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Old 12-01-2012, 11:52 AM   #10
ChrisHein
 
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Dojo: Aikido of Fresno
Location: Fresno , CA
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Re: For those who wonder how to use aikido against fast punching

The problem we get into here is one of context.

The OP's post brings up some good points, and some good exercises. The question we must first ask though, is, why?

I don't believe it's a question of, "why do we need this, we study the art of peace". We are studying a martial art, that means learning to be martial, or able to deal with physical conflict. So it is, as martial artists, at least partially our goal, to become martially effective. So one might say, the reason we need to add this to Aikido, is because we need Aikido to be more martially effective.

But if we look at this from the perspective of context, we can start to see a better reason we need to ask, "why should we add this to Aikido". Do professional boxers want to add kicking to their boxing? Now this might sound like a crazy question. But honestly, do you think Floyd Mayweather is getting video clips of Thai boxers, showing how powerful their kicks are, and posting them on boxing forums in an attempt to get western boxers to learn how to kick?

That is kind of a silly question, I know, but it's only silly because you realize 100% that he's not trying to get boxers to learn how to kick. So we must ask ourselves, why isn't he. Is it because he thinks kicking is ineffective? While I don't know his personal feelings on kicking, I'm sure, if he saw effective Thai boxers, he would understand quickly that their kicking is effective, and useful. Kicking is martial, and effective, but out of the context of western boxing, so boxers don't study it. If they wanted to learn how to kick, they wouldn't add kicking to western boxing, they would simply go to a Thai boxing gym.

Aikido doesn't teach boxing skill. While it does teach some rudimentary unarmed striking, boxing is not what you learn in Aikido. And that's okay. When you go into a BJJ school, you're also not learning to box. But we all know how effective learning BJJ can be. Boxing is outside of BJJ's context. So if you want to train boxing on your own, or join a professional boxing gym, I think that's a great idea! But it's not what we do in Aikido.

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