Re: "Is Aikido A Martial Art?" - Roy Dean, Lenny Sly, Vince Salvatore, Corky Quakenbush
I suppose cliche speculation "My KungFu is better than Your KungFu and My Master can beat Your Master" will always be part of the human condition. It's a silly argument spawned by insecurity. How do you practice lethal force without hurting each other? There have been many methods. Train hard, train soft, spar, duel, practice basics, practice tricks, etc. Regardless, they all come apart in combat. The history of combat is clear. In personal combat, untrained amateurs can still beat seasoned professionals. The greatest swordsman can be downed with a rock. The most well armored knight can be pulled from his horse by peasants. The most elite soldiers of the British Empire were killed by Zulu spears, Indian tulwars, and American tomahawks. An overwhelming number of historical examples prove that even the most skilled soldiers still die on the battlefield. No amount of training protects them.The world's greatest martial artist is still vulnerable to a 2x4 to the head. Aikidoists choose to practice AIKI which allows for martial practice along with other kinds of practice - like ALL other martial arts. Is Tai Chi a martial art? Is Judo? Is Kendo? Is target shooting? Is MMA competition? Is conflict resolution a martial art? They all improve your odds of surviving lethal combat, AND they can all be defeated. Why equivocate?
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