Aikido?

**Ben armstrong** · Posted On: 7/10/2012 3:02pm

sry it took so long to reply. playing devil may cry 3 atm. just beat very hard mode (◣_◢)

**bigdaddy** · Posted On: 7/13/2012 12:20am

I love Aikido. I have been to two different instructors. One was very into the esoteric aspect, not really my thing. The other instructor was also a high ranking Dan In Judo and Jujitsu. From my experience, the instructor who also had belts in Judo, was way more proficient in his techniques. In my early training i had a bad habit of calling certain techniques BS and telling the instructor I did not think it would work. He was always gracious enough to let me resist and see for myself. Most of the time they would work, there were times it didn't and to this day I will always think ude Kime Nage is a BS throw that won't work in a real life situation ever. Anyway I used to work at a Maximum Security Prison as a correctional officer. The first time I was in a use of force totally by myself, I quickly found out my ideas of how well I was able to defend myself with my Aikido quickly failed. Luckily for me my dad, post korean war vet UDT NAVY, had taught me how to defend myself as well and i maintained my own. Actually broke the guys hand because i couldnt get back to my feet as quickly as he could and so ducked into the punch letting him hit me on the top of my head. Inmate later tried to sue over it was kind of funny. Anyway Aikido has alot of strengths, when it came to restraints and etc it was a huge plus, but it also has its downsides. I am currently taking Judo as well from my Aikido Instructor, Gary Cotton. i generally hurt more from those classes than i have in any of my Aikido, but I love both arts and am slowly becoming a more rounded fighter. Need to learn how to kick and punch with some power now lol

**Zerstörer90** · Posted On: 7/13/2012 4:25pm

Originally Posted by bigdaddy

Wall of text

Cool story bro. I'm glad you are picking up Judo. I actually found that Judo was an easy transition from Aikido. And being someone who tried very very hard to make aikido work for me, I found the fundamental strength of Judo to be refreshing. I learn a throw, then I drill it, then I pull it off in randori a few times (then i drill it more, rinse, repeat lol), then I have confidence in that throw.

I've personally found restraining holds present in aikido to be like professional wrestling moves: They only work in a choreographed setting, or when there is a massive grappling deficit in favor of the nage.

**Ignorami** · Posted On: 7/22/2012 10:57am

So would I. For all the reasons BeginnersMind just gave.

Nakhua · Posted On: 7/23/2012 2:38am

Aikido techniques (if properly practiced and executed) can be amped up to help you defend yourself in a real situation....I took Aikido as well as Judo and balance and form is strongly emphasized w/ Aikido and you will learn some pretty good footwork taking Aikido....As far as practicality i would definitely say go for Judo simply because of the learning curve...When i practiced Aikido the other Aikidoka in my class were offering little to no resistance w/ each technique....this was not the case when i was in Judo class....all of the techniques i learned were not only taught and practiced but there was a big emphasis on practicality when executing the techniques and we were shown what was best and even which techniques were easier to perform in situations you may encounter in a hostile setting

**Krijgsman** · Posted On: 8/23/2012 11:03pm

If you like the wrist locks and such in Aikido, just find a Judo club that does kata. Goshinjitsu (the self defense kata) is chock full of wrist locks and standing arm locks. Just a suggestion.

**jlongford** · Posted On: 5/15/2013 10:25am

If Aikido is not very good for physical defense then why is it taught to police forces around the world, including the British and Japanese forces?

**Rock Ape** · Posted On: 5/15/2013 11:47am

How many years have you studied aikido ?

**Gluckmann** · Posted On: 5/15/2013 2:27pm

Originally Posted by jlongford

If Aikido is not very good for physical defense then why is it taught to police forces around the world, including the British and Japanese forces?

"It's used by the cops/army/special forces" is a common argument used to advance some seriously dodgy martial arts.
To be brief: the fact that some people in the military or law enforcement choose a particular art says very little about that art's actual effectiveness. The lieutenant choosing the training doesn't necessarily know any more about unarmed fighting or which art to pick than the average civilian.

**Rock Ape** · Posted On: 5/15/2013 2:50pm

Yoshinkan aikido IS taught to members of the Tokyo riot Police and that course is as about as intensive as you could hope to expect however...

Police RARELY operate by themselves and are never totally "unarmed"

Aikido in a limited sense has some application in the law enforcement community however, that does not make it either a well rounded system of 'self defense' (because it isn't) or, the most practical (because it isn't that either)

Here speaks someone with two and a half decades of training, and someone who has used aspects of aikido techniques in the execution of his duties as a discipline officer within a CAT A (Max Security) Prison.

Aikido is not self defense orientated. if it were, there'd be a greater focus on pressure testing the skill set. There'd be less focus on bokuto and jo buki waza and far more focus on dealing with how people fight today, in this era.