help with self defense?

Question

I have studied Aikido and Aikijustsu for a while now. Sure the practice is simple your opponent slowly does the move and you can easily do moves on him. But then I started practicing with my friend and in a real fight people would punch pretty fast like crazy. I find it hard to get an opening since they are moving so wild. So the professionals how do they do it so easily?

Answer 1

Aikido doesn't work against a calculated attack, only against a committed attack. There is no Aikido defense against a boxing jab for example because Aikido presupposes the fact that a guy in his right mind would not wanna get into a fight against a trained boxer. My rule of thumb on whether Aikido techniques would work or not is this: If it's a fight where I can just turn my back and walk or even run away from, then chances are Aikido techniques won't work. But if it's an attack where I have no choice but to react, like a guy swinging a steel pipe at me full force, then Aikido techniques will work. The reason is momentum, Aikido needs an attack with the attacker's full momentum behind it to work, a jab is usually thrown with only a little weight behind it so the speed of recovery is faster, so trying to even catch it to apply a wristlock for example is pointless. If the guy's gonna jab, that usually means he's not gonna rush in headfirst, so you can still run away. The best defense against a jab is to move out of the way, not trying to catch or parry it. Aikido techniques requires one to be constantly in motion to create momentum while nullifying the attacker's. An Irimi nage for example won't work if either one of you or your attacker is motionless. Both of you must be in motion for it to work properly. Think of it this way, it takes two to tango, if one partner doesn't lead or if both want to lead, then the techniques won't work. Aikido is a system of self defense whose goal is not to beat up or defeat your attacker, it's goal is to survive violent unprovoked attacks with minimal injury to both yourself and your attacker. It's a foreign concept to most people who grew up watching Bruce Lee and Van damme movies, but it serves as an alternative method of self defense for people who are not that bloodthirsty. After all, that was the reason why the founder, Morehei Ueshiba, an ex-soldier who became a shinto priest after getting tired of a life full of violence, developed the art of Aikido in the first place.

Answer 2

Unfortunately in my experience aikido moves work on a passive opponent only. The only thing that an aikidoka can do is to keep a safe distance at all times from a fast puncher which is the basic principle of aikido anyway and a very good one, in fact is the best move of any marshall arts ,but it only works well in an open space.

Maybe for a master with many years of experience is different but for the average Aikidoka this is it.

I don't know Aikijijutzu so I can't talk about that art.

Aikido was the first martial art that I studied then I studied Karate, then Wing Chung and then Tai chi and I'm an instructor of the last two. The only move that I preserve from aikido is the one of non confrontation that I explained above that is if an opponet advances I step back in order to be outside his hitting range and which is in fact my favourite strategy.

Answer 3

There are a number of factors with regards to this and no one real answer but I will try and give you some thoughts based on my training and experience. First some techniques are not the real pretty ones that you sometimes see in class or in demonstrations. They are quick, effective, and brutal so you don't see them that much because the risk of injury is very high. Secondly a lot of the techniques require that your opponent move a certain way or into a certain position. If they don't you don't have the ideal opportunity for that technique. Sometimes a well trained person can still maneuver their opponent into position or get them to move and if not successful will know when to change and go with another, more effective technique. Thirdly, an aggressive opponent throwing multiple punches in bunches will usually require a person to move in without getting hit flush and then smothering him and using skill and technique to take them down or disable them. Short strikes, punches and kicks along with use of elbows and knees to key targets become very important tools when doing this. All of this takes years of training and practice and sometimes other techniques from other martial arts can be more effective so once again it comes down to a training and experience factor.

Answer 4

I not only train in Aikido but teach it as well. Also I am into BJJ/MMA and Kali. Aikido is very effective and works well when interminglling with the others. I use Aiki very effective while I do bjj, it works well together. If you train without resistance you will not know how to effectivly counter it with Aiki. A very passive Aikido will result in a very passive attempt to defend oneself. I love Aiki and understand the "issues" that it projects to those who know nothing about it or train it only as a 100% passive style. The ideas and concepts of aiki are very sound and effective. What people need to do and understand is practice this in a "real life" view and when a real life encounter occurs you are more likely to see and understand it's effectivness.

Answer 5

timing is most important when dealing with any art form, striking or grappling.

not really sure what "studying for a while" means, but in terms of learning the arts of aikido or jujutsu, for the first few years you spend more time working the technique and learning the finer detail on how it works. with experience, your timing will improve and you will be able to apply the technique in multiple situations.

Its important to remember that jujutsu was taught from an early age so that when a boy turned to be a man, he would be skilled and could use it during battle. do not expect "professional" results in a short period of time... it will come

i was taught from early on, and found it to be true... that a black belt stands for this: a congrats of understanding the basics of your art, and now let the real training begin.

good luck

Answer 6

It is all from the same Bowl as I try to explain as all the arts. I refer to Nabashima and then AiKiDo's Ueshiba as two very different views of the same stuff.
Now MMA has shown that without full Randori with a skilled person willing to tackle you, well it is never sure you have what works.
Ueshiba was obviously from the Sword era and was well equipped to handle himself. But in a real one to one fight, well Thai and BJJ and the such have an advantage in that they understand that you must learn to apply in a real life scenario for it to actually be efective as a means to count on most of the time.
Many styles lack this quality, an so appear weak.
But as Lo Sifu taught, Never Judge An Opponent

Answer 7

how long is a while? don't think that after a year or so that your a master in aikido or even near it. that's the problem here you think after a few classes that you've invented aikido and you can take on everybody, this is not true, it take's years and than a few years more to just only begin to understand a technique. no wonder you couldn't defend yourself against your friend

Answer 8

I've been practicing Jiu-jitsu for a while now and in order to become a fighter you need a lot of practice, time, effort and it helps if you know more than one martial art. I mix of a few martial art can make you a professional.

Another advice, we practice by doing a "circle of death", people attack you one at time but none stop for a few minutes. Try it with friends it will help for the speed.

Answer 9

Im yet to see anyone who does Aikido to use it effectivly against a real punch

Answer 10

Slow practice is just the 1st step. If you want to be able to DO these things, you have to practice faster and faster and work into free sparing.

Expect to fail 100 times before making it work right once. Expect to fail 10,000 times before you can make it work right consistantly.