Poll: How physically dangerous are the techniques of aikido?
 

AikiWeb Poll for the week of June 5, 2005:

How physically dangerous are the techniques of aikido?

• I don't do aikido
• Extremely dangerous
• Very dangerous
• Somewhat dangerous
• Not very dangerous
• Not at all dangerous
  

Here are the current results.

Re: Poll: How physically dangerous are the techniques of aikido?
 

As always, IMHO, techniques are not dangerous, people are.

Re: Poll: How physically dangerous are the techniques of aikido?
 

From what I have seen so far , I would have to say that the danger lies most with the individual applying the technique. It can be dangerous to the uke if improperly appied in many instances which is why we practice at our own speed for the skill level we are at. Some techniques do not seem to require but a little variance to cause harm but that is also not the way of Aikido in principle.

Thank you.

CJ

Re: Poll: How physically dangerous are the techniques of aikido?
 

I put very dangerous because I think they are potentially very dangerous, however it all depends on context. Deaths which have occurred in aikido are generally from people hitting the back of their head after a throw. Also, many of the techniques can be used whilst holding a knife/sword and involve killing the opponent. However aikido is generally practised in a way in which, in the modern society, you can restrain or sometimes throw an attacker without casuing much harm at all (throws can be more dangerous especially if the attack is very hard and fast).

Re: Poll: How physically dangerous are the techniques of aikido?
 

IMHO I think some of hte most dangerous aspects of aikido are related to techniques but in and of themselves not part of techniques

• catching foot in hakama
• catching fingers in gi
• crashing into other practioners at seminars
• crashing into objects

All of these (save the foot in hakama) can be greatly mitigated by the skill level of the aikidoka. An experienced and careful nage will not put uke into harms way at a seminar or throw uke into objects, while an experienced aikidoka as uke will see things coming and adjust accordingly. That said, it doesn't always work and accidents do happen, however seemingly less so as the experience and skill grows.

Re: Poll: How physically dangerous are the techniques of aikido?
 

It depends entirely on the individual and the context.

Re: Poll: How physically dangerous are the techniques of aikido?
 

i think that the level of dangerous comes with the uke moreso than the nage. an unskilled nage is pretty deadly to himself, but an unskilled uke is deadly all the way around.
as i was reading the question though, i was thinking about it in terms of street applications of tecnhiques. and the level of dangerous seems to vary with technique. some can break bones, and some can take lives.