I got too use my aikido in school

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[Phillip Armel]

Well I'm a yellow belt. But today one of my "freinds" sneaked up on me and put me into a head lock! I didn't get shocked or try too force i did one of the these headlock escapes. I put my hand on his forearm and the other on my thigh stepped forward, his arm lossened up and I got out and got behind him with his hand up his back.:eek: I got out unharmed and so did he and he was like "How'd you do that!?" I was soo proud:cool: sorry too brag but it goes too show ya that this stuff really does work =)

[bob_stra]

Good stuff Phillip. Worked well and no one got hurt.

[ian]

I actually miss school for the fact that you get into more physical confrontations! I think as you get older you get less opportunity to actually play with aikido in this way.

[DaveO]

I actually miss school for the fact that you get into more physical confrontations! I think as you get older you get less opportunity to actually play with aikido in this way.
Lol; me too!

Emphasis on 'play'; I think some people forget just how much fun Aikido is. :)

[sanosuke]

hahaha, now you know it, keep up your training!

[Bronson]

I think as you get older you get less opportunity to actually play with aikido in this way.

Ian, come to Michigan and hang out with me and my friends :p When a bunch of us were sharing a house we used to play this fun game we called "Defend". One of us would wait with an object that would do no/minimal damage to the other person (empty box, 2 liter bottle filled with water, dead squirrel, etc) and wait for the unsuspecting victim to come around a corner then we'd throw the object at them and yell DEFEND. Woohoo, those were great times :D

We also used to play this cool game called assassin. It doesn't really give you any physical practice but it does get you paranoid and keeps you on your toes mentally. Too many rules to go into it right now though.

Bronson

[Kensai]

I think there is no harm in a little playful sparring. I guess it boils down to how seriously you take it. Thats one of the benefits of kumite/randori/sparring I guess.

[Phillip Armel]

Yeah I was kinda impressed how well it worked. Even if I couldn't put him in a technique I still got out and we both went unharmed =D

[Nick P.]

Ian, come to Michigan and hang out with me and my friends :p When a bunch of us were sharing a house we used to play this fun game we called "Defend". One of us would wait with an object that would do no/minimal damage to the other person (empty box, 2 liter bottle filled with water, dead squirrel, etc) and wait for the unsuspecting victim to come around a corner then we'd throw the object at them and yell DEFEND. Woohoo, those were great times :D

We also used to play this cool game called assassin. It doesn't really give you any physical practice but it does get you paranoid and keeps you on your toes mentally. Too many rules to go into it right now though.

Bronson
Visions of the Pink Panther movies...what was his name, Balls?

[Bronson]

what was his name, Balls?

:confused: I don't think his name was Balls ;) Are you thinking of Kato or Clueseau (sp?) or both. It was kinda like that but without physically attacking each other...we were silly not stupid :D

Bronson

[Adam Garrison]

One of the most valuable lessons that I have learned is that your aikido does you little good if you do not remain aware of your surroundings at all times & keep zanshin. How will your training at the dojo help you if you are hit on the head with a blackjack by an attacker while you are obliviously fumbling to find your keys?

A friend of mine, who is also the assistant instructor at our dojo, has an agreement with me that I can try to sneak up on him while he is teaching class & try to pin, throw, or hit him (not maliciously, of course :)). I will occasionally stop practicing with my partner to try and get the jump on him when I think I have an opening. Most of the time, I end up buckling up & riding the friendly skies, but from time to time I slip a punch in that we can both laugh about and learn from.

There are many wonderful ways to supplement, experience, & further develop the skills that you are learning on the mat.

Depending on your level of training, get a fellow aikidoka to put on some boxing gloves and REALLY try to hit you. They don't have to try and knock your block off, but the pressure of balanced minimally committed multiple attacks will show you rather quickly how far your aikido has progressed. Try turning tenkan on a right cross that is delivered immediately following the three lightning-fast jabs that you have deflected. It is really hard to get the timing right!!!If one doesn't learn to keep your center covered, establish good mai, & learn to move uke off of you center line (normally we move off of uke's line of attack) then a good boxer will eat you up & spit out your hakama!

My main point in all this rambling is that many people make excuses and sweeping generalizations to compensate for what is lacking in their aikido. Some will say, "Oh, well aikido doesn't work well against a boxer"..."aikido isn't about self defense, it's about personal developement"..."we aren't interested in learning how to fight"... I think all of that is nonsense. We each make our own aikido what it is. My current sensei always says that "Aikido, when

performed properly, can be used to control any attacker using any attack".

So yeah...this stuff really does work, & it is really fun! Although it is a blast to mess around & amaze your friends out of the dojo (I do), keep in mind the words of O Sensei as well - "The purpose of aikido is to train mind and body and to produce sincere, earnest people. Since all the techniques are to be transmitted person-to-person, do not randomly reveal them to others, for this might lead to their being used by hoodlums"

and the late Doshu:

"The aim of aikido is to develop the truly human self. It should not be used to display ego."

[William Boyd]

Cool!! :cool: . keep on training.

[Phillip Armel]

Thank you!! ^^