AikiWeb Aikido Forums - View Single Post - Effectiveness of Aikido in a combat situation

marlon10 · 01-01-2009, 12:54 PM

Yes Chris sorry for the long post. When I look back at it I can't believe how much I wrote. I should probably just start a blog. But the point I am trying to make is that so many of us here train for the wrong reasons. Martial Arts was a means of survival back a long time ago. That is why you can trace methods of organized instruction of fighting back to almost any countries history. Not just the Asian one's. Countries in Africa and Europe as well. The thing about it is that times have changed. You don't have honorable people willing to look you in the eye and issue a challenge. You have rob first, clean up the mess later types of situations. Martial Artists of the past lived a lifestyle that cultivated there ability to defend themselves 24 hours a day. Now a days we may devote 4 hours at most 3 -5 days a week in controlled conditions for the possibility of a maybe one life or death confrontation in our lives. It just doesn't add up anymore. Samurai were great warriors because anything less carried the probability of there demise. Today people don't have the time to devote to that type of dedication. And should we even. I mean even if you watch the news everynight where murders and muggings are always being reported do you really believe that the chance of you getting mugged is that great. You have a much better chance of being in a car accident, yet most of us have not devised a martial science of driving safely. And for all you reality based artists who think that I am wrong about your chances of being involved in a confrontation, just take a poll on this forum full of Marital artists and ask how many of these people have been in life or death combat and can back it up with proof. I am not trying to belittle anyone here. All I am saying is for people to stop putting down Martial Arts for their lack of reality, especially Aikido. You may, if your unlucky, be involved in one situation in your life where your Aikido techniques were put to use. But every day of your life the spiritual benefits of your art may be put to the test. Criminals live a lifestyle that dictates they fight and scratch for every minute of their existence. Remember hard core criminals don't usually live a 9-5 existence as we do. They are to busy planning there next hussle or chance to take advantage of them. So they have a lot of experience fighting someone. And most of the times they will only do it on their own terms. This is where regardless of what art you practice you have to incorporate awareness training. Not just Ki but what are the signs of a possible mugging or set-up. Remember even Rickson Gracie or Bruce Lee is susceptible to a sucker punch they don't see coming. The funny thing about the Reality based stuff was they always would train you so that you could feel like you could walk down the middle of compton, california and dodge bullets. That mentality is just as dangerous as a martial art that doesn't prepare you for a real fight because you spend all your time doing Kata. What I am saying is just a regurgitation of some of the reality based authors that don't believe it is possible to build a rambo in 10 easy steps. But blending this type of mentality and awareness training with my study and love for Aikido will allow me to improve my odds of ever getting into another confrontation and also spiritually find a balance that will have me more in synch with the Universe and world around me. I really believe that one can develop enough skill to neutralize an attack without hurting a less skilled attacker. That is why I chose arts the involve some sort of grappling. Aikido specifically because it doesn't involve grappling with the purpose of taking someone to the ground with me being there as well. Plus I believe Aikido is the best answer to empty hand vs. weapons and multiple attackers. Having been on the receiving end of both, albeit they weren't life threatening although the knife incident could have escalated to that point, I think Aikido meets the requirements of an art that teaches very applicable self-defense concepts and principles. I apologize I just can't keep these posts short. I promise this will be my last long post for at least today. Please let me know if I am full of hot air or you can make suggestions or agree. I am always open to differing points of views.

01-01-2009, 12:54 PM	#6
marlon10 Location: Odenton, MD Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 22 Offline	Re: Effectiveness of Aikido in a combat situation Yes Chris sorry for the long post. When I look back at it I can't believe how much I wrote. I should probably just start a blog. But the point I am trying to make is that so many of us here train for the wrong reasons. Martial Arts was a means of survival back a long time ago. That is why you can trace methods of organized instruction of fighting back to almost any countries history. Not just the Asian one's. Countries in Africa and Europe as well. The thing about it is that times have changed. You don't have honorable people willing to look you in the eye and issue a challenge. You have rob first, clean up the mess later types of situations. Martial Artists of the past lived a lifestyle that cultivated there ability to defend themselves 24 hours a day. Now a days we may devote 4 hours at most 3 -5 days a week in controlled conditions for the possibility of a maybe one life or death confrontation in our lives. It just doesn't add up anymore. Samurai were great warriors because anything less carried the probability of there demise. Today people don't have the time to devote to that type of dedication. And should we even. I mean even if you watch the news everynight where murders and muggings are always being reported do you really believe that the chance of you getting mugged is that great. You have a much better chance of being in a car accident, yet most of us have not devised a martial science of driving safely. And for all you reality based artists who think that I am wrong about your chances of being involved in a confrontation, just take a poll on this forum full of Marital artists and ask how many of these people have been in life or death combat and can back it up with proof. I am not trying to belittle anyone here. All I am saying is for people to stop putting down Martial Arts for their lack of reality, especially Aikido. You may, if your unlucky, be involved in one situation in your life where your Aikido techniques were put to use. But every day of your life the spiritual benefits of your art may be put to the test. Criminals live a lifestyle that dictates they fight and scratch for every minute of their existence. Remember hard core criminals don't usually live a 9-5 existence as we do. They are to busy planning there next hussle or chance to take advantage of them. So they have a lot of experience fighting someone. And most of the times they will only do it on their own terms. This is where regardless of what art you practice you have to incorporate awareness training. Not just Ki but what are the signs of a possible mugging or set-up. Remember even Rickson Gracie or Bruce Lee is susceptible to a sucker punch they don't see coming. The funny thing about the Reality based stuff was they always would train you so that you could feel like you could walk down the middle of compton, california and dodge bullets. That mentality is just as dangerous as a martial art that doesn't prepare you for a real fight because you spend all your time doing Kata. What I am saying is just a regurgitation of some of the reality based authors that don't believe it is possible to build a rambo in 10 easy steps. But blending this type of mentality and awareness training with my study and love for Aikido will allow me to improve my odds of ever getting into another confrontation and also spiritually find a balance that will have me more in synch with the Universe and world around me. I really believe that one can develop enough skill to neutralize an attack without hurting a less skilled attacker. That is why I chose arts the involve some sort of grappling. Aikido specifically because it doesn't involve grappling with the purpose of taking someone to the ground with me being there as well. Plus I believe Aikido is the best answer to empty hand vs. weapons and multiple attackers. Having been on the receiving end of both, albeit they weren't life threatening although the knife incident could have escalated to that point, I think Aikido meets the requirements of an art that teaches very applicable self-defense concepts and principles. I apologize I just can't keep these posts short. I promise this will be my last long post for at least today. Please let me know if I am full of hot air or you can make suggestions or agree. I am always open to differing points of views.