level of aikido practitioner will suffer for not having a sparring partner. Techniques are not meant to be practiced on one’s own, but rather with actual opposition.
Are Online Classes Even Possible for Aikido?
They are. Online classes work well if one wants to learn a specific move, but one that they will be able to practice alone. If they have a sparring partner handy, one who is healthy, presumably, they could also work on most moves. More advanced techniques should be practiced on mats, because falling on any sort of hard surface can be painful or lead to injuries, particularly for beginners.
Online classes are great if one views them as movement and technique tutorials. But, learning a martial art purely online is next to impossible.
Waiting for the Dojos to Open
In the end, one should learn martial arts from trained and seasoned instructors, preferably at a dojo. When one gets the chance and if they still want to learn aikido or any other martial art, they should go to a dojo and learn in person. Martial arts are not something that one can master online.