Why do you train?

[Rindoukan]

I started up again because I need the exercise and I feel it's something positive that I can excel at.

I trained when I was a kid because martial arts is just damned cool.

[Aikironin21]

Huh. Ever had to use Aikido-exclusive tech in your line of work?

Yes. Not so much now a days, since I have worked on the yard, and in chow halls for the past eight years or so. It is easier to apply an Aikido technique or specifically a lock like sankyo or nikyo while someone is focused on hurting someone else, and not me. I use Aikido techniques to initiate contact for cuffing. Sometimes when you go in to separate to combatants, even after chemical agents have been used, they can become resistant, especially if they got their butt kicked and are still pumped up on adrenaline.

I have stepped in where three or four officers have dog piled an inmate. The inmate continued to try and fight, and was actually fighting his way up from under them. I was able to step in, grab his right arm, and place it in a sankyo pin. Once I had it locked in, the inmate stopped fighting us. I told the other officers to let up on him, that I had him under control. I cuffed him from there and escorted him to the clinic.

In the past I worked psych units, where inmate would spin out of control for whatever reasons either real or imagined. I was alone in a housing unit with about 70 to 80 inmates. We have personal alarm devices, but you need to be able to handle your own for at least a minute. A minute doesn't seem to be long time, but it might as well be a week when someone is trying to hurt you. Most of my use of force in those days was gaining compliance with orders. Tell a guy to lock up in his house, he doesn't want to, so I grab his elbow, he reacts, I apply sankyo or nikyo, then cuff him. Most times I never even hit an alarm, and my supervisors used to get upset about that.
A few times I have had inmates swing at me, or try to grab me to wrestle me. I have used the techniques for entering an attack to either avoid being hit, or taken down to the ground, and then either apply a technique, or pepper spray. I have used sankyo, nikyo, kote gaeshi, and a form of irimi nage (not the Steven Segal clothes line looking one).

I have not yet had to resort to using any strikes or kicks in a situation. Not that I haven't wanted to sometimes, but our use of force rules are simple, when they stop we stop. On the yard we deal with groups of inmates fighting so Aikido doesn't really come into play, but it is better to stay prepared.

[BKR]

New to this site. Forgive me if this question has been asked many times. I am sincerely curious what people's reasons are. I look forward to hearing from anyone. I have no agenda. Thanks and best wishes. Russ

Sadomasochism

[budochic]

fitness, self-defence and more recently because me fighting in tournaments distresses my mother-in-law

[StepInCross]

I got back into training becuase ITS COOL:ChallengeAccepted:
And I feel pathetic without anything to brag about. I used to hustle money out of people by going to netcafes where theres a DotA community ,with my friends, but since its not as popular as it used to be, I no longer have my daily dose of ego boost.:foreveralone:

Also, teh muscles are nice. And teh womenz training. They iz hot.

[Evilenzo]

I've started training because I was 25 and i felt phisically like 75, especially because I had spent an entire summer sitting to write my graduation thesis.

Also, the drive to learn is very important to me. Aikido is a very complex MA with tons of tecniques and variations.

The people I met, the Maestro i've encountered and the MA are the main reasons keeping me training.

As more experienced members have said, de-fusing a situation and/or running are the best forms of self-defence. Nevertheless, i've had the luck of finding a gim which is (increasing with ranks) less complaint than the others and a Senpai who promised to teach us some basic striking from old school Shotokan for Atemi, so i think that (barring my mental blocks) one day i'll have at least a small chance at defending myself and/or others.

[martial arts sk]

1-it is a good combination with bodybuilding

2-learn how to figth

3-eat all i whant

[berni29]

Hi

I train because it is fun and combines exercise with learning something. The social aspect is a plus as well. I came to matial arts quite late and am 47 now. I have just taken up MT and am going to a BJJ class tonight. I did try BJJ a few years ago but kept getting injured. I guess that the memory has faded enough for me to try again. I am really keen to improve my MT technique so that I can do some sparring. That is great fun.

Maybe I am getting too old to be doing this? Physically I seem to be able to hold my own with the younger guys.

All the best

Berni

[DKJr]

I train because I need an outlet, also I like to choke people.

[Grey Owl]

TV sucks and the pub is too expensive.