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Old 10-21-2011, 01:17 PM   #1522
Gerardo Torres
Location: SF Bay Area
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 197
United_States
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Re: Aikido does not work at all in a fight.

I think experiencing what being hit is like can be an invaluable tool to forge the body and mind and avoid collapsing either mentally or physically in a real situation. Same with weapons, pain can be a good teacher.

That said I'm of the opinion that not all training should be "on steroids" or "high adrenaline" and there should be a balance between more structured training and free or high intensity training, whether the goal is to survive in a fight or not. I've seen in a program and read on the news where an experienced grappler (primed for aggressive/competitive action) was too eager to take down an assailant and he didn't noticed a knife being pulled out and got stabbed multiple times (one was a combatives drill I saw, the other I read about and unfortunately happened for real). So as long as we're talking street and not sports it's not about "kicking ass" but about surviving. Most koryu have highly structured training and yet they offer some of the best "I'm going home tonight" type of mental conditioning. This could have as much if not more value as "randori on steroids" when it comes to training for survival. I've been in situations where have I opted to "kick ass" in the traditional combat sport sense it would have resulted in a change in dynamics and me dead. Sometimes an eagerness to "kick ass" can stop one from properly seeing things before they escalate and assessing a situation and taking proper protective action to ensure survival.

Last edited by Gerardo Torres : 10-21-2011 at 01:19 PM.
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