I always find myself circling my opponent either left or right and keeping a respective distance, this has the advantage that your apponent will always have to adjust in order to attack you, of course if someone is doing this to you you simply step in and atemi, followed by something nasty like a kotegaishi or jus like bokken work, when you lower your sword you leave a window of opertunity in which your attacker will most likely take, this is when you make YOUR move and before he knows it he's on the floor.
to be honest i never think about weather aikido would work in real life, i simply beleive that it does, practace fast attacks and punches etc... work from here and you'll be fine, of course nothing beats commen sense if they have a big stick and you dont...run
pete