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Old 04-02-2004, 01:52 PM   #15
shihonage
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 890
United_States
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Thank you for all the replies.

I think I found a better way to sum up why my mind is at unrest regarding this.

I think I have to choose between Judo and Aikido.

A person has only one set of reflexes, and I want to react properly when my life/well-being is on the line.

1) I'm not interested in competitions.

I'm interested in survival.

Aikido seems much better suited for that.

It goes hand in hand with what reality self-defense schools teach.

I don't want to move my hips INTO someone who has a knife.

I don't want to lock myself to one opponent and land with him on the ground.

2) I have been able to avoid fights since 12th grade.

Is it really worth it for me to shift into training mode where I come home feeling beaten and bruised every time ?

Where conflicts I have at work only get escalated instead of dissolved, in my head ?

3) Judo is a sport.

One thing I forgot to mention is that Judo guys who tried to throw me actually fell down several times while I did nothing but keep my balance.

Especially the last guy, who actually went full force/full speed trying to get his hips under me and bam, he's on the floor.

That was hilarious. He probably had 10lbs on me.

In real life when a Judo person tries to close the distance like that, not only their chances of a throw are far worse with an Aikidoka, but they will get punched in the head, kneed in the face, gouged in the eyes, uppercut, etc.
An Aikidoka has a sense of atemi when the comfortable distance has been breached.

Sport is not survival, and I don't want sport to give me wrong habits which may cost me when I'm attacked by some moron in a bad neighborhood.

Aikido stuff which doesn't work with a Judoka due to rules, WOULD work once I land a solid hit on their face immediately and then move.

A grab interrupted by a punch in the face (or two) WOULD allow for a nikkyo or whatever.
In fact nikkyo HAS a punch or two built-in as they go together with footwork.

I don't mean to insult Judo, and maybe this sounds arrogant from someone who's been only to one class, but hey, I have to make some kind of decisions.

I've been able to use Aikido just fine recently vs. dedicated sincere punches and kicks from a friend, did a perfect yokomen shihonage without them even feeling it, and all that.
Even did perfect ikkyo ura while riding resistance from their punch as it was unfolding.

Aikido allows me to hold my own when grappling with a much heavier man (like my father or just a much more skilled man, like my Judo uncle). Sure I can't really throw them, but I can, for the most part, prevent them from throwing me.

If I do keep at Judo, thats going to be my main mode of behavior in randori...

Be centered, negate throw attempts, conserve energy.

If they fall on their ass as a result of my evasion, great.

If not, whatever.

Last edited by shihonage : 04-02-2004 at 02:04 PM.
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