Go Warrior (TV Show) -- Aikido

[Jatsu]

This is an extension of the original Go Warrior thread. It would be great if we could get someone abroad to upload this episode of the show for analysis, by any means necessary.

Japan: Aikido
Tokyo is the city of sensory overload, but hidden beyond the neon bustle of Shinjuku lies the Yoshinkan aikido dojo, the Zen sanctuary of the land's most esoteric martial art. Roland arrives to learn more about this often misunderstood martial art. His mission is to figure out how aikido works and whether it DOES work as a fighting art. Just why have scores of foreigners been coming here to pick it up? And what do they leave with?

Aikido has been called everything from a spiritual cult to that thing Steven Seagal does in movies. Though born out of the budo 'warrior' philosophy, aikido is known as the world's foremost pacifistic martial art. Its practitioners take a Zen approach to life and self-defence, and Roland must adapt his upfront fighting style to do the same. But what a challenge: just how does one learn to defend and be gentle at the same time?

To get some answers, Roland is here at aikido's spiritual home, the aikido hombu dojo - the place where all come to seek aikido nirvana. Roland meets Ueshiba doshu, the grandson of the founder who believes in promoting harmony through aikido.

But, perhaps the most intriguing aspect of aikido is its technique. Aikido enables smaller Oriental dudes to thwart bigger attackers, not unlike judo or jiu-jitsu but with more grace nd style.

To validate this, Roland goes on the beat with an aikido-trained detective. Can aikido really help a person to anticipate attackers? Roland investigates while getting a tour of the city.

And for those who say aikido is for sissies, he checks out the Yoshinkan aikido school, where aikido is officially taught to Tokyo's riot police. Their schools are known for dishing out hard knocks and represent one part of aikido's evolution beyond the philosophical. Roland finds himself in the hardest training class of his life. How could a gentle martial art be THAT difficult?

Also during his trip, Roland makes a sojourn to Yamanashi, a town near Mount Fuji, to meet Takeno Sensei, one of aikido's legendary instructors. Takeno Sensei only 'lives and breathes aikido', but Yamanashi is also an old samurai town with its own rustic charm.

[Mike.D]

Aikido.i was actually thinking of taking that up once.lol.**** i hope phrost didnt hear that!

[Kengou]

That actually sounds pretty interesting. I'd like to see some hardcore aikido training, it sounds almost like an oxymoron.

[Jatsu]

Sadly nowadays your right, it is an oxymoron. It began as a very hard art, where many were affraid to spar with Ueshiba, and there were sprains and broken fingers and such every night, but it's since become watered down, at least in it's mainline Aikikai style. Thankfully Shioda and his succesors teach a version of the art that resembles its beginnings.

[Plasma]

Young Ueshiba was a bad ass. What he was teaching was basically Kihon Gata and Shoden Gata of Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu. He dojo name translated as "Hell Dojo" and was well known for throwing his student through the fucking floor.

However, Old Ueshiba went insane and joined a Shinto Cult that was all about peace and ****.

Also, at demonstration Ueshiba would flick out his pinky and the uke would react. Why, because at the dojo Ueshiba would punch them in the face alot and when you saw that hand coming they would react ("Oh god pain is coming!"). However, today the Aikido Hippy sees that as, you don't need to strike them, just distract them with a finger.

Fucking Aikido Hippies, Aikido Sucks. Ok Aikido get down on your knees and let me hold your ears.

[UltimateGaijin]

"It began as a very hard art, where many were affraid to spar with Ueshiba, and there were sprains and broken fingers and such every night"

do you have any proof of this whatsoever?? Why isnt the prewar "hardshit" yoshinkan aikido like this ???.

As for teaching the Tokyo Riot Police, it's not about teaching effective technique at all. It's about how much pain someone can take. Read the book "Angry White Pajamas"

[Sford]

Aikido on its own can be dangerous to the practioner...as a supplemental skill mixed with other talents it can be effective. It's taught to police for its controlling aspects, much like JJ or Judo, or any other MA with joint locks and limb manipulations. Cops use it (and the similar types of MA) because they'd rather control than kill. If while controlling an injury occurs, well then the perp must have been resisting...something that doesn't happen while training in most dojos. Does Aikido suck? No, but the zealots wearing blinders and hakama do, therefore the art becomes bullshido.