AikiWeb Aikido Forums - View Single Post

Ian Williams · 07-06-2004, 08:29 PM

This is from a Japanese Jujitsu perspective, but I'm sure it applies to Aikido as well, and you guys are nice, so I'll ask it here anyway.

When we're practicing techniques that involves locks or wrist throws for example, I'm careful of the need to be "gentle" with Uke. I don't apply a wrist throw at full speed or strength, and I'm sure I wouldn't want the same done to me. I don't crank on joint locks at full speed/strength as many of them would result in joint separation/bone breakages etc.

We practice these techniques often, to the point where we are "skilling" then, ie: removing them from concious thought to automated action (ie: body movement, block, unbalance, technique).

Is there a potential to automate "going easy" on Uke to the point where if we had to use this on the street, we'd end up doing a half arsed wrist-throw or lock and the person would be able to escape and damage us in the process?

For those of you who have had to use your Aikido in real life defence situations, how hard has it been to go from "dojo strength/speed" to street strength/speed? Is this a problem with arts that don't encourage full speed/resisting opponents?

07-06-2004, 08:29 PM	#1
Ian Williams Location: Adelaide, Australia Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 136 Offline	Practice soft to fight hard? This is from a Japanese Jujitsu perspective, but I'm sure it applies to Aikido as well, and you guys are nice, so I'll ask it here anyway. When we're practicing techniques that involves locks or wrist throws for example, I'm careful of the need to be "gentle" with Uke. I don't apply a wrist throw at full speed or strength, and I'm sure I wouldn't want the same done to me. I don't crank on joint locks at full speed/strength as many of them would result in joint separation/bone breakages etc. We practice these techniques often, to the point where we are "skilling" then, ie: removing them from concious thought to automated action (ie: body movement, block, unbalance, technique). Is there a potential to automate "going easy" on Uke to the point where if we had to use this on the street, we'd end up doing a half arsed wrist-throw or lock and the person would be able to escape and damage us in the process? For those of you who have had to use your Aikido in real life defence situations, how hard has it been to go from "dojo strength/speed" to street strength/speed? Is this a problem with arts that don't encourage full speed/resisting opponents?