Old and new aikido

Perspective is everything:

Overall Aikido perspective - Yoshinkan Aikido is Old Aikido. we use old terms, People call it the hard style (no way I agree with that though), and our teacher left O' Sensei decades before he past away.

Aikikai is new Aikido - new terms for techniques, less straight lines and more circular techniques, some of their top instructors were with O' Sensei until he past away.

Yoshinkan perspective:

Their is no old and new just the same and we need to just look at each sensei not for what is different but what is the same and take those learning's and make the aikido that fits you.

My perspective:
 

Old - very straight lines and more "jitsu" then "do" much more hard style and extremely effective martial art if done exactly correct. Not for everyone. lacks the smooth polish of new style
 

New style - more dynamic and fluid.  change in posture and form from old style.  most techniques have been modified completely or "refined" for effectiveness allowing the use of less force.

In an earlier post I implied that their are some instructors that are old style or new style Yoshinkan.  I still believe that.
 

What makes an instructor either or?  simple - the ability to adapt and steal new ideas.

Aikido is an evolving martial art and so must instructors evolve with change and new ideas.  Sticking to "the way we have always done it" or saying "look for what is similar and use that" are not viable options for the evolution of Aikido.  For me at least I follow one of my favorite instructors advice - look for what is better and make it your own.

We have great full time instructors in NA so we are lucky.  Go visit Mustard Sensei, Kemida Sensei, Blok Sensei, etc and train with them for a week and steal everything you can and what you get is New Aikido.