I went to another forum where people were talking about aikido, but gee whiz, all the people there were very rude and arrogant jerks who did nothing but insult aikido and insult me. They loudly insist that aikido never, ever, ever works or could work in a "real fight" or in a "real life self-defense situation" or against a "skilled fighter." So I have a question for you nice people: Has anyone here actually, personally, used the physical aikido techniques outside the dojo against a resisting person? What was the outcome? If not, has anyone here actually used aikido in a dojo sparring match against another style? (Style versus style, not aikido versus aikido.) What was the outcome? This was partially answered in the thread on "Aikido in a Real Fight," but as that thread is presently 6 pages long, it's hard now to find the two or three discrete reports of "aikido in a real fight." I have never been in a fight outside the dojo. No one has ever picked a fight with me. The one person I challenged backed down (and that was back in my TKD days, long before I found aikido). I once used aikido in a dojo sparring match against a TKD guy, and indeed, aikido worked. I've played around with aikido versus escrima in the dojo, and aikido versus boxing in the dojo, not sparring but just drilling, and there too aikido worked. That's the extent of my own combat experience -- and I thank God for that! How about you guys?
ScotsGits post near the NOW on the 'Aikido in a Real Fight' thread, would be one of your answers. I know a guy who is a Dan grade in Aikido and he uses 'it' all the time in his 'security' work and he is very good at it, but he'd be the first to admit that his Aikido is more like Ju Jitsu now, because he puts a decent amount of emphasis into Striking, Kicking etc. But he is still fundamently doing Aikido as the basis of his Self-Protection. I know that certain Aikidokas claim they put plenty of emphasis into strikes too, maybe they do, but just talking about him, an associate. Also, a very good friends Brother works as a Court Liason Officer with people who have been Sectioned under the Mental Health Act. He's only been doing it for a year. He swears by the locking/ grappling orientated arts for his work, he mainly practices Aikido, but uses, according to him, some Chin Na with it as well-ie some 'orrible squeezes, insertions, nasty nasty throws etc. Again, I trust him to tell the truth and he says that he uses his Aikido on an almost daily basis and that it has saved his life on a couple of occassions against very violent and determined individuals, including Murderers.
Sorry after all that, just realised that the question was personal success or failure-Doh! Oh well 1 person removed is almost personal....
Yeah....hi. I train religiously in aikido--aikibujitsu, one sensei removed from Obata-san. Coincidentally, I'm a legally blind incomplete tetraplegic, which means no negliable leg function and about 70% effective left arm use and 30% right arm use. As a man weighining in at 120 pounds soaking wet, sitting at 4'3 and using a blind cane, I'm a natural target for any bored little punk. About a month ago a man tried to take my discman, wallet, and cane while I sat at a bus stop. Our encounter lasted just barely long enough for his hand to grab my shirt. From there, a quick wrist lock into a hard downward throw broke his hand and wrist in 4 places. A follow-up strike with my retracted cane that was originally intended to lock his arm at the collarbone hit his windpipe instead. Aikido is devastatingly functional if weilded reflexively and properly applied to exploit the natural physics of the human body.
Our aikido class does alot of joint locking and throws. I don't see anything gentle about it, it would be so easy to break someones arms from many of the positions we are taught. So far what we've learned is simple enough to be practical as well. I realize this isn't "on the street", but just to show us that it worked even if you weren't expecting how you are going to be attacked... The instructor told a bigger guy in the class (new to aikido but has trained in jujitsu) to come try to do some techniques on him. He came up to do some grappling stuff and the instructor just got him and threw him on the ground, rolled him over got him in an arm bar, all so quick that there was no time to even realize what he was doing, much less counter it. People say "Well you can't catch a hard punch", but we aren't taught to catch it, we are taught to move to the side of it and then get the arm. I am not sure that i would want Aikido alone, from alot of the positions aikido gets the opponent in, i think in a life or death situation, i'd rather finish them off with a strike to the head or something rather then take the time to do more locks. On the other hand if you are trying not to hurt the person, like a cop just tryin to subdue a punk teenager or a big drunk dude, man aikido is great.
Aikido will NEVER work. That's why they teach it to the Tokyo riot police. So that if a riot breaks out, the police won't be able to handle people. PL
"So I have a question for you nice people: Has anyone here actually, personally, used the physical aikido techniques outside the dojo against a resisting person? What was the outcome?" Unfortunately YES. I started Aikido in 1988 to supplement my control & restraint techniques taught to me whilst a Discipline Officer within the Prison Service. Although kansetsu waza of aikido isn't strictly "authorised" by the Home Office as approved methods of restraining Prisoners, some of the locks and holds are very similar. I have used mainly pinning techniques and arm bars to restrain several prisoners - Each of which were very unwilling individuals. I did on one occasion use shiho nage on one prisoner where a "shank" (home made knife) was involved. He suffered upper back/neck injuries including a bad case of concussion. I've used a very rough (but effective) kote hineri which broke one of the recipient’s fingers. Used Sumi Otoshi (of sorts) where I was seized on my left arm, this prisoner took a full blown elbow to his face (unintentional I assure you) which contributed to him falling. During my time as a Prison Officer, I have been bitten, stabbed (twice) both times in the left arm FFS! Partially stabbed in the right eye with a plastic fork. And fractured my floating ribs on the right side when I was punched there. Had my hair pulled out (by female prisoners lol) and scratched numerous times. Almost had a 'sharp' hypodermic needle pushed in my left leg. All in all I think that makes my aiki vs injury about even lol.
I've used Aikido in a fight in the street and against people who have come to the dojo to test how effective it was. The fight in the street I deflected a punch to the face and applied a very rapid atemi. Attacker fell down in shock and with a sore nose. Fight was over end of story. In the dojo we occasionaly get people who think it's unrealistic to follow a technique because that doesn't happen in the street. A fair point so after several explanations why we practice that way if the persons mind still hasn't changed I applie the technique as I would to a higher student. The technique always works and hopefully that person gets the point. That's not something I enjoy doing but we sometimes get idiots that want to test us and they have to be dealt with.
Yessss it has helped me in numerous times,a big dude at our school and another one came at me trying to hurt me because i wouldnt let them just bully me me,and i told them dont to mess with me well one came at me and im pretty strong myself but small i held str vs. str until i realized there was a better way,i realized that his balance was off one way.So i next saw he was useing more str then me then i use it to my advantageI did a aikido move towards that off balanced point,he fell and hurt himself badly because we where stand on bleachers at school and then the next one grabbed me around the neck and yet again i found that his left arm was a off balance,i swung my arm ducked and used his own str against him which he flung off and stopped.Well the outcome was i got suspended because I hurt the first one that had a high sprung sholder and they got suspended also.So anyone says it doesnt work there 1.Dumb 2.dont understand there own training 3.havent been trained enough of havent tried and looked at things.because aikido is alot about the off balance and moving out of the way of the attack,if there useing str to go against you there is a off balance so justget out of the way and use your aikido move towards the way that they where attacking you from.Correct me if im wrong
Ziseez, use paragraphs mate, that was hard to read I've used several of the kansetsu waza whilst I was working as a bouncer to 'escort' people off of the premise's. The police are much friendlier to me when I don't go into striking mode on obnoxious drunks Col
That's an excellent point. We do ju jitsu, but my husband has used wrist locks that are virtually identical to aikido ones. He's in the police, and first used one when he was called to an altercation in a chip shop. One bloke grabbed his lapel and went to hit him and he did a wrist lock on him which stopped him in his tracks. It was on camera, so all his mates got to see it afterwards, as well!! I think people rubbish Aikido because: 1) It doesn't look flashy enough for Bruce Lee wannabes (don't get me wrong, I love Bruce Lee!!) 2) It's a very hard martial art to master. It takes a lot longer to grasp the basic techniques than, say a kickboxing class.
Can't be the "Silly Trousers" argument because Hakama are worn in several other martial traditions that arn't mocked. Seagal wannabies.. Hmm anyone go to a Seminar of his in France in 2001 ? His Aikido is every bit as effective as it's portrayed to be. Granted the Hollywood hype surrounding him is .. ***** .. but that's Showbusiness for you. I personally don't care for his association to the 'spiritualistic' sides of his persona but, his Aiki is strong.
What I want to know is is there a kata for the pool ball in the towel or is it more likea free practice? LOL
I used to know an aikidoka with 5yrs training (he was just starting to train live blade katana). I'd only just started kungfu and was keen to play. This guy consistently put me on my ass and half the time I didn't know how I'd got there. Rgds, David
It does not matter how good your art is or your teacher, you could train in the best system in the world( if such a thing exsists). But it all depends on your attitude to training.
3) Never worn them, probably never will. Get enough 'skirt' comments when wearing a kilt! 4) One word - 'Spike'. It's the hair obviously. Better not write anything too nasty because he's sat next to me but watching the telly instead of concentrating on what I'm doing.
