Do you agree with these statement about Aikido ?

Question

After asking several martial arts teacher about the usefulness of Aikido , I heard these things:

- Aikido is obsolete today. It was designed to protect yourself from samurai warriors. There are no samurai today.
- It is not street realistic. The moves are too fixed, unrealistic, unpractical.
- It is a highly esoteric internal system, and in order to become an efficient Aikido fighter (in the dojo and on the street) you have to dedicate your whole life to practicing it, like a religion.

Do you agree with these statements? Please elaborate

Answer 1

- Aikido is obsolete today. It was designed to protect yourself from samurai warriors. There are no samurai today. FALSE.



Unless my history is wrong, there were no samurai when Aikido was born, either. Therefore, it was never designed to protect anyone from any warrior class. It was designed to use an opponent's momentum and balance, and to combine the elements of Aiki and Jujitsu.



- It is not street realistic. The moves are too fixed, unrealistic, unpractical. TRUE and FALSE.



In the beginning, the moves are very fixed, unrealistic, and impractical. The concept in the beginning is to teach concepts and ideas, and not so much get into realism. That is because in reality, an opportunity to use a technique might present itself, but two things easily happen: the beginner goes out looking for the technique, and second, the opponent is usually smarter and can muscle his way out. In both cases, an experienced Aikido-ka is patient and waits for the technique to present itself and never to go looking for one; and also, the experienced Aikido-ka trains to alter a technique into something else. Such cannot be taught to beginners, it must be experienced and taught over many years.





- It is a highly esoteric internal system, and in order to become an efficient Aikido fighter (in the dojo and on the street) you have to dedicate your whole life to practicing it, like a religion. TRUE and FALSE.



This is a categorical statement, so in this regard, it's technically false. Because more mainstream Aikido (Aikikai, Yoshinkan, Iwama, a few others) this is NOT the case. As to internal/external, I'm not sure what that means: many people seem to have their own idea what internal/external means, and by anyone's standards, all styles are both internal and external. So I abstain from voting on this concept, since I don't have my own definition. You do practice Aikido for life, or you ought to. You ought to practice any style for life. For this reason, there is no reason to jump in to advanced techniques. Aikido's culture - not style - demands patience, and it will take a long time to become proficient and comfortable with the results.



There are several other myths of Aikido that's often spouted, like that it requires compliance. This isn't true except for beginners. Advanced students are smart enough to know that Aikido works when the opponent is committed and intends to do real harm. This is but one of many reasons Aikido doesn't work well in the ring: there just isn't the intention - the mindset - that fighting on the street demands.



Aikido is not a sport, it is pure self-defense. It is a graft of Aiki (which can be applied to any martial art) and Jujitsu. Much of what you see in Aikido - like the joint locks and throws - that isn't Aikido. It's the drawing and harmonizing - that's Aikido. The joint locks and throws are seen in most styles. Very few outwardly employ true "aiki".



Finding a good instructor is hard, but it is the key to understanding Aikido. If you can't find a good instructor, then don't waste your time. This advice applies to any style, really.

Answer 2

I’m going to pop in and express my un-popular views.



1. Kind of. Aikijutsu(and in turn aikido) if you look at it was really designed to be a samurai weapon disarm system. Then that system was adapted to work with empty hand as well. This is why there is so much focus on following and the controlling of the hand. This at the time of the samurai would have been undoubtedly most helpful. However in current age when the empty hand fighting has become a lot more complex and has higher dimensions the mere adaptation of weapon disarm system for empty hand system doesn’t really work well. Also firearms plays a unique role in that the weapon is a projectile weapon which aikijutsu wasn’t originally designed for. It might work for it sometimes, but it really shines when put up against a melee weapon.



2. The street application actually has less to do with the techniques of the style, but rather the training philosophy that is applied to it. The founder of Aikido was an extreme pacifist and his training method was that even in martial training there should be no resistance and two people should aid one another in performing of the technique. This is great philosophically, but when aikidoka tries to apply their technique at a resisting opponent they quickly find that perhaps their structure was not as perfect as they thought it was and that having and using of some strength is of virtue. Then add to that training problem with the technique problem I mentioned in answer 1 and you have a train crash. I think if you train with an instructor that has and does plenty of resistance training, then you’ll do much better and aikido could be of some use.(I say some because once again, technique limitations from answer 1.)



3. As stated right above, to become a good aikido fighter I think they need a good instructor that trains with resistance. However if you are trying to become a good aikidoka as in what aikido tries to train for, then you should immerse yourself into the aikido philosophy and it will reflect itself upon your life. This is because aikido was never intended as “mere martial art”. The founder could have just taught aikijutsu that he learned if you just wanted to pass on a martial art, however he wanted the style to embody the pacifism and his ideals. So the bows and the philosophical aspect is trained and emphasized as much as the techniques of the styles are. So to be good at aikido is to be a “better person” in the ideals of the founder, and thus the religious and the reflection of the style in the life of the person. But if you just want to kick *** then the whole religious and philosophy part is unnecessary.

Answer 3

-It is not. While there may be no samurai there are still people with two arms and two legs and joints holding those on to the body which will break the same way as they did thousands of years ago if you twist them.

-Not in the beginning. Whoever made this statement did not last very long in his training. If I teach you to play piano I am not going to give you one of Beethoven's piano concerto right off the bat. I will teach you scales and where your fingers go on the keys and how to move them up and down the keys. I will teach you techniques first and in order to learn the techniques I need to eliminate as much excess as I can at first. Otherwise you will never get it. It is the same with Aiki. There are so many variable in a fight so Aiki eliminates all the variables. You get the same thing, from the same distance, at the same speed with the same power over and over until you understand the principle of the technique and what makes the technique work. That takes some time. The result is not just being able to do a few tricks but when you understand the basics and principles you will not only be able to adjust to the variables but also mix and match and string things together as needed. Too many people on here are too focused on what is the best combination. Doesn't work that way in a fight. That's like wanting to do your Kata or Poomsae in a fight.

-That's not just with Aiki but with all martial art and as a matter of fact with anything like playing and instrument. If you want to be good at it you have to keep at it. All martial art is like hot water. If you don't keep applying heat it cools quickly. I don't know about it being a religion though. That would be up to the practitioner but religion is definitely not a requirement in martial art. Understanding their way of thinking and their philosophies helps but you don't necessarily have to believe them, let alone practice them.

Answer 4

Several great answers

first off aikido was not made to defend against the samurai since the samurai was eliminated about 50 after aikido came into existence.



the movements are not fixed, they are flowing, it does take longer to be able to use aikido but it is more like 5 years not life time.



many law enforcement agents and military use aikido and they are very effective at it

Answer 5

You are taking statements from people that do not have a good knowledge of Aikido. That is for sure. I do not impress easily. For years I did not think much of Aikido. In the 1980's at a weekend of seminars on different martial arts, I met an Aikido master, that was also a Police Officer. He did things to me I could not defend against (at that time). I did not understand what happened to me several times. Anyone that says Aikido is not effective in today's society is not someone I would bother to listen to. By the way, I held several high black belt ranks and titles at the time I met the Aikido master. I understand that he is retired now. He taught many of the police officers around him.





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Answer 6

Nope.



Aikido came from Daito Ryu aikijujitsu. Aikijujitsu was used as Samurai unarmed self defence. Ueshiba Sensei (founder of aikido was born in 1883 and died in 1969) I don't think he had had to face down many Samurai. So although aikijujutsu would have been used by the Samurai I don't think Ueshiba expected his students to protect themselves from Samurai.



I have not studied the art so I won't try to comment on it's effectiveness. But if it was used by Police and security personal to use locks to try and get people to comply I'm sure there are some things in it that are useful. Most people don't like to have joints twisted or bent in a way that causes them pain.

Answer 7

I don't agree at all.

Aikido is very effective in it's original form.

It is much like the Shotokan I have studied for so long.

It has the same grapples, and strikes, done with a bit different focus. Nothing is "fixed", always fluid.

It gives the impression of needing a compliant partner, simply because if you don't "comply", you get broken.

You have some good answers here already. They are correct.

Answer 8

J gave a great answer!



It is not obsolete, nor is it ineffective. Police and military teach their members more aikido than any other martial art.

Wonder why they would teach something to them that is not effective.

Been waiting for someone, just anyone to explain that one to me.

Answer 9

J and Jea gave good answers...Aikido or any other martial art is as good as the person using it really, either indirect, either direct, either fully or partly..



If professionals are learning it and they are not getting killed daily then it works. We are talking about thousands of cases daily..If it didn't work the first ones that they will realized that, it would be the ones that are using it daily..since one professional will not use his skills daily but all of them together, are...

Answer 10

No way do I agree with all those statements. Aikido has some of the most painful wrist locks and on a scale of 1-5 when applied I would give them a 5 while many other types of locks are less painful and I would only rate a 3 or 4.



The problem with aikido is two things which is why many misunderstand and say this is what I have found. First, it is an art that is difficult to learn. I spent several years just developing my sense of touch and ability to apply some of their techniques. It took that long whereas some other martial arts and their techniques and ability to apply them really comes a little faster and sooner. This is one of the reasons why many who have only tried it or those that never have often say it does not work.



The second thing with Aikido is the timing aspect and the speed with which you can apply things. Your timing and stepping forward or in to intercept the attack really takes a lot of training and skill as well as practice to develop. Most people's natural reaction is to step back and that in a lot of cases then makes Aikido techniques difficult to apply and execute effectively. Also your application and skill applying them has to be so good that your opponent does not have time to tense up which then allows them to resist and stymie their application. I find the aspect of "breaking someone down" very effective then when this happens but usually for me it doesn't when applying wrist locks and throws that go with them. I am willing to bet that 3/4 of the people that say things like the above about Aikido don't even understand that aspect of "breaking someone down" which in some ways also runs contrary to much of Aikido since that involves elbows, knees, low kicks, and strikes but it really makes it easier for a non expert like myself to apply some of their wrist locks. In aikido circles if you have to do that your technique is thought of as flawed and poor at best. That's alright; I have found it still works fine in street situations and I have had someone subdued before for 5 minutes just flopping around on the floor like a fish you caught and pulled in that is flopping around in the bottom of the boat. So the only statement that comes close in some ways is the last one that it takes years to develop your skill to employ and use those techniques.



Now you might be able to make the argument that it does not work in MMA and that's because fighters have their wrists heavily wrapped and taped. That makes many of its wrist locks less effective. However the stepping forward and meeting the attack aspect is something that at times is even taught and stressed in other fighting and martial arts. One of the ways you nullify someones greater punching power is to move or stay in closer so that they don't get full extension for instance. The ability to time and do that successfully is critical to fighting along with other skills if you want to be a complete fighter. Doing that though just after you got your bell rung is easier said than done and a skill many don't ever really develop for this reason. So people that make statements like the ones above are usually speaking from a frame of reference that they really don't know and understand other than that last statement maybe is what I have found.



In closing I have taken down and had a world class and world record holder in powerlifting on his back before employing some of Aikido's techniques before he could bring his greater size, bulk, and strength to bear directly against me. I have even seen Anderson Silva in one of his recent fights employ an Aikido wrist lock technique but I am willing to bet a lot of people did not recognize or know that was what he was doing. I have found that when employed with other aspects like "breaking someone down" and stepping forward in or to intercept the attack they are very effective techniques to use in most cases.

Answer 11

it can be used but not in the way it is shown.



if you are a bouncer or just want to hold someone down than yes.



if you want to defend yourself no.