Aikido + BJJ = ?

**Res Judicata** · Posted On: 9/01/2009 3:21pm

Aikido fails at a lot more than that ...

Atemi is the traditional method to create an opening and kuzushi. (Listing to "you were open there" conversations among Aikidoka is frequently hilarious).

Attacking by drawing (aka baiting) really doesn't work for crap unless your opponent is skilled and works best if you're armed.

Aikido adds very little to BJJ. Weirdly, though, the best BJJ guys get to the level of skill and mental state that Aikidoka say they strive for. But they can actually fight.

**Neo Sigma** · Posted On: 9/01/2009 3:38pm

Aikido gave me a better understanding of kuzushi, and being anal about technique, not muscling, drill a lot, roll relaxed, go with the flow, your training partners are not your enemies.... things like that make better progression in jits.

This all seems like stuff you should be getting at a decent BJJ place anyway. Although, the chest-beating macho idiots you occasionally find in the style make it kind of hard to implement rolling relaxed and not trying to kill your training partners.

**Holy Moment** · Posted On: 9/01/2009 3:40pm

Aikido + BJJ= Street-Grappling

**BSONE** · Posted On: 9/01/2009 3:58pm

I went to the seminar last year, mostly to see Christian Tissier, but I did participate in all the classes.

As to what the arts add to each other, I think DCS has the background to sum it up best.

As for the seminar, it is mostly an Aikido seminar with the BJJ thrown in as an extra. The seminar was good, especially Tissier. Suiginami (www.suginamisf.com) dojo does have a regular BJJ class as part of its normal schedule, so maybe you could contact them if you want some more information on how they train the two arts together.

**Steve-o** · Posted On: 9/01/2009 4:21pm

The aikido Dojo that I trained at had BJJ classes as well.

What I noticed is that Aikido gave me mostly conceptual stuff, relaxation, tai sabaki, extension, working with training partners, etc. Pretty much everything that DCS has said.

BJJ taught me how to fight.

I don't train Aikido anymore. I stick mostly with what I feel is most beneficial to me. I may go back to Aikido someday.

**IMightBeWrong** · Posted On: 9/01/2009 5:46pm

BJJ + Aikido = Blasphemous Abomination

You can't mix win with fail and expect more win. When you add 1 and -1 you get 0.

**nightowl** · Posted On: 9/01/2009 5:50pm

Originally Posted by 1point2

Paging Roy Dean.

I picked up his "Art of the Wristlock" DVD. A lot of the standing locks from his aikido background are a bit shaky for a live environment IMO, but some of the traditional stuff that he works into BJJ is neat. The Gokkyo counter against an armbar defense has become a staple of mine.

**NSLightsOut** · Posted On: 9/01/2009 9:38pm

A long time training partner of mine has been training and teaching Aikido for 25+ years. He's also a purple belt. I'll just say this...you don't know what you've been missing until someone goes for kote gaeshi every time you try to grab SOMETHING in closed guard in order to break it. Fun and games that I've had limited success in trying to replicate

**IMightBeWrong** · Posted On: 9/01/2009 9:49pm

Originally Posted by NSLightsOut

A long time training partner of mine has been training and teaching Aikido for 25+ years. He's also a purple belt. I'll just say this...you don't know what you've been missing until someone goes for kote gaeshi every time you try to grab SOMETHING in closed guard in order to break it. Fun and games that I've had limited success in trying to replicate

As a former Aikidoka, Kote Gaeshi is one of the only somewhat workable techniques in my Aiki-Arsenal. I also can OCCASIONALLY work Nikkyo, and even more rarely Sankyo. Some locks are decent, most don't work well, and I can barely work any of the throws.