Help! How to explain what Aikido is in one sentence

Everyone says to me..."ah aikido, the one with the sticks." I just let em go with that. Cos if i tell em self defence they come along, then realise its going to take a bit longer than they want to learn this "self defence" and leave anyway.

lol @ "grab my wrist"

Ian Hurst wrote: As this is a PG12A website I'm going to have to leave that one alone... so is your nickname really sensei lurve?

I go by many names Ian, so if you wish to use this one when you address me....feel free ( it does have an particular aiki bunny feel to it )

regards,

Mark
p.s. I was under the impression that O Sensei said that "Aikido is love" among many other things.

Mark Freeman wrote: p.s. I was under the impression that O Sensei said that "Aikido is love" among many other things.

Aikido is life!

1) Don't wear an "aikido badge". That's dorky. The little American flags are bad enough.

2) I'll echo what was said early on --
A) "It's a style of jujutsu" (if they know martial arts)
B) "It's like judo" (if they don't)

I would be wary of saying something like "It's based on samurai martial arts" because that sounds a little ... you know?

If someone is further curious, I'd say it's a re-formulation of classical jujutsu styles. I might work in my current understanding of the roots of aikido by suggesting, "For example, ways to break free of a hold or draw a weapon when someone's trying to prevent you from doing so." I'd then add something about how the modern art of aikido is usually studied as a way of improving interactions and similar personal goals.

Paul Sanderson-Cimino wrote: I'll echo what was said early on -- A) "It's a style of jujutsu" (if they know martial arts) B) "It's like judo" (if they don't) I would be wary of saying something like "It's based on samurai martial arts" because that sounds a little ... you know?

Yeah, I thunk that one up all by myself, and it does sound very SCA-like. I haven't used that one yet and hope I never have to, although I almost had to. Thankfully the person saw the movie "The Last Samurai" so I used that as my springboard.

Aikido is not a spectator sport that can be explained in words.

Lynn Seiser wrote: Aikido is not a spectator sport that can be explained in words.

I was just about to say the same thing by quoting the doka of the day!

As to "here grab my wrist"

At my office, when someone asks me about aikido, everyone who has already asked quickly warns the would be grabber, "don't do it!!"

And me, a kindler gentler aikidoka.

Derek Duval wrote: And me, a kindler gentler aikidoka.

According to who? ;-)

Sorry Mark, Gotta go with Eric on this one - it's the first thing that came to my mind as well (whether as a joke or serious).

Aikido "explained through words" is just words - and subjective to that persons experiences. Aikido is best "experienced". Too many people "talk " martial arts - not enough DO aikido.

Shannon

Mark Uttech wrote: I don't think that "here, grab my wrist" works at all and does not give a good impression; it makes skeptical people all the more skeptic. That may be why it isn't as obvious as you think. It would be interesting to have a poll to see how many people actually use that sentence. In gassho, Mark

I like the S&M analogy; pain for money. LOL

if you're gonna use a S&M analogy its more like Total Power Exchange, ot the Ultimate Switch...

Shannon Frye wrote: Aikido "explained through words" is just words - and subjective to that persons experiences. Aikido is best "experienced". Too many people "talk " martial arts - not enough DO aikido. Shannon

Them there's fightin' words Shannon

Shannon Frye wrote: Sorry Mark, Gotta go with Eric on this one - it's the first thing that came to my mind as well (whether as a joke or serious). Aikido "explained through words" is just words - and subjective to that persons experiences. Aikido is best "experienced". Too many people "talk " martial arts - not enough DO aikido. Shannon

Mark Freeman wrote: Them there's fightin' words Shannon

"Do...or do not. There is no try...."
O'Sensei Yoda

Tony Hudspith wrote: Hi everyone If"What's that Aikido you do then?" Tony

"Its a Force Using Force Martial Art."
Im Lazy- Instead of having a physical struggle with a guy I perfer to ride His Muscles helping him see the errors of his ways.

This is usually followed by some muscle grabbing me or punching at me. (I work on a military installation, where "combatitives" are a way of life).

Ikei,
Jeff Duncan

Hehehe - "Uhoh- betcha'd really like to --- grab my wrist, huh?!"

Sorry - couldn't resist!!!

Mark Freeman wrote: Them there's fightin' words Shannon

Hi everyone
Thanks for these amazing replies, some funny, some serious and some..... well let's just leave them others alone shall we?
I'm glad to see there are so many different thoughts on what Aikido is and goes to show my answers have all been right but also wrong in that they are all insufficient.
As for the people telling me not to wear the badge,this is something that generates interest in Aikido and I have managed to enhance peoples lives by introducing them into Aikido. So if I look dorky wearing a badge then it's worth it.
As what Sensei Seiser said, "Aikido is not a spectator sport" he is spot on with that comment. People need to get out there and try it and we ALL need to spark their interest by talking to them first then after their first session of nikyo's and kote gaishi's smile and walk away before the get you back LOL
Once again many thanks

Tony

Tony Hudspith wrote: Hi everyone Thanks for these amazing replies, some funny, some serious and some..... well let's just leave them others alone shall we? I'm glad to see there are so many different thoughts on what Aikido is and goes to show my answers have all been right but also wrong in that they are all insufficient. As for the people telling me not to wear the badge,this is something that generates interest in Aikido and I have managed to enhance peoples lives by introducing them into Aikido. So if I look dorky wearing a badge then it's worth it. As what Sensei Seiser said, "Aikido is not a spectator sport" he is spot on with that comment. People need to get out there and try it and we ALL need to spark their interest by talking to them first then after their first session of nikyo's and kote gaishi's smile and walk away before the get you back LOL Once again many thanks Tony

All dorkiness aside... did you get her to check out Aikido or a Date?

William Hazen

I'm amazed... 2 pages of replies and nobody's posted:

"Origami - with people"
Cheers
8-)
W

While this is a bit longer than one sentence, I explained Aikido to a couple of beginners as:

"If youre out on the street or in a bar, and there's this guy trying to start a fight with you and you just now this is gonna go bad, and there no way for you to get out of there, do you:

1) punch the guy in the face or kick him, then you probably should go train boxing or karate or something

if you:

2) grab his arm as he holds you, throw him down to the ground and apply a painful lock to him, then you should go train Judo or Jujitsu or similar

but if you:

3) keep talking him out of the fight, trying to defuse the situation until the very end..

then go train Aikido..."

Jo Adell wrote: "That stuff Steven Segal "does"". (yes I am being facetious)(and refuse to use smileys)

Just, for me.

And the point is?

(trying to solve the conflict without violence is kind of common sense, is common sense something we learn in the dojo ?)

Mattias Bengtsson wrote: While this is a bit longer than one sentence, I explained Aikido to a couple of beginners as: "If youre out on the street or in a bar, and there's this guy trying to start a fight with you and you just now this is gonna go bad, and there no way for you to get out of there, do you:...... 3) keep talking him out of the fight, trying to defuse the situation until the very end.. then go train Aikido..."

Peter Gröndahl wrote: And the point is? (trying to solve the conflict without violence is kind of common sense, is common sense something we learn in the dojo ?)

no..
You are quite misunderstanding what I'm trying to say here.

When I spoke to these two beginners I was trying to point out to them that solving problems varies from person to person.
We are all different, me, for instance don't try to take out my frustrations on some other person just because someone else don't agree with my opinions on a forum in another thread...

So what I was telling these two kids is that depending on how one prefers to solve a problem in life, some martial arts might be more suitable than others. Aikido being the one most suitable to people who seek peaceful resolutions.

If you believed I was saying that I learn how to solve violent situations by talking myself out of them at our dojo, youre quite wrong. in our dojo I learn how to be able to break someones wrist or elbow if they try to punch me...

That doesn't mean that is how I will solve the situation though, because I'd rather not fight at all.. and if I were forced into it, I would use it as a final option even then..

In fact, it is a good fortune I am such a gentle person who don't want to hurt anyone, considering some of the dangerous aspects of some techniques.

I guess I could have phrased it in another way:
"there are three kind of people who train martial arts. There are those who want to win fights, so they train Boxing or MMA and compete.
There are those who want to be able to defend themselves, so they train things like jujitsu, krav maga.
And then there are those that don't want to fight, and they train Aikido..."

Another sweeping generalization of different martial arts, but I think
the point comes across.

Peter Gröndahl wrote: And the point is? common sense, ?)

Youd be surprised on how many people out there in the world who lacks common sense in different situations.. Martial artists or not..