Using Aikido outside of the Dojo.

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[Sojourner]

Just interested to hear of anyone that has had cause to use their Aikido training in the community, be it in self defence from a stranger or family member or anyone else?

[Janet Rosen]

A few anecdotes from old aikido-l days:
I know one woman who used to be active here who at the time had a large teenaged stepson who would act out and she would basically use gentle takedowns or toss him onto a bed or soft sofa.
I know one woman who in a work situation (art therapist) had a patient grab her wrist (how often does THAT happen IRL? just ask nurses....patients grab our wrists ALL the time) and she reflexively did the same-side nikkyo on him and that was that.
Famous Cyndy Hayashi story about being accosted by guys on the street one night and she koshi'd one and did some damage and the others fled; cops were impressed as it sounded like a group that had been doing some damage themselves....

[kewms]

I really hate these threads...

The most effective technique is the one you never have to use, and there's no way to measure the situations that were de-escalated without resorting to technique, the potential bad guys who decided to bother someone else. By the broadest potential measures, I could argue that I use aikido outside the dojo every single day. And that's the point, isn't it? If it doesn't change how you carry yourself in the world, what are you training for?

By the narrowest measure, physical self-defense in a clearly hazardous situation, no I've never had the need. I've had to back off a couple of drunks, but both struck me as more pitiful than threatening.

And now I'll just pull up a comfy chair for the fireworks we're about to see.

Katherine

[dps]

Just to point out you never know when or where you may need to use your Aikido:
I was grabbed by my team lead on the job and he tried to punch me.
I was in my church's kitchen getting a cup of coffee, when a young man got mad at me and tried to punch me.

Both times I was able to stop them from harming me.

dps

[dps]

http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1077901/chuck-e-cheese-birthday-brawl-sends-two-employees-to-the-hospital

dps

[Janet Rosen]

By the narrowest measure, physical self-defense in a clearly hazardous situation, no I've never had the need. I've had to back off a couple of drunks, but both struck me as more pitiful than threatening.

And I could do that easily decades before bowing in as an Aikido student....:)

[Sojourner]

It seems to me that working in a mental health facility, prison or perhaps even an aged care facility that has patients suffering from Alzheimer's might be cases were Aikido techniques can be used with the intention of openly not hurting anyone. Perhaps it should not always be assumed that the only place one might be called on to use an Aikido technique is because they are attacked by a stranger.

Drunken family members are perhaps another example of where techniques can be used if needed that will not cause injury and can save the life of the person if they are attempting go and cross a busy road, get into their own car, or perhaps escalate their own fight with someone else and you step in and stop both of those situations from occurring.

[kewms]

Most assaults, especially assaults on women, are committed by someone the victim knows. It should not be assumed that *any* form of self defense will only be needed in encounters with strangers.

Which is exactly why having non-lethal options is so valuable.

Katherine

[JP3]

This is sort of dumb, but it was aikido, and I didn't have to do much of anything, so maybe that's the best part.

A couple of weeks back my wife & I were in Mexico, at an all-inclusive resort. Late-night, people getting foolish (us included), probably a bit too much drinking - but nobody driving so no big deal. It was a party ngith for the ladies to get all sexily dolled up and looking a... ahh.... well, a bit slutty. Easiest way to describe it.

Anyway, she & I are dancing and we noted a guy trying to get behind her on the dance floor, but trying to not be obvious about it.... so we move a bit. This cycle happens about 3, maybe 4 times (unclear in the memory), and I'm thinking he's going to do something dumb or over the top which is going to require response, so we step off the dance floor and walk over tot he bar.

A few minutes later at said bar, here he comes again, this time just wanting to talk, but being really up in her space, and acting like she's a single gal (not at all true). So, she quickly but efficiently introduces me and I reach out to "shake hands," invert his grip just a bit and put a hand on his shoulder and start moving the shoulder in a way I've been playing with on my students at the dojo.... it's a subtle little off-balance which I think sort of uses mirror neurons to trick the person's posture into giving itself up.... anyway, it's neat-O. I lean into the guy and sort of lean to my left, and the hand on his shoulder very gently tilts him the same way..... Shoot, it's hard to explain.

Anyway, his lower spine sort of gets jacked-up and in a bind, there's a very technical explanation. That's happeneing and I'm just shaking his hand, outside of his center and away from his body, and all of the sudden he's just feeling uncomfortable and he wants to leave. My intended point, exactly.
Or, maybe he just needed to hit the bathroom, I don't know.

This other time I was tryin to get out of a pool and one of my jackassery buddies was folling around and trying to keep me in, kneeling down and trying to shove my head and/or shoulder as I'd try to get out. Yes, like some sort of kid game, but grown men. Yes, beer was involved. I sort of absently noted that his knee was... right there, so I used the outside edge of my hand on the outside of his knee (right in where the ligament is exposed on the outside). For my Tomiki-style (and others who do the kata) it's the 7th technique in Koryu-dai San, the third defensive movement against a standing attacker who is trying to jerk you up from seiza and you don't want to go. Anyway, he fell in the pool, unfortunately for his self-esteem. Fortunately for my homeowner's policy, he didn't hit his head on the way in.

[Janet Rosen]

So, she quickly but efficiently introduces me and I reach out to "shake hands," invert his grip just a bit and put a hand on his shoulder and start moving the shoulder in a way I've been playing with on my students at the dojo.... it's a subtle little off-balance which I think sort of uses mirror neurons to trick the person's posture into giving itself up.... anyway, it's neat-O. I lean into the guy and sort of lean to my left, and the hand on his shoulder very gently tilts him the same way..... Shoot, it's hard to explain.

Anyway, his lower spine sort of gets jacked-up and in a bind, there's a very technical explanation. That's happeneing and I'm just shaking his hand, outside of his center and away from his body, and all of the sudden he's just feeling uncomfortable and he wants to leave. My intended point, exactly.
Or, maybe he just needed to hit the bathroom, I don't know..

Lovely because.....you didn't "do" anything "to" him....except of course you did :)

[Shadowfax]

Tski tantodori kotegeshi on a stupid kid one night, at work, who wanted to horse around and "test" me with a steak knife, because he heard I practiced a martial art. He got the point and didn't try it again.

Mostly though its just been joint locks on horses and using ukemi to protect myself when the former techniques have failed. I would say that my training has saved me some serious bodily injury when things have gotten a bit western, and on at least one occasion, my life.