Steven Seagal's Aikido?

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[Yoshiman]

Mr. Seagal's Aikido is Aikikai and he is a 7th dan but while watching his movies, I see alot of very hard style of Aikido or even Jujutsu. What do you guys think?

[akiy]

Much of what he does in his movies may be called "movie-do" and not necessarily "aikido."

If you're curious as to what his aikido looks like, he just put out a tape called "Aikido: The Path Beyond All Thought" at <http://www.stevenseagal.com>. There are reviews of it in the videos section (http://www.aikiweb.com/supplies/videos/) of this website.

-- Jun

[BC]

I think he actually uses more of his karate techniques in his movies than aikido (he also is a yudansha in on style of karate, I think Shotokan). His name is almost considered a dirty word in our dojo amongst some of our instructors and senior students. I think they might believe that he doesn't represent aikido very well in his films.

[rch]

Movies are not made to represent martial arts. They are made to make money. I seriously doubt most of the techniques used in aikido would translate well on film.

I can't think of too many movies that have ever really represented a martial art very well...

As for the original question, I'm not too sure. Like most people in the entertainment business. I would guess he is using a variety of techniques, to make for an appealing fight scene. Keep in mind he's been involved with martial arts since like the 60's - I'm sure in that time frame he's trained with all types of martial artists. To think he hasn't picked/used some of those techniques in his lifetime would be silly. :)

-Rob "Who freely admits, he admires Seagal, but thinks his wardrobe stinks!"

[Nick]

if you want a pretty fair portrayal of budo, watch Fist of Legend. Though a bit exaggerated (fujita-sensei kicks a tree down) and sped up, it's still a very good movie...

-Nick

[Pete]

Just as an aside I watched The Patriot last night. The Seagal film not Mel Gibson BTW!!!

I quite liked it! It was slightly more subtle than most of his films and he only twice resorted to MA's with the bad guys!! And it looked to me that he wasn't using much Aikido either!!

At the end of the day, he has to make a fight scene that will thrill his audience and use whatever means he has to do so, so, if it doesn't include technically perfect Aikido, or has a smattering of other styles and techniques he has picked up along his journey what does it matter?

Just because he is a high ranking Aikidoka doesn't mean he must stick to just that on celluloid does it?

I have read reports from people who have trained at seminars with him as his uke and they all praise his techniques no end. Not one of them says anything about his films!! He is an actor (in a loose sense eh!!) and as such what he portrays on screen is not what he does in real life!! If it was his dojo would have very few members as he would soon work his way through them killing or maiming without thought or effort!!

It is time for people to accept that he is just that, an actor, and that is how he makes his living!!

His dress sense does leave a lot to be desired though eh!!!

On the flip side to all that I have read a report from some Aikidoka who went to France to a big seminar that Seagal Sensei was the main teacher. They said he was consistently late, very obscure and did not teach much aikido, preferring to spend his time 'preaching' in a rambling manner and not making much sense!! Also he was wearing a neon pink suit jacket at the time!!

[Kensakiro]

Hello,
I want to say that one must not forget that Aikido has techniques that originated from jujitsu and several other martial arts. All Aikido techniques if applied "correct" and effectively will Look hard and be quite painful. If you want to use Aikido out there you cannot allow yourself to be sloppy or else you will get hit, beaten up or even killed. Chances of you falling down are indeed bigger then you ever getting into a fight for most people, but still Aikido has to be effetive. To know your technique is effective uke has to feel a certain amount of pain and this is good. Applying a technique correctley is painful, to know where pain is you have to give and recieve pain to know this.
It's like ukemi, to know how to take ukemi you have to do it, but also you must throw in order to know what you are doing better. So Everything in Aikido has it's pro's and cons!!!
Thanks