KaliGman

Katherine,

I think you misunderstood what I have said in this thread, which is probably my fault for not stating things more clearly and unequivocally. Please indulge me and let me try to clarify what I was trying to say earlier in this thread.

There are systems, to include some kali and silat systems, that contain training in methodologies which can give a person a decent chance to survive an edged weapon attack while unarmed. Training in typical Aikido methodologies will not provide the student with a decent chance (or really much chance at all) in surviving an edged n atweapotack. To be perfectly frank, I have never seen anyone who is what I consider "good" going against a knife while empty handed in full-contact sparring or in real attacks who had not spent a significant amount of time training and sparring knife against knife and empty hand against knife. Training with a knife and sparring knife against knife teaches the possible mechanisms and angles of knife attacks and develops speed and the ability to check attacks. Without these skills and abilities, surviving an edged weapon attack becomes more a matter of pure luck, the decision of an attacker to cease his or her attack for some reason (rather than anything you have done to stop them from being able to attack), or having a completely inept attacker. To be brutally honest, the majority of the persons who I have seen practicing Aikido in the last 30 or so years have about as much chance of surviving an edged weapon encounter on the street as I do of winning the Powerball Lottery while being struck by lightning and being simultaneously bitten by a shark.

Please note that, in my earlier posts, I was not merely stating that Aikido is not very good against the knife, but was attempting to point out some empty hand versus empty hand problems that the system has as well. To clarify, Aikido methodologies are not very good at stopping a competent fighter who is proficient in a striking art which emphasizes footwork and attacking in combinations rather than a single attack. Some other arts offer superior methodologies for dealing with such individuals. Also note that I had stated that Aikido has problems with those who change levels when fighting. What I mean by that is someone who will go from standing erect to attacking a lower level target, such as the knee or leg. This could be anything from a collegiate wrestler going for a quick single leg to a Harimau Silat fighter dropping to a seated position while kicking and trapping an opponent's leg and destroying his knee joint.

Of course, there are problems and holes in any art, and value in it as well. I find Aikido methodologies to have a lot of value in my work when I need to control or arrest a passively resisting subject (not fighting, but not cooperating in the arrest either), when dealing with less dangerous situations and opponents and putting them in a position where they can be safely arrested, and the like. Many others find value in Aikido for exercise, spiritual development, fellowship, and other reasons. For me, the focus on my training is combat and survival, as the nature of what I do for a living means that I will routinely deal with some very violent people who would have no remorse whatsoever if they stomped me into jelly. I am absolutely not qualified to voice an opinion on Aikido and spiritual development, etc., and I will not do so. Also, please note that all this is only my opinion. Of course, my opinion is based on training and experience in multiple fighting arts, dealing with real attacks from those armed with knives, clubs, and guns, dealing with real attacks from multiple attackers, and continuously sparring and seeking out those with other methodologies. All this has allowed me to try to find where the holes in my personal defense system are before these problem areas result in holes in my actual person. To be honest, sometimes I had to learn the hard way and I did get cut or have a broken bone or two. I seek to continuously evaluate what I do from a realistic self-defense perspective and, if what I do does not work, then I find something that does.

I expect that your reasons for training are, happily, much different from mine and that you probably will not have to deal with some of the situations that I train for and experience in real life. I also expect that you are making good progress in the direction your training is taking you. Happy training to you and, in case I don't get back to this thread (or board) in time to say it, Merry Christmas.