During my third lesson at my aikido dojo, my sensei mentioned how one only uses aikido to subdue, not to harm. Afterwards, he talked about a type of aikido that can be used to call intentional harm to someone. He called it "Kenpo Jujitsu". Is that an actual thing?
Kenpo and jujutsu are both separate martial arts with different philosophies and training methods than most Aikido styles, so they both exist. I wouldn't call them a type of aikido though.
I believe he may be *ahem* embellishing somewhat.... ...Well actually he is flat out wrong and talking nonsense
In TCMA, there is an area that's called "black hands". I believe it's similiar here. It's something that you will use in "combat" and not in "sport". It's usually considered as "illegal moves" in "sport".
I would buy that if Aikido had such sport applications - it doesn't. Even taking into account that not every Aikidoka is Steven Seagal, you are still breaking wrists, throwing people to the floor and hitting them in various tender parts (Ueshiba once said "90% of Aikido is atemi" apparently) In this case it just seems like fairly standard new age guff and woo-woo to me
Many of the traditional Aikido senseis are very conservative where violence is concerned. My former Aikido teachers would consider any form of sparring to be brutal and diametrically opposed to the principles they were teaching. What I was advised against were the forms of "practical Aikido", which (and I do agree with this) do away with Ueshiba's philosophy altogether. Which isn't to say they aren't practical, but if you're interested in practicality you should wonder why you're into Aikido to begin with.
I hate to say it, but -- I agree with Hannibal. Your teacher is not telling the truth. Kenpo jujitsu is a different martial art; see "Ed Parker" and "James Mitose." Both aikido and kenpo jujitsu can be used to hurt the other guy, or not hurt the other guy. Advanced aikido students *should* be learning "ara waza," the dangerous way of doing aikido.
I sorta agree with Hannibal as well, even though he's in Calgary : P, but what about this? Oh, op, what sort of Aikido in particular are you studying if you know? Thanks [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yy4e2q0CbE"]Tomiki Tournament - Gyakugamae - YouTube[/ame] LFD
Oh the irony.... considering that Ueshiba sensei and Aikido have their roots in Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu which makes no bones about incapacitating/hurting the person who is attacking you.
There is such a thing as Kempo Jujitsu, its an association not a style though. the style is Chi Ryoku and they do love a good brutal technique to finish.
Vajrayana, the more I read about your Aikido dojo the more I start to worry. Your teacher's comment on Kenpo is just wrong, it's not Aikido Maybe we're just not being given the context...
I think you want to start looking at the bigger picture here... context means a lot if you look at Ueshiba's life and art. As Ueshiba grew physically older and changed as a person he changed his views on Aikido and how it responded to attacks and how it meted out retribution and violence... he definitely went on to expand on his philosophical bent. During his search for Budo in his younger years it wasn't until he trained with Takeda Sokaku that he truly felt inspired. To him what he learned in his time training Daito-ryu was true budo. He trained Daito-ryu under Takeda from 1915 through to 1930 and achieved the important scrolls of Hiden Mokuroko, the Hiden Ogi and the Goshin'yo te. You can't discount that influence on Aikido. Not at all. I can't recommend enough that you try to get your head around Japan as it was in the time that Ueshiba was growing up, his formative years and the times that were changing around him and the Japanese people. It informs the backdrop against which Ueshiba developed Aikido. I think you're going to find that once you begin to get to grips with that history you might be a bit more critical of the whole softy softy I-don't-want-to-hurt-my-attacker approach the pervades much modern Aikido. I really wish that Koyo Sensei were still around to put things into perspective in a much clearer manner that I can. I think he'd be the first to say that the whole Aiki-bunny approach sucks.
I understand. Yes, the Aiki-bunny approach as is the reason why I dropped Aikido, but I thought it was liable to Ueshiba's very teachings and not their modern interpretation. I'll definitely look into it, thanks.
Some Wado-ryu folks refer to their Karate style as Wado-Ryu Jujutsu Kempo. May not be relevant though... Best, Chris Aikido Sangenkai Aikido Sangenkai Blog Aikido Hawaii
