Adam Huss

This is a very subjective topic. I like training in a way that most would find a bit rough. My favorite aikido is Yoshinkan, which can be rather robust. With that, I've rarely felt serious pain during a technique. My teacher's focus is on controlling uke with technique, not pain. Even with techniques like hijishime, if done correctly, can be applied very robustly without causing trauma to the joint. While sometimes people may think my preferred training is a bit rough, from outside observation, I can tell you that I really don't appreciate when someone is utilizing pain compliance. For example, nikyo has no reason to be painful...I hate nikkyo that is focused on uke's wrist...bringing uke forward, vice actually making uke's hips pop out from their shoulders and sending them to the rear. Another pet peeve are people who execute pins like they are throwing reverse punches. You are, in effect, training in an compliant martial art and are giving your body to your partner as a practice tool. While I don't mind getting whapped on the mat (or grass, concrete) in a very hard, yet controlled manner, I do hate careless sloppy technique that causes injury because nage is trying to throw/pin someone before gaining control of them...or is going faster than he or she can handle. Man do I not like those snap-like pins...its just pure ego, trying to show delicate control...and totally away from the point of osae waza.