Are there any MMA fighters who use Aikido / or who are practitioners of Aikido?

Is it because it%26#039;s ineffective in MMA? or is there a restriction in its usage in MMA? Many criticize its effectivity in real situations..... your opinions will be very much appreciated.|||In Aikido it is not permitted to fight for sport. Thats why they don%26#039;t fight in MMA or have tournaments or anything like that.





In an MMA fight it would be quite useful. It all depends on the skill of the person using it.|||I don%26#039;t know of any. I don%26#039;t know about how effective the style would be. The are a few issues that I can think of that would make it difficult. I%26#039;m thinking of wrist and arm techniques.





1) Wrist control: Grabbing someone%26#039;s wrist, especially a trained fighter, isn%26#039;t very easy and a wrist grab is easy to break.





2) Balance: Once you have someone%26#039;s wrist you have to break their balance, not easy to do against a trained fighter.





3) Space: the moves require freedom of movement, however, most fighters would clinch if they were grabbed at the wrist of in range.|||to %26quot;TOX%26quot; --in Aikido, one does not go on the offensive to grab someone%26#039;s wrist. Aikikai Aikido is purely defensive and involevs the attacker coming at you, then you blend with the attacker to keep him going and throw his balance and then perform any number of locks, throws etc......in a nutshell.|||There are currently no top level MMA fighters who claim their background is Aikido.|||yes i am sure there are

Did anyone realize the Rickson Gracie appeared on the HULK as an "Aikido instructor"?

In the credits at the end of the HULK, Rickson Gracie was identified as an Aikido Instructor.|||Yes, unfortunately when i got excited...no one knew what i was talking about.......


I think they had him doing aikido and the breathing excercises because it relates more to the inner battle of Bruce banner...not using force or else he changes...


what with aikido redirecting an opponents energy with little force and the breathing to slow his heart rate...it fits in to the characters needs..


I know who he was and his BJJ history...i think it just made more sense the way they presented it...it was well done...i understand your cause for alarm bc we know he was a BJJ submission specialist if not wizard...it just fit in the movie as they showed it...|||Here you go...http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5ru3o_...|||I missed the first ten minutes or so of the movie so I didn%26#039;t get to see if he was in it, but I noticed that on the credits too.|||Hollywood has been bitten by the Mixed martial arts bug, and we will see more MMA people in movie credits in the future.|||I saw it, I thought it was pretty cool that he was in it especially since he was supposed to be in Brazil at the time.|||I thought he was about to be 400-1, the way he was kicking Banners ****. Krazy bastage|||Thats what I heard I just haven%26#039;t had the chance to see it yet.|||No, but that%26#039;s awesome.


I think I%26#039;ll go and watch the movie.|||Yes. that was crazy what he did with his stomach

Is Ninjutsu or Aikido better? In which do you get to train with weapons?

Like wooden swords or real swords? Also do you wear hakama in both?|||Ninjitsu does not learn any sword techniques. Depending on the school they might teach some weapon techniques but that is most likely gonna be a few of the more civil weapons like the kama, sai or grappling hook. But not all schools do weapon techniques. Aikido teaches a lot of sword techniques due to the fact that a lot of the techniques are based upon the art of the sword. A sword is a good weapon to master it teaches you a lot about balance, control and use of the body but also about your perimetre (ma ai) and defense. it%26#039;s true that some argue that no one uses swords these days but the striking of the sword can be compared to the strikes of a few contemporary weapons (baseball bat, crowbar, table legs,...) it%26#039;s a beautiful weapon and it%26#039;s beatiful to use if you master it. As to the hakama it does not appear in ninjitsu. A hakama was a robe exclusively worn by the Samurai. Thus ninja would never have worn these. The samurai derived arts kendo, aikido, iaido still use the hakama|||you can not compare these two styles.beacause their bases are different.the main point is :you should not restrict yourself to learn one thing.you should improve your way of fighting.|||you%26#039;ll most likely not find real ninjutsu just a good number of ninjutsu schools claiming to teach ninjutsu cashing in off the %26quot;ninja%26quot; craze: ninja turtles, 3 ninjas, surf ninjas, naruto. since %26quot;ninjutsu%26quot; really doesnt have many organzations regulating it anyone can just come and say yes i trained in the art for several years in the mountains of japan under some wise man where i learned the deadly chuck norris roundhouse, you cant verify that so theres no real way of telling if hes lying or not. google frank dux for more info.





ninjutsu is the art of stealth or secrecy/enduring(so wouldnt that make a school advertsing they teach it an oxymoron?)anyways %26quot;ninjas%26quot; often acted as todays special/covert forces would act: assassins, gathering information, disguise, escape, explosion, weapons, some hand to hand combat etc...





a misconception is that ninjas were excellent fighters. i doubt they would be any better than samurais they just didnt have an honor code and did anything to live. a true ninja would only fight head on if its their last choice they would most likely ambush whom they wanted to take out, or like poison their drink.





now if you do learn %26quot;ninjutsu%26quot; try to make sure the linage goes back to Soke Masaaki Hatsumi the style is Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu.





aikido its a peaceful art focused on avoiding fights and resolving it in a peaceful way. usually you learn to use enough force to subdue not to cripple, so you can leave.





as far as which one is %26quot;better%26quot; even though i doubt you%26#039;ll find true ninjutsu, you might find a good fighting system using the name ninjutsu. no martial art is better than another its all how you train and the person using it. if you are taught practial movements and spar regularly against a resisting opponent then you%26#039;ll be able to handle yourself pretty well





ninjutsu usually teaches kamas, swords, bos, jos, spears, and shuriken/throwing knives some modern day places teach firearms





aikido usually teachs swords, knife, jos maybe tonfa





and yea its safe to say you%26#039;ll practice with a wooden sword(bokken) because instructors dont want people getting hurt. you%26#039;ll definitely use wooden swords starting out





by your questions you seem to have an interest in japanese culture

What is the difference between hapkido and aikido?

call has most of the answer. Both styles share a similar principle but Hapkido has incorporated Korean striking arts into the Daito Ryu-Aikijujitsu method. The syllabus was worked to be more accepted by the newly freed Korean people. After the Japanese occupation ended, anything considered Japanese was frowned upon. So many Japanese martial arts schools that were open but run by Koreans absorbed aspects of banned native styles into the Japanese methods. This is in part how Taekwondo came about.





Aikido is also an offshoot of Daito Ryu-Aikijujitsu. It does not utilize strikes the way Hapkido does and it%26#039;s philosophy is that of defense without causing lasting harm.|||They both have their roots in Daito-Ryu Aikijutsu





Aikido is Japanese. The emphasis is on receiving the opponent%26#039;s momentum and turning it against them. There are typically few strikes taught in Aikido.





Hapkido is Korean. In addition to having similar %26quot;blending%26quot; principle as Aikido, they also will use striking techniques.|||Hapkido has a lot o kicking and sriking techniqes and as I understand it Aikido has none or very little. Hapkido uses grappling as an aspect of the art whereas the art is you might say grappling (joint locks, takedowns, throws) in a sense in Aikido|||Hapkido is Korean


Aikido is Japanese.





Hapkido originated when the Korean housekeeper of a Japanese Aikido master took what he learned back home and started teaching it there.|||Besides what the first post says Aikido is traditionally a defensive art. Using throws and joint locks to resolve a conflict, minimal or no punching or kicking. |||quik and simple hapkidos better

What's the main difference between Aikido and the Serbian martial art "Real Aikido?"?

I want facts, not opinions.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Aikido


http://www.realaikido.org/


http://www.wcra.rs/|||Aikido is a japanese word meaning %26quot;the way of harmonious spirit%26quot; developed by Morihei Ueshiba. if a Serbian martial art is calling itself %26quot;Real Aikido%26quot; it would be like a Ford being called a %26quot;Real Toyota%26quot; As Aikido is a Japanese word I cannot see how a Serbian art can be real aikido, can you?





according to his bio he has a shodan from Japanese aikido which puts him at the lowest blackbelt level but his site does not show a certificate signed by Ueshiba who would have issued it. his 10th seems to be a self promotion which is not a good thing.

What is the most difficult Hapkido / Aikido technique?

For you to do? What is it called? Can you describe it? Post a link to a video?|||Among the basic techniques of Aikido, I%26#039;ve observed that most students have difficulty applying Yonkyu tekubi osae properly. It%26#039;s understabdable since unlike the other four basic kyu techniques which target the wrist in a lock, Yonkyu is technically a pressure point technique which requires precise application of angles and body alignment, most student end up in a tug of war instead of applying pressure on the forearm at an angle where your whole body weight bears down on the forearm. For me, back when I was still starting out, I%26#039;ve had the most difficulty performing the technique called Ryu Katate Tori Koshinage(Double wristgrab Hip throw) due to the uke slipping off my hips whenever I tried to thow him, for some reason I couldn%26#039;t fathom, it always put a lot of pressure on my wrist which hurt like hell after repeated practice of the throw. I finally solved it by lowering my one point while pivoting quickly into a wider horse stance and strengthening my tegatana(sword hand). But it sure took me some time to figure it out.|||The most difficult teachnique in any Martial Art involves scaring the living bejezzus out of the enemy with a harsh, aggressive look, raising their blood pressure sharply, then dropping it through the floor, where their front and back sphincters relax and their #1 and #2 come on out already, and they faint dead away- totally lost it.





The fight is over before you even so much as lay a finger on them.


It is so priceless.|||most teachers I%26#039;ve studied with taught me the same wisdom


the most difficult technique in aikido is the basic ikyo technique


it%26#039;s one of the most basic and at first sight easiest to get right


but you can study it for years and year before you actually get it right|||I would think the ones that the top black belts/masters do.I included some sites for you to check out.|||the fastest one that works the best with the least effort|||Gaining the ability to clear the mind and leave the outside world outside of the dojo.

Is there any Aikido private tutor of Aikido In Kolkata?

Or A dojo where practises, are in the morning hours everyday?|||Refer to the following link





http://www.academyofaikido.org/





Use the contact details and ask hem for the required info.

Do you have to be in excellent physical condition to handle Yoshinkan Aikido?

Some background on me, I practiced karate, Judo, and very little Aikikai, but due to scheduling problems, decided to join a Yoshinkan beginning this week. I have researched a lot of both Aikikai and Yoshinkan, and I know that Aikikai is considered a %26quot;soft%26quot; style and Yoshinkan a %26quot;hard%26quot; style, but of course, I learned that it depends on the instructor. But my question is, I know both are similar, but will there be more focus on physical exercise in the warm up, like push-ups, running, etc? Or will it be like the %26quot;usual%26quot; Judo/Aikido warm-ups, that are mostly stretching, etc. I am not that worried, but I just want to be ready, I haven%26#039;t done any major cardio for a while. thanks!





I know that supposedly the Tokyo Riot Police have to know Yoshinkan, and obviously they better be in excellent physical condition? do you agee?|||Actually, it doesn%26#039;t matter what physical condition you%26#039;re in, what matters is what mental condition you are in. Engaging in a martial arts you%26#039;re not familiar with usually involves having to train muscles you don%26#039;t usually use regularly, so no matter how fit you are, you usually feel fatigued after trying something new. It%26#039;s what you do after feeling the exhaustion and fatigue that counts. If you really are determined to keep training and get better at it, then sooner or later you will reach your peak form in that art. So don%26#039;t worry too much about it. I remember the first time I tried out Aikido back in college and feeling totally overwhelmed by the physical endurance training involved(yep it requires lots of stamina unlike popular misconceptions, our sensei was a hard taskmaster and required at least 100 repetitions of every drill and technique, warm up alone lasted 1 hour and not a minute less), I didn%26#039;t think I could last a minute, but after years of training, I could go for an hour and still be able to raise my arms and remain standing. Just focus more on mastering one technique at a time, you%26#039;ll get there soon enough.|||well there is only one thing u need to be ready for n dat is a lil bit of stiffness or soreness after d first few sessions since ur outta touch excellent physical condition is nt required its enough if u arent sick or sumthin like dat n since u hv a martial arts past u ll manage|||It would help, but not required. Being in good physical shape will give you better/longer endurance...which will be necessary if you want to get anything out of it. Depending upon your dedication to it, it will get you in shape if you%26#039;re not already!|||Excellent conition? No, but you shouldn%26#039;t be in poor condition. Classes are a decidedly more rapid pace, so you wil get into better shape. Be prepared for some soreness after the first few classes.|||No, I%26#039;ve seen very old people on T.V. doing it.|||The Motto Of Aikido is Making the weak strong..|||If you have trained in Judo before you should be in good condition for Yoshinkan Aikido

Can you recommend good Aikido tutorials. Preferably, on-line for free or in a DVD with everything explained?

You can try Aikidojournal.com..a very good Aikido website|||I wouldn%26#039;t recommend it. You need a qualified instructor and a skilled partner(usually a higher belt student in a dojo) for you to even understand the basic concept of the techniques of Aikido. That%26#039;s something an online video or a DVD cannot impart to you. You can probably imitate the motions and even be able to apply some of the simple locks and throws, but then anyone can learn how to push the gas pedal on a car with a foot or turn a steering wheel, but going out into a race track and trying to negotiate the turns and bends while avoiding other race cars at over 100 mph in an F1 race car without experienced supervised training is another story, same thing with a martial art like Aikido.|||No, you need a live instructor. Having done aikido myself I can say that once you begin to understand it (after several years) videos can be a helpful addition to training but you can%26#039;t learn in on your on without REAL instruction.


This is especially true for internal arts like aikido.|||this is a great system to supplement your training:


www.aikido3d.com/


it is not a substitute for real training, but nevertheless a great tool|||You really need to have an experienced instructor to learn any martial art. Otherwise you will only be mimicking moves. Videos are good to refresh your memory on things you already have learned. They can%26#039;t correct mistakes. You need an instructor and a training partner.


Since you mentioned Aikido, understand this.... Aikido is a good art, but it is not one that most people learn quickly. To get good at Aikido takes a long time.





martial artists for 40+ years

Could someone explain to me the difference between "Aikido", "Karate", "Judo" "Martial Arts" and Tae Kwon Do?

They are all basically they same concept, are they not? Please, tell me their similarities, differences, and ways of thought.|||Simple question requiring an extensive answer... please bear with me.





First of all, what you read here is the opinion of one person - everyone has their own perspective so please keep in mind that comparing other opinions is important.





Second, the different styles:





1.) Aikido - The Way of Harmonious Energy (one interpretation). This style is about blending with rather than resisting the energy of the opponent (be that when attacked OR when attacking) and using it to defeat the opponent.





Generally, the goal is to neutralize rather than destroy but depending on the practitioner, that idea can vary alot in execution - some are more violent than others.





Some mantras in my dojo are:





%26quot;You don%26#039;t choose what to do, your opponents tells you what to do.%26quot; (regarding blending with what is actually happening rather than what you want to happen or think is happening)





%26quot;More of what isn%26#039;t working isn%26#039;t going to work - when you find resistance, change.%26quot; (regarding committing to something rather than being flexible. Resistance is the signal to change to a different technique)





%26quot;Its not about winning, its about not loosing.%26quot; %26quot;What%26#039;s more important? Keeping your wallet or seeing your spouse and children again? Choose one.%26quot; (regarding self defense - walking away unharmed is more important than destroying the attacker)





%26quot;Its not you vs. your attacker(s), everyone is ONE single thing.%26quot; (regarding being one with the situation rather than drawing a line in the sand)





Aikido is a physical art, but as you become proficient, your perspective starts to change. The physical seems easy compared to the mental.





2.) Karate - Empty Hand (sometimes Karate Do) The Way of the Empty Hand. This style is generally a punching and kicking style. On the other hand, a block isn%26#039;t really a block at higher levels, its a strike of its own.





Everything - even something that seems defensive is an attack of its own. On the other hand, a few variations on the same mantra in my dojo were:





%26quot;There is no first punch in Karate.%26quot; (never attack, only defend)





%26quot;There is only the last punch in Karate.%26quot; (everything is designed to end the fight rather than prolong it... The first punch you throw should be the last one, if not the second punch should be the last one... The fight should be over)





3.) Judo - The Gentle Way. This is an art based on pulling when pushed, pushing when pulled as a gross generalization. Its not about strength, its about using the energy provided by the attacker. In this, the functional theory is similar to Aikido but does differ regarding philosophy and detailed mechanics in actual practice.





4.) Tae Kwon Do - The way of the Hand and Foot. There are other definitions, but they are basically the same idea. I wish I could offer more, but I don%26#039;t know enough about the art.





5.) Martial Arts - In Japanese, Bu Jutsu. In the West we think of %26#039;Martial%26#039; as meaning killing, destroying, dominating, etc.,... However, in the East, Bu doesn%26#039;t mean that at all - %26#039;Bu%26#039; means to arrest conflict. Arresting conflict doesn%26#039;t imply anything of the sort as an absolute. Sure, killing, destroying and dominating MIGHT be required depending on the situation, but arresting conflict isn%26#039;t synonymous with what the West thinks of when we here %26#039;martial%26#039;.





Next there is %26#039;Art%26#039; and there is %26#039;Way%26#039;. Art or method - Jutsu. Way or path - Do. There is a difference.





On the surface, a %26#039;jutsu%26#039; and a %26#039;do%26#039; may look the same, but under the hood, they may also differ. Certainly, depending on the style and the school, there are alot of grey areas, but to make a simple, black and white comparison, a %26#039;jutsu%26#039; is all about the physical - the DOING part of it. A %26#039;do%26#039; on the otherhand uses the physical practice as basically a tool to refine themselves in whatever way they are looking for (mentally, physically, spiritually, socially, psychologically, whatever).





Think of a traveler. For a %26#039;jutsu%26#039; traveler, the goal is to get to the end destination - forget the scenery, get to the top of the mountain. For a %26#039;do%26#039; traveler, the goal IS the journey itself - forget the top of the mountain, pay attention to the scenery.





Not to say one is right and the other wrong of course. There is however, a fundamental difference in approach. Everyone is different and everyone is looking for different things so whatever works for the individual right?





Lastly, in my opinion, the differences between the %26#039;jutsu%26#039; way of thinking and the %26#039;do%26#039; way of thinking are greater than the differences between the %26#039;aiki%26#039; or %26#039;karate%26#039; parts.





Aikido and Karate Do are more similar than Aiki Jutsu and Aikido for example. The difference is subtle but its profound. Some people will think the %26#039;do%26#039; idea is impractical and in-effective and some others will think the %26#039;jutsu%26#039; idea is too short-sighted and limited in application (application being more than effective response to a physical attack).





There will likely never be an end to that debate - there are excellent points on each side, but personally, I think they are based on misunderstanding.





A BBJ fighter will say Tae Kwon Do sucks and they may be right if a fight actually starts but then again, if the Tae Kwon Do fighter has been working on how to notice fights and dilute them before they happen with their mental attitude rather than encourage them to happen because they can take care of themself, didn%26#039;t they %26#039;arrest conflict%26#039; socially as the BBJ person would have physically?





Personally, I%26#039;d rather be the ***** nobody wants to fight rather than the bad-*** everyone wants to fight. That%26#039;s an example of the life-giving sword and the death-giving sword - its not about the physical - its all about the mental.|||they are very different but 1st lets start with basics. %26quot;martial arts%26quot; is a generic term for all fighting styles. Aikido is an art started by Morihea Ueshiba it is relitively new and is almost entirely defensive. it focuses alot on throws, locks, and circular motions, it is from Japan. Judo is also from japan, the art that most people practice today is the Judo developed by Jigoro Kano. Judo is almost entirely throws and trips. Neither Aikido nor Judo focuses much on strikes. Karate is also a japanese art but focuses much more on strikes like punching, kicking, knees, elbows, and etc. finally Tae Kwon Do is from Korea and focuses almost soley on kicking. People who practice TKD are extremely good at kicking.


The similarties are mostly their area of origins are close to each other. Also they all are either more throwing/joint locking or striking arts. the ways of thoughts are usually the same, use them as defence and as a last resort. especially stressed by Morihea Ueshiba, founder of Aikido.|||aikido and judo have similar roots... different types of jujitsu.. aikido is focused on joint minipulation and stealing balance.. its a spiritual art for peace preservation... judo is focus on throws and ground fighting its nowadays mostly for sport though.... karate is focused on strikes but the old styles of karate have grappling stuff similar to aikido%26#039;s modern karate is for self defence or sport.. traditional karate is for life preservation or combat (one hit one kill) taekwon do is.... essentially koreanized karate.. used almost exclusivly for sport and is basicly mostly kicks... no grappling... no throws..... just alot of kicking and blocking and punching..... all of the above are %26quot;martial arts%26quot; other martial arts include wing tsun, kajukenbo, kali... ect......|||sorry jack, ur wrong. Tae Kwon Do is from Korea, created by general choi, but is based off karate. we use hands and feet.


anything that ends in %26#039;do%26#039; is from korea.


karate if from japan.


martial arts is just a general term for all the different types including aikido, karate,and many others.|||They are all spelled differentley

Can the art of Aikido defend against attacks from different style of martial artist such as Muai tai or TKD?

I may be totally wrong but my general view of the art has been that most puches thrown to defend comes in a stabbing motion or an arm left too long for Aikidoist to grab and cause damage! I am just wondering if an Aikido practitioner can defend against attacks from another martial artist such as Muai Tai%26#039;s low sheen kicks, punches and elbows coming from different angles? I appreciate your input.|||Muai Thai would tear up an Aikido practitioner... pretty much any art is effective against TKD, its not a fighting art, its a sport.|||I don%26#039;t practice Aikido but from what I%26#039;ve seen its a definite yes for Tae Kwan Do attacks. Most of those kicks have no control and just let loose. It would be very easy for someone (with practice) to just step back and grab the persons heel then pull it and the guy will fall.





About Muay Thai though, I have much respect for that style. Its just totally monstrous. If I had to counter a low sheen kick, it would probably be by trying to be faster and kick first. I don%26#039;t know what Aikido practitioners would do, but I can%26#039;t believe they%26#039;ve never considered it.|||take a look at this vid of a fight between an Aikido %26quot;master%26quot; and an MMA fighter.





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQeUkUO5Z...





the level of training is pretty sad these days in Aikido. not saying all gyms, but the vast majority.......





he certainly can%26#039;t even defend against a punch. and then look what happens when the guy grabs hi Gi. he should have an awesome counter, but all he does is get beat in the face.





EDIT: oops, i read further on the clip, and turns out this guy wasn%26#039;t real aikido......but, the clip%26#039;s still funny (and sad)|||Yes. Assuming the Aikido practitioner is good. I%26#039;m a TKD practitioner, but I respect other styles %26amp; those who practice them.|||I would have to say yes. Aikido is a very defensive art. A lot of those moves they%26#039;re teaching may seem to only be for those kind of offenses but it is relly teaching you to react and to react quickly. If you see a kick coming at you from an area where you may have been taught to defend a stabbing motion you will react and change form as necessarry. As for your slow-motion stab attacks, those don%26#039;t happen. You are taught that way for what I was previously saying, to get your body to react and to react in a certain way. On to the low shin kicks, doesn%26#039;t aikido teach to meet force with force? I really don%26#039;t know but I think it does, so in those cases someone using a muai tai technique may be caught off guard by an unorthodox move or defense.|||It%26#039;s possible but chance are extremely low. Muay Thai is a very unique art compare to others. So far Muay Thai is only one beside few karates and San Shou that have defend against low kick. Not many arts have any defend against elbows. beside Muay Thai, San Shou (actually San Da) is only one that have very detailled clinch work and fight. Clinch fight may see simple, but it%26#039;s as different as striking and ground fight. Also if you don%26#039;t know exactly how to move when try to counter Muay Thai round house, you%26#039;ll get hurt badly even if you catch their kick.





It%26#039;s basically another world. You can see similar in TKD, Karate, etc... but in Muay Thai, you will see huge different. Muay Thai is more related to boxing, San Shou/San Da, and few other styles than karate, TKD, etc.... Aikido is more developed for defend against style such as TKD and karte.





However I wouldn%26#039;t bet on Aikido in most case against very modern martial arts such as Kyokushin karate and other relate karate or TKD that take their game to next level, and similar martial arts. It%26#039;s simply pretty much outdate when put against modern martial arts.|||I think there are no definite answer for this. I practice aikido and tkd as well. At my current aikido level, I%26#039;m not even sure if I can defend myself from an un-skilled attacker. But, if i use my tkd kick against a very skillfull aikidoka (let say steven seagal), he will surely throw me out of this world.





At the end, it depend on comparative physicall strength, skill and courage. I think a courage, strong and very skilled aikido practioner have good chance to defend against medium skill opponets.|||aikido is a defensive martial art...it focuses mostly on counter....so yes...

Is Aikido a good workout physically and mentally?

I hear different answers on this one. Some say you can get a good workout while others say you won%26#039;t break a sweat. And how is it emotionally benefical?|||It depends on the school. Some do and some don%26#039;t. I would go and watch a class and even participate in a trial lesson to see what%26#039;s right for you. I take Shotokan karate and its an excellent workout.

What is the difference between Karate, Aikido and Kempo?

Shihan J is right about Aikido, it is an art based off of Jujutsu and Aikijutsu. their are two types of kenpo arts that are prominent in the USA Kenpo Karate created by Ed Parker and is now lead be grand master Chuck Sulivan. Their is also Kempo Karate the chinese version. Kempo Karate was made famous but Grand Master Fred Villari. Both arts involve multiple rolling hand strikes and trapping. As for Karate itself its very broad their are many different systems but all usually involve a good mix of foot and hand techniques. most karate systems are taught in a very hard and crisp fashion at first, but then turn into more soft and fluid techniques after years of training.|||karate and kempo in a way are similar. they both have various strikes, locks, throws, trapping, etc.


aikido is large circle jujitsu. mostly uses your opponents momentum against themselves, its not as easy as karate or kempo but can be very effective once you have them down.





all of them are excellent systems. what is more important is that you have a good instructor








jumpinja they are not the same aikido has no strikes in it. the other 2 do. and aikido is japanese it came from jujutsu, kempo and karate both are okinawan and were developed from chinese arts





edit:%26gt; there are more then 2 types of kempo, kempo is a general term, that relates to chinese, and okinawan arts. it is also used in place of karate by some okinawan styles


ed parker didnt create kempo he founded usa kempo from okinawan kempo,


as for the so called fred villari, the only thing he created was a franchise of mcdojo%26#039;s.|||Karate - a style rooted in okinawa with influences from traditional okinawan arts as well as chinese arts.


aikido - the descendant of daito-ryu aikijutsu. both are the descendant of chinese chin na. it utilizes joint locks that come into play when the opponent attacks using his energy and momentum against him.


kempo - means fist law. originated in the shaolin temple originally with forms,philosophy,and real methods. then ed parker used the alphabet so that out of shape ppl could do it.|||karate - is a japanese martial art employing kicks and punches.


aikido - is a japanese martial art employing locks and using the opponents momentum against him.





dont know much about kempo. but I read somewhere that it was developed by Ed Parker.|||The most simple way to explain- Karate is based on punches and kicks.


In Aikido you use your opponent%26#039;s power against him. It%26#039;s self defense. We use there three weapons- boken (it%26#039;s a wooden sword), jo and tanto(something like dagger, we use wooden on my trainings). There are used throws and joint locks.


Kenpo is.. hmm.. i dont know how to explain, it is composition of some other martian arts... gymnastics, throws, ground fighting.|||karate is an Okinawan martial art,kempo is a form of freestyle karate.aikido is a form of large circle jujitsuu that mainly uses a persons momentum and it does have strikes although you don%26#039;tt learn them until you are a high rank.|||Step 1 - Read the history of each art on Wikipedia.





Step 2 - search each one on Youtube to see the differences for yourself!|||karate is for girls named danny laruso.... aikido- aikido.|||they are actually all the exact same thing. anyone who tells you otherwise is just trying to rip you off saying his style is %26quot;unique%26quot; or %26quot;special%26quot; or %26quot;different%26quot;.. but anyone who has years of training in martial arts can tell you that those three martial arts are all the same, they all originated in the hills of ancient india around 4000 BC and transmigrated to the chinese plains where they have been around ever since.. interesting isnt it. ?

Do you do a lot of conditioning in aikido?

my main reason for taking martial arts is to stay in shape and keep a decent amount of muscle on my bones. so i was wondering if aikido conditions you a lot. do most martial arts in general do a good amount of conditioning?





if there is a style that doesnt focus on conditioning a lot, what would that be?|||Conditioning as in strength? Not so much.





Conditioning as in endurance, breathing, cardio and flexibility? Absolutely.





Endurance: You get thrown over and over for an hour or more. Its not the landing but the constant getting up over and over again. At the beginning, I got sore after a class, now, I never get sore after training day in and day out.





Breathing: Learning to make efficient breathing natural - that is a form of conditioning even if not what you had in mind specifically.





Cardio: The constant motion with no breaks - throwing and being thrown in succession - it has the same effect as running or swimming.





Flexibility: The shoulders, back and wrists especially will become more and more flexible as you train. The legs during the pre-class stretching. This may not be conditioning directly, but without it, you are more likely to pull a muscle and cut your conditioning session short.





I think there are many kinds of conditioning and as another poster said, it depends on your teacher and your training partners. Some are more relaxed and take it easy. Others are more energetic so it varies quite a bit.





At the beginning, there will probably be a good deal of strength conditioning - when you start out in softer arts, you learn right away that the instinctive response to resistance is to use strength so you will use strength. Over time, you will need less and less of it - its still there, but you won%26#039;t NEED to use it.





On the other hand there is nothing that says an Aikidoka can%26#039;t lift weights if they want to.|||Just because there%26#039;s not a lot of physical conditioning in Aikido doesn%26#039;t mean that you won%26#039;t get exercise.





There%26#039;s generally some stretching and warm up exercises, but as you perform techniques and take falls, your body is definitely burning energy - after a good 1-1.5 hour class, you%26#039;ll know you just had a good workout :)





If you *are* interested in %26quot;competitive Aikido%26quot;, there is ONE style which promotes competition - Tomiki-Ryu Aikido. Personally I have no desire to do competition, I enjoy doing JuJitsu/Aikido for the self defense and health benefits.|||There%26#039;s not much conditioning in aikido. The lesson starts with stretches, then practice rolls and side steps and then the actual lesson that can be done at a leisurely pace - depending on the teacher. If you do aikido too fast you can hurt your partner.





So the answer to your question is; no.|||Styles that focus a lot on conditioning are the more competitive fighting arts, such as Muay Thai. If you want a lot of conditioning, do Muay Thai. You%26#039;ll learn to love a jump rope and focus pads.


Lol.





-Sean

Best Striking Art To Mix To My Aikido Background?

What Is the best striking art i can learn to combat well with my aikido?


Would karate, kickboxing or kung fu be best?|||Boxing or Wing Chun





I%26#039;d suggest





btw I%26#039;m a Iron maiden fan and former metal head lol





Best wishes :)***|||I would go with boxing. Muay thai or kickboxing would also be pretty decent. I%26#039;ve worked out quite a bit with karate and kung fu artists and it seems like many of the strike defenses are dependent on an opponent leaving their hand or leg out there - similar to the way aikido teaches you to defend against a punch or kick.





While blocks and wristlocks are extremely effective against a big haymaker or sucker punch, they have very little value against a boxer who will bring his punches back just as fast as he puts them out there. Once you start sparring a lot in a boxing gym, you%26#039;ll see that often times, you%26#039;ll only have time to avoid and/or cover. Boxing will also help with timing, footwork, and the ability to take a shot.





Boxers would also do well to study some akido. The ability to sweep in the clinch can change the whole direction of a fight in a heartbeat.|||It wasnt one of your options, but may I suggest Muay Thai? I am also an Aikido practicioner (2nd dan) and I just started Muay Thai, I already see several practical and devestating opening that Aikido would create for Muay Thai attacks and that Muay Thai would create for Aikido attacks. If you are only considering one of those 3 options, I would suggest Karate, as it utilizes kicks and long range strikes.|||From the little I know about Wing Chun and Aikido, they do sound fitting together if not amazing. Besides, if not Wing Chun, why not possibly a slightly better striking art....Jeet Kune Do?|||Kickboxing or muay thai depending on what you are more comfortable with.|||I%26#039;ve known a couple of Aikidoka who prefer Wing Chun. Apparently the two systems compliment one another well.|||kung fu|||mauy thai and ju jit su maybe but karate will only help you to lose!problem with most fighting styles is the fact that it was meant to be used in a defencive manner and not step in the ring type fighting,these styles are best if your opponent does not know you have counter attack moves waiting for him and he leaves himself open to be flipped or trapped or kicked,the success of these fighting styles are best in a situation like someone trying to grab you or jumps you from behind etc etc..but not in a situation where your opponent know you know something and is not prepare to leave himself wide open!


This is what Bruce lee was referring to when he talked about the classical mess.


when you are standing face to face with a trained opponent you must be prepared to fight on the ground,standing or wherever it may take you,but karate only chance of winning is if you keep the fight standing up, go to the ground its over,ju jit su keep it standing or make it a boxing match the ju jit su fighter will lose,but on the ground he is in his element!mauy thai keep it standing he is dangerous with his kicks but on the ground its over!

Why do you not see Aikido fighters in the UFC or Pride Fights?

And please don%26#039;t tell me because it is a %26quot;peaceful%26quot; martial art. If anything, Aikido can be one of the most deadly martial arts. Is it specifically banned? and if so, why?|||Whenever the fighters are taken to the mat, aspects of aikido is being used, as well as judo. It is not as obvious as the stand up boxers, muy tai kick boxers or jujitsu grapplers but that%26#039;s why it is a MIXED MARTIAL arts. I don%26#039;t think there is a fighter that is trained only in aikido that fights MMA in the UFC or PRIDE. There are so many types of martial arts and it seems that other martial arts have proven to be more effective in parts to make up a complete MMA fighter.|||its more of a defense then offense type of fighting.|||No really. Aikido is Defensive and sphyrical. It is a mental state. Only use what is needed to escape.No martial art styles are banned. Hell, no designated style even is needed.If a purist Aikido trained person goes into the octagon against an agressor he will just avoid at best. That is Aikido, a mature and effective defense.|||Aikido.. is not used to hurt.. it is used to take down a person.. not to kill or strongly hurt people..





it can be deadly tho. but the UFC is a violent fighting league.. unlike the use of Aikido|||cause it dosn%26#039;t work.

How long (average) does it take to get a black belt in Aikido or Jiu Jitsu?

Average years, please.|||Aikido usually at least four years.


Japanese Jujitsu usually at least four years.


Brazilian Jiu-jitsu usually at least eight years.|||On average, it will take 5-6 years to achieve dan level (black belt) in Aikido. Part of this depends on the school and how traditional the school is with respect to the Aikido style. I would be warry of any school that claims that you can achieve dan level in less than 5 years, no matter how much you practice. The number of hours you train will have to do with it, but so will the chief instructor (who sometimes makes students wait for various reasons.)|||Brazilian Jiu Jitsu average is about 10-12 years. Some have gotten their%26#039;s in 3 and some alot longer. It all depends on how talented you are and how dedicated you are. Its my understanding that BJJ takes longer than most arts. Also some academies give out black belts quickly even when your not ready. Ive heard of people recieving %26quot;black belts%26quot; in japanese jiu jitsu in as little as a year.|||depending on how hard, and how much u train ,for example 6 times a week for 2-3 hours each time, puls win couple tournaments u could probably get a black belt in 4-5 years, it also depends on what you teachers require for advancing to the next belt, some schools make u wait 6 or more moths before each test, some have u do a take ceartin # of classes before u can test,|||If you look at the official aikido web site you can see the minimum requirements. Namely (30+40+50+50+60+70) = 300 lessons. So if you go twice a week it will take a minimum of 3 years. In reality it takes more than that because tests usually take place only twice a year. 5 or 6 years sounds about right.|||Jiu-jitsu training about twice a week and increasing it to 3 times a week when a purple belt then 4yrs if you can stay the course:)**|||I do aikido and have been set back a few times with injuries. However I%26#039;ve seen several of my fellow class mates reach black belt within 18 months. It depends how dedicated you are.|||depends how good you are





pork chop!





http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...|||You know Naruto has been trying for a few seasons and he is no closer today than he was a few years back

Does anyone have real video of Aikido being tested?

I am looking for any real video of Aikido in action. I have seen all of the setup videos I want to really see it in action against for example a Muay Thai Fighter.





I doubt any Aikido guys will accept such a test, because of the serious beat down they would receive.|||Hey man. Good question. I don%26#039;t think there is any real video to show aikidokas defending themselves in real situations. Why? (This might offend Aikidokas but I%26#039;m sure they know this) Because Aikido is not really a practical self-defense when you are out the streets. Well, there are some techniques that are effective but there are only a few. I say this because I%26#039;m an Aikido practitioner for uhm..... 7yrs..... I like the art but only for exercise and for making my motion fluid. But in a real fight... NAH! If you want to really be able to defend yourself, practice boxing, kicking, grappling, weapons, etc. In short, be a well rounded fighter. That%26#039;s the only way to be able to defend yourself. So again, answering your question, I don%26#039;t think there is a video. And if someone thinks otherwise, tell him to call me and let%26#039;s see how he can defend himself using only Aikido. We%26#039;ll sign a waiver.





Ciao.|||I am not an aikido practitioner but I would like to add my two cents (or yen) to this...





There would be very few people who could use aikido effectively. It was the result of a master martial artist at his peak and his ideal martial art. The average practitioner just wouldnt grasp or be able to use the real applications. I see a lot of the great applications in the art but even with over 20 years of martial art training I would be hard pressed to do any of those moves in the midst of an encounter...


So, while I would also love to see a video of it happen, I wouldnt hold my breath.|||%26quot;(This might offend Aikidokas but I%26#039;m sure they know this) Because Aikido is not really a practical self-defense when you are out the streets%26quot;





KIX , I agree with your statement in that most (upwards of 85%) aikido schools do not train in a manner that give the impression that aikido is an effective martial art. O-Sensei once quoted that %26quot;life and death can be defined in a single technique%26quot;. You may have heard this before as it is quite popular. Unless you train in that mind set neither will ever be realized. You may do beautiful, flowing technique but you will fail when confronted by a serious attack. Once you begin to add that life or death commitment to your attacks as an uke you will notice that even Nages of a high level will be caught off guard but once the shock of the attack has been realized the training will step up and you will begin to realize what O-Sensei meant by that statement. Aikido practice can be exhausting but it is even more so when the bar is raised by the intensity of the ukes attack. Strong Ukes make stonger nages.|||If i didnt post something i think this question will remain unanswered for a VERY long time|||Watered Down Ju Jitsu.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikikai


http://www.aikidojournal.com/media?media...


But hand a good AiKiDo practitioner a sword.


It lacks any concept of Randori Combat, focusing more on the avoidance. The style seems to have done the exact opposite that Kano%26#039;s Judo has done.


http://www.judoinfo.com/kano4.htm


and then you have|||actually, a few months ago on bullshido someone posted a video of an alleged akidoka vs. a kickboxer.





however what the aikido guy did didn%26#039;t look much like aikido and didn%26#039;t look at all like what those compliant uke videos show.

Is aikido the best martial art for women?

Aikido uses the other persons momemtum and energy against them and doesn%26#039;t require a lot of physical strength like some other arts. It also doesn%26#039;t advocate %26quot;standing toe to toe%26quot; duking it out. So aikido seems the best to me,but would like other opinions. FV - author See Sally Kick ***: A Woman%26#039;s Guide to Personal Safety.|||Aikido, Karate, Judo - All Martial Arts have something good to contribute to a great fighting style, however, most (if not all) Martial Arts by themselves guarantee you will get annihilated in a street fight.





As for Karate, sorry but if you don%26#039;t have much strength, you won%26#039;t hurt your opponent much.|||I dunno, but it%26#039;s the best martial art for STEVEN SEAGAL!|||I love aikido! I take it and definatly recommend it, espicially for women, its a good art for them because of thier lower center of gravity!|||yes, aikido is very good!!


(see my email) :-)|||Definitely stick to Aikido. I study it and I%26#039;m a guy.|||for personal defense, seriously. law enforcement recommends that u run like he11. martial arts is considered the last option


godspedX-)|||I love aikido. It%26#039;s very empowering to be able to flip a 6%26#039;4%26quot;, 300-lb. guy over your head. It%26#039;s also a lot of fun.





I recommend Seidokan Aikido - it%26#039;s slightly more gentle, and the focus is solely on self-defense.





My sensei was this old, pacifist grandfather figure. I loved him. His wife ran a natural healing clinic next door, so in the rare event that someone was inured, we%26#039;d just be sent next door to get fixed up.





EDIT: I%26#039;m not sure why the person below me feels the need to deliver insults. The person in question IS 6%26#039;4%26quot;, and DOES weigh 300 lbs. I know this because he%26#039;s a good friend of mine (he actually got me interested in taking Aikido). He%26#039;s built like a former football player, with all that implies. Wide shoulders, heavy musculature, %26quot;beer gut.%26quot; So what? In Aikido, you%26#039;re not using your personal strength to flip someone. You%26#039;re using their own momentum.|||Aikido is not the best martial art for women. The body types, psychological archetypes, skills, and abilities of women vary greatly. Some can excel in some arts, and others is other arts. For men or women their is no superior martial art only superior martial artists. Also, Aikido is not a martial art only...it is a martial Way and more. It seems from your question though that the martial prowess and self-defense aspects are important. Really, beyond the classical martial arts is usually a better place to begin building the pyramid of self-protection, and then later learn the more difficult to apply classical martial arts. Learn how to handle firearms, and learn how to escape situations. Once that is done, then learn the more classical martial arts in order of time to %26quot;effectiveness%26quot; as is fit for you specifically. Utimately if a human can learn how to utilize an internal martial art/way such as Aikido then they will have abilities and powers well beyond the limits of external physicality, but note that this requires great time/energy/faith.|||I don%26#039;t know about aikido, but I take shotokan karate, and my class is largely female. It doesn%26#039;t require a good deal of strength. It%26#039;s a lot of fun.

I heard the founder of Aikido had a spiritual name, amanomurakumokukisamuhararyuok鈥? whats the meaning?

broken into into individual words and particles it is: ame no mura kumo kuki samu hara ryuu o o kami.





It means the great dragon kami (god) of the high and cold plane of heaven facilitated by the nine powers (demons), or for short %26quot;The Dragon King%26quot;.|||The founder%26#039;s name was:


Morihei Ueshiba.|||dunno, but i bet its some crap gimmick used to attract people with a history in watching Japanese anime with sub titles.

Is systema more like aikido, i heard it is pressure point fighting?

Is pressure point fighting for real or is it just a fiction. Is arnis like escrima or is it different?|||Aikido isnt really an aggresive martial art but systema is quite the contrary|||aggressive? aikido translates to %26quot;way of harmony%26quot;

Why do people hate Aikido so much? Is it because they are uneducated about Aikido?

People say Aikido is a %26quot;soft%26quot; martial art! However Aikido teachs you how to cripple people with locks, throws, submissions AND defend against knive attacks, multiple defenders etc! So HOW IS BREAKING SOMEONES ARM A %26quot;SOFT%26quot; STYLE OF FIGHTING ! Is it because Aikido teachs mostly defense? REMEMBER the old saying %26quot; A good defense is a good offense!%26quot; Personally I believe MMA is the best way to train however I don%26#039;t understand why people bash Aikido!?





GIVE ME UNBIASED OPINIONS PLEASE!|||Well in my area in is not popular but it is a great art. i think it was because people such as Segal really were egotistical and made a bad name for the art later in his life.





dont worry about what others think about it, go with what you feel is right about it.|||only make belive martial artists would knock aikido even though its not my choice of martial arts it is still good to know and intergrate into your own personal style.|||I train Aikido and love it. I can, however, see how this style has got the rep. that it has. Looking at it and those who train it, it can seem %26quot;fake%26quot;. Before I was able to train in Aikido I loved it and wanted to train in it but saw it as something that appeared to be fake, I wanted to learn what it was all about. As far as %26quot;soft%26quot; that comes from the fact that there are no attacks in Aikido, or at least not the way most people view an attack. I know for a fact and through xp, Aikido is not fake in any way shape or form and it can be but dosen%26#039;t have to be %26quot;soft%26quot;. I use the concepts of Aiki in my other martial arts and they all blend soooo well. I see the view and can understand it but from xp I know that it isn%26#039;t always as you see or think you see.|||Its not the art itself, its about 99% of the schools teaching Aikido, the way they teach just does not create effective fighters, and even if taught the way it was made to be taught it would still take a very VERY long time for it too be effective in the street, maby 10 years





Also Aikido never want to test their skills against someone, there is no evidence of Aikido being effective for what it was made to do, if there was more evidence of Aikido%26#039;s effectiveness and not the usuall pre aranged %26quot;demos%26quot; then people would give it more respect|||I don%26#039;t think they really hate it, they just don%26#039;t understand it so they tend to belittle it. It%26#039;s a natural reaction from people who are used to the idea that martial arts are about beating people up and looking cool while doin it, and this is reinforced by the martial arts that they see in movies and television. I%26#039;ve always made the distinction between a fighting art and a martial art, but that%26#039;s just me. Unlike the fighting arts, a martial art%26#039;s goal is not limited to just winning fights or destroying the enemy. It is also about creating disciplined individuals who contribute to society. If you look back at all the martial arts schools and organizations since time immemorial, they all have some type of credo that requires students to be dedicated to become better persons and promote harmony and peace among fellow men, maybe not in so many words, but something like that. Most of these arts where developed during harsh times of war and so creeds like these made sense. But in a modern society that takes peace for granted, where young people are brainwashed by television and other media to look at acts of violence as something cool or acceptable, these credos are lost on them. When you grow up in suburban towns where nothing really happens, your idea of fun to escape boredom and to stand out among your peers will probably involve some adrenaline charged activity such as beating the crap out of someone or performing feats of darings. You can see it in a number of reality tv shows showing ordinary joes going out of their comfort zones. So when they run into a sedate or passive martial art like Aikido and realize it doesn%26#039;t fit with their idea of %26quot;fun%26quot;, they end up saying: %26quot;WTF kind of lame art is that?%26quot; or %26quot;I can%26#039;t show off to my friends with this lame dancing crap, I need something tough and scary like Jujitsu or Muay Thai so I%26#039;ll look cool beating the crap out of some sucker.%26quot;


Aikido has a purpose, it%26#039;s aim is not to cripple people as you say, but to defend oneself without using excessive aggressive force and minimize injury to your attacker while neutralizing his attack. Not everyone agrees with this idea of defending yourself, but nevertheless it serves as an alternative art for those who are either pacifists by nature or don%26#039;t like beating the crap out of other people with excessive force. If you don%26#039;t like it, then don%26#039;t study it, period. It%26#039;s kinda like the debate between which of the different religions is the true religion, it%26#039;s a never ending argument and the only solution is to respect each other and just live by example, I%26#039;m sure if people see you walking the walk, they don%26#039;t need to hear you talk the big talk to convince them to your way of thinking. As my grandpa used to say, %26quot;Respect is given and earned, not demanded%26quot;|||I like aikido but I think what they mean by soft is that aikido does not initiate the attack but wait for your opponent to attack first which can be frustrating if you are aggressive by nature and want to initiate the action first.|||In martial arts, %26quot;soft%26quot; doesn%26#039;t mean %26quot;weak%26quot;. It means that a particular style or school doesn%26#039;t focus on attack, but defense and using the enemy%26#039;s momentum against them.|||I%26#039;ve never heard this. What particularly negative things about it have you heard???|||It is a lack of understanding of Aikido that causes attitudes like this. In additio, there is a general cultural bias and ignorance about the use of the terms %26#039;soft%26#039; or %26#039;internal%26#039;. These terms don%26#039;t have the same sorts of meaning in asian society (particularly as it relates to shinto and omotokyo). The idea of internal is used to describe ones energy or spirit (this is the %26#039;Ki%26#039; in Aikido), rather than being soft in the western sense of the word. Ki is very important in many martial arts (including Karate, Kung Fu, Tai Chi etc).





Another point may be O%26#039;sensei%26#039;s (the founder) articulation of ideas, particularly towards the end of his life. He would often say things like %26quot;To control aggression without inflicting injury is the Art of Peace%26quot;. He is paraphrasing Sun Tzu, who said that true genius was to win a war without fighting. These sorts of statements are sometimes taken at face value in Western society.





From what I can gather (and I could be generalising), there are a lot of aikido schools in the US which have removed the more technical aspects of aikido (things like kote- gaeshi, ryote-dori, kenjutsu, jojutsu and bojutstu) which meant that people were taught only the simpler aspects of the art - which weren%26#039;t very powerful.





As for whether MMA is the best way to train, it depends on your motivation. I practise aikido, because I like the cultural aspects and the way it flows as an art.





Hope this helps|||people seem to hate what they dont understand or have never done also if other people say something they sometimes believe as people are social/group creatures|||I really don%26#039;t know why people hate aikido, like i mean it can be such a deadly sport but people think that since it doesn%26#039;t use striking taht it can%26#039;t be taken seriously as a martial art but really u can get ****** up by aikido.|||There are no unbiased opinions lol :) There%26#039;s nothing wrong with soft styles, googleplex got it right. It%26#039;s using energy %26amp; momentum of your attacker to your benefit, instead of stopping/attacking with brute force. It%26#039;s more fluid, as Bruce Lee put it, %26quot;Move like water.%26quot; Aikido is awesome for that.|||it might be that those that hate aikido are looking for a more aggressive art because aikido does not require as much energy to hurt another but using the other persons own energy to hurt themselves.|||Aikido *is* a %26quot;soft%26quot; art... what this means, exactly, I%26#039;m not sure.





However, I have respect for aikido (OK fine, I like it cuz of the hakamas they wear... you happy?) and I would like to learn a bit more about it, if I ever get the opportunity.





I think many people bash on aikido because it can%26#039;t be used for MMA or sportsfighting. And you know what, I don%26#039;t think it can. But there%26#039;s nothing wrong with that. There are a lot more benefits to aikido than knowing how to break someone%26#039;s arm. I don%26#039;t see why it should be altered to fit in sportsfighting.|||It%26#039;s a defensive martial art people don%26#039;t like martial arts that don%26#039;t really teach an offense, also most people don%26#039;t stick around to learn the weapons it teaches!|||The term %26quot;soft%26quot; when used in martial arts in no way conotates wimpiness or lack of ability. Shoa Lin Wu Shu, Kung Fu and Ti chi are also considered %26quot;soft%26quot; styles. %26quot;Soft denotes a certain grace and liquidity of movement as opposed to other %26quot;hard%26quot; styles which express power, speed and a certain stiffness in strikes. Ask your Master to explain this to you.|||I personally think it%26#039;s a great MA and encourage anyone to pursue the style that best fits them.





Still, commonly what I hear negative about Aikido is that the offensive moves are reserved for those of a really high level and dedication, it focuses primarily (too much?) on defense rather than offense and many of its defensive moves are outdated, like defending against overhead chops, which few people practice any longer.|||I agree that many people misunderstand Aikido, but it can not possibly be for lack of knowledge. The MA world is flooded with Aikido books, videos and shows. Heck, I was just flippng through the TV and came to the Fitness channel and they had an hour special on Aikido that read like a highschool Aikido 101.


Aikido can not claim people are uneducated about it. Karate maybe, because there are so many things not Okinawan Karate that use the name Karate. Kung Fu maybe because there are so many varations of Kung Fu. Jujitsu maybe because people only see MMA Jujitsu guys, and not the depth of tradition also available. But, Aikido has managed to keep a single face in the public conscience for decades.|||the techniques are decent but the attacks are unrealistic. Running at people without their weight centered, running with a telegraphed overhead swordhand type strike....aikido people dont typically train to counter takedowns, punching combos and techniques that aren%26#039;t overcommitted.|||The people that I come across that hate Aikido only know about Aikido from people bashing it on sites like bullshido or hearing stories about Segal acting like a jackass. They criticize that Aikido dosen%26#039;t train %26quot;live%26quot; or have any sparing. But love Judo and Ju Jitsu because those arts do. They forget / or never knew that until around mid 1880%26#039;s Judo was very much like Aikido and Kano deligated the more Aikido like elements into kata so that judo could be practiced %26quot;live%26quot; in randori and shiai with out injury. If you examine the self defense / non-competition techniques of Judo they are indistingushable from Aikido. The point I am trying to make is that Aikido dosen%26#039;t train live because the techniques won%26#039;t work live, they don%26#039;t train live because the techniques work so well that if the opponent resists he greatly increases the risk of injury to himself.

Do you have a co worker that always watchs aikido videos on youtube?

and then tries to show you the moves?|||I am the guy that watches Aikido videos on youtube.





However, I don%26#039;t to that at work and I reserve practice for the dojo where I have formally trained for years.





... It would be... interesting... to encounter someone like that in the workplace though.





Having said that, when they say %26#039;grab my wrist%26#039;, punch at their face... anything different than what they ask for.





They either know what they are doing and you will decline the next time or they don%26#039;t and they won%26#039;t ask you to grab their wrist again.





If you want to be an a$$, you could do some verbal Aikido and say something like %26quot;Man, that%26#039;s so cool. I%26#039;m going to suggest to the boss you do a present on how, why and when you learned this stuff and, of course, its potential benefits to the bottom line.%26quot;|||nooooooooooooo

What is the belt system in Aikido Martial Arts?

Is the belt system like Karate?...what is the highest level you can achieve with learning Aikido?|||Different schools have different colors for their Kyu rank, but generally Aikido (like most Japanese martial arts) follows the Judo belt system more or less|||There are a few different belt systems.





Some have colors for various ranks before blackbelt and others have white belts (mudansha) and blackbelts (yudansha) only.





Generally, there are 6 kyu ranks followed by the dan ranks. The Hombu dojo in Japan has used this setup since its inception.





When you are testing for Kyu rank, your instructor will generally be qualified to test you. However, as you move into the dan ranks, you may have to be tested by someone else higher in the organization. You can only test people up to about 4 ranks under your own in my experience. My Senseis are 6th dan and are thus permitted to test and give rank on Hombu dojo%26#039;s behalf up to 2nd dan.





Kyu ranks are generally only officially recognized within your own organization such as AFF, ASU, or what have you. Once you reach dan rank, the certification comes from Japan and your name is officially on Doshu%26#039;s records.





As far as hakama, there isn%26#039;t really a connection to rank at all.





For the wartime students, there were materials shortages so only blackbelts wore hakama. Students on O%26#039;Sensei at that time pretty much continued the tradition they learned with - no hakama for mudansha, or even not until 3rd dan. In some cases, women are required to wear one the first time they step on the mat - kind of sexist if you ask me, but whatever.





For post war students, O%26#039;Sensei considered the hakama a basic part of the uniform and would not allow his students to train without them regardless of their rank. For students who trained with O%26#039;Sensei after the war, their schools have similar traditions.





The hakama doesn%26#039;t really tell you much then.





The highest rank achivable is 10th dan. It has been handed out ouly a few times and is (in the martial arts in general) either for the founder of a style, the grandmaster or a posthumous award. Doshu (the head of Aikido, O%26#039;Sensei%26#039;s grandson) has no rank - Doshu is above the rank system.





O%26#039;Sensei never had any rank at all in Aikido - he was the founder. He never had a kyu or dan rank as far as I know - his training employed the Menkyo Kaiden system - license rather than rank and there were only a few of them.|||I believe the status of black belt is represented by the hakama in Aikido. Does it matter? A belt, no matter what color, is only good for holding your pants up.|||It depends on the school that you belong to, but there are kyu and dan grades.





Here are some examples of the different aikido ranks:|||The answerer previous is correct. Different school, different belt structure, but typically they are much fewer ranks and the %26quot;black belt%26quot; status is represented by the Hakama (big flowing pants worn over the Gi).|||In a studio i was in at UCRiverside it was white belt all the way to black. Then there are some that follow the judo belt or white green brown blk.

How effective is Aikido agaisnt skilled opponents using internal styles?

I%26#039;ve always seen Aikido used agaisnt multiple people charging in mindlessly, but how effective would be be agaisnt skilled oppenents who do not charge mindlessly. Even more perplexing to me is what would happen if two aikido masters fought - neither one should extend yang so that it might be countered with ying. It seems to me that they would have to use non-aikido to defeat each other.Thirdly - is aikido less useful than judo - what is the relationship between the two.|||Aikido is used to keep an opponent away and/or off balance. How effective it is against another style is hard to say, depends on the skill of the combatants and who luck chooses to smile upon. Overall, it is one of the most difficult forms for an attacker or opponent.|||1-I doesn%26#039;t matter what mental state your opponent is in if you can out wit your opponent in a fight it doesn%26#039;t matter.





2-Noone would win.





3-Aikido is much more useful|||I own TSRemas - a Close Quarters Combat School in Dallas TX.





The people don%26#039;t charge in mindlessly - but often in these kinds of exhibitions, they don%26#039;t charge in effectively either. Take it for what it is - a demonstration of skill- not a fight.





Technically - 2 Aikido masters would NOT fight. Aikido is an art based on the premise of avoiding combat conflict. Then, if conflict can not be avoided - taking the way of least violence to deter the attacker, restraining him if possible without hurting them.





Aikido and Judo are 2 different forms of Martial Arts. Aikido focuses on the internal control of self. Aikido means (loosely) the %26quot;joining of the inner self as a way of life%26quot; and is a peace focused art that seeks balance. Judo is a sport where points are given for various changes in position, takedowns or submission. Each is good for the purpose it serves. The question becomes ultimately - what is the purpose of the practictioner? If you want a sport based art, then Aikido would be less than satisfying and vice versa.

Is Aikido practical in a real fight?

I can%26#039;t find a video that doesn%26#039;t look like a dance. Is there one out there that has 2 people trying Aikido on each other in some sort of match. Not just one guy running at the other one with his arms out and getting thrown around. Or is it supposed to be a dance type thing.|||Any martial art takes time to develop and make it useful. Yes, Aikido can work very well in a real fight, but only if you know how to properly apply the techniques. Will you be invincible and never get hit? Hell no! Mr. siem-pro muy thai above doesn%26#039;t believe that other martial arts can be hard training, but he hasn%26#039;t trained everywhere. The %26quot;hardest%26quot; style of Aikido is Yohshinkan, founded by Gozo Shioda Sensei, a little 108 lb. man who could kick some serious butt, and some of these aikidoka still train in the traditional ways, including the Tokyo riot police. Maybe Mr. SPMT should spend a year training with these guys.





Martial arts take time to develop, and no matter what you do, even simple self defense techniques, you have to spend the time to learn them so well that you don%26#039;t have to think about using them, you can react quickly to protect yourself. If you aren%26#039;t proficient with the techniques, I don%26#039;t care how nasty you think the style is, you%26#039;ll get your face pounded into the dirt. It%26#039;s not the style, it%26#039;s the fighter.|||Yes and no. Some of it is, some of it isn%26#039;t, just like all martial arts. There are parts or moves that are practical, and some that you would just never be able to pull off in a real fight. Aikido uses alot of throws and joint manipulation. I%26#039;ve found that most of the join manipulation and throw moves only work in a %26quot;grab%26quot; situation, ie grabbing your shirt or throat for example - vs. someone throwing a punch. If you are interested in learning how to just fight, take a MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) class and see how you like it. They tend to be very physical, so if you don%26#039;t like wrestling around with someone, it won%26#039;t be for you. If you want to learn %26quot;street%26quot; self defense - Krav Maga is by far the best practical self defense system. That or Brasilian JuJistu - no one with mess with you after you break someone%26#039;s arm in 2 moves. If you want to learn things like movements for personal health, tranquility, and self-defense, then go with a more traditional art such as Aikido, Shotokan, Kung-Fu, etc.....hope that helps.|||I think it would be practical as it does inflict moves of self defence and martial arts.|||Practical, no, useful and smart, DEFINATELY. Aikido can really help you when you%26#039;re in a real fight.|||Yeah, Aikido taught under the right kind of pressure can be useful in a scrap....it works on universal principles of balance, angle, and body alignment (and ways to misalign it.)





But, all too many Dojo teach Aikido with terminal %26quot;kata mindset%26quot;....it%26#039;s sad really.





I%26#039;ve trained with a few guys from a Japanese Yoshinkan Aikido Dojo...and they were beasts.....but they trained in the old school ways of it all.





Avoid Aikido that%26#039;s taught with too much Zen-hippie flair...and keep with a tough instructor if you want it to work.|||NO! Not at all! Let me tell you I%26#039;m a semi pro Muay Thai fighter and I have many many friends who fight in MMA and Muay Thai and boxing as well. If Aikido was practical then it would be used in match. However it%26#039;s not!





The video of lady tossing man around was horrible! The man did a perfect textbook strike with sword every time. He start out by pause for a milisec to show the lady he%26#039;s about to strike then start slow then speed it up which give lady time to react. If it was a realistic base training she would have got hit with sword a couple time. Think about this, in fighting sport vide, do you see fighter block or slip every single punches EVERY time? NO! They get hit once in a while and sometime they did manage to dodge or block it. It should be same with video.





Second video is worse! You can see the student wasn%26#039;t even resisting or anything and let the person throw them around all they want to. Do you think in real fight someone will go limpy and let you throw them around?





basically Aikido is worthless! Especially if you have to grab someone limbs while they%26#039;re trying to hit you or moves, it%26#039;s very hard to do those in training, let lone fight when your body have aderliene rushing all through it.





The reason people like Aikido is because it give those who don%26#039;t have the discpline to bust their *** to train hard everyday some hope that one day they will be a bad *** like their hero, Steve Seagal. That describe 90% of american! They want fast foods instead of cook at home, they want fast easy excrise that will give them body of god/goddess in a week, they want drive through wedding, they want drive through furneral, and they want something that will allow them to accomplish goal with very little efforts so they can show off to their friends about what awesome person they are.|||True Aikido for fighting is not taught in the USA.Go to Malaysia.


Aikido will not work against a Chinese internal system.|||I will be honest with you and make my answer short. No martial art will make you 100% safe. All martial arts do is lessen the probability of you being hurt or killed. I have known boxers who get sucker punched and I have known people who had no training, werent bullies and they have protected themselves.





Aikido is a good martial art. It too deals with wrist locks, evasive manuvers, defensive stances, teaching you to untilize yor weight and to balance yourself. Judo does the same, Karate is about striking. Brazilian Jujistsu is good if you want to lay on the ground with someone an fight. I dont want to.





Really... outside the dojo the world is much more faster, unpredictable and unexpected. Just be confident, visualize and play dirty.|||part of aikido is learning to be thrown and minimizing the damage of grappling attacks. if a person tried to resist the direction of an aikido grappling defense thier joints or bones would be destroyed very easily as the moves are designed to do just that. it is a hell of alot more practical to defend using aikido grapples and throws, then to try and strike an attacker with punches or kicks.


aikido is all but useless for attack.|||I dont believ I am answering this type of question again... But lets try to help this discussion.





First of all, %26quot;fight%26quot; is a very ample concept.





I would rather have a gun than bare fight, or a sword, or a knife or even a stick. How many opponents are we talking about? What are their and mine intentions? Killing?





Ok, I will try to be less philosofical and suppose you mean a one to one fight in a bar, for instance, where you do note necessarily want to kill your opponent, but dammage him enough in order to escape.





Remember that, generally, you have a car with a plate that may lead to your home address, you are known in the neighborhood, there may be a third guy armed to get you in case you start winning the fight, and so on... But, OK, you do not want to think about it.; you just wanna finish the asshole that messed with you. You are a hero, or want to be one.





Once again we create this situation. The one-to-one bar fight; a real damn fantasy, if you ask me.





Will my Aikido serve of anything? Should I have learned anything else?





The thing about martial arts is that eventhough the best of the worlds would be to know them all (or, at least, some of them), in practice it is very hard, not only because of time issues, but also because one style tends to create problems in others; that is why it is not so common in mma tournaments you see a great grapler muay-thai very well too.





Back to the bar, my Aikido has some problems. I have never learned to atack (is it really a problem?). I lack better knowledge of kicks and punches, and even ground-fight.





The guy is dying to give his first punch, and he finally do it. I weight 150lb e he is 20 to 40 lbs heavier. I move a bit and the punch goes into the empty. He will not make this mistake twice; he comes closer and throws his right in my face; to his surprise, i move to the outter part of his body (something that very few arts practice frequently) and put myself in a position where my opponent is defenseless. I take my right index finger and press his right eye pushing it back and downward, while, with my other hand, break his balance pushing his waist to the front of his own body. In resume, que falls with the back of his head on the floor, with an eye hurting like hell and semi-conscious. Then I kick him as hard as I can in the ribs, balls, stomach, head, etc. finally, I take his wrist, turn his body to put his belly down and, holding one or two of his fingers, hurt his elbow and hand to give him %26quot;something to think about%26quot; while I run away.





This is a real story. I practice Aikido; barely used it. I also know some bjj and full-contact, as well as judo.





I do not fight well, I am not strong and I didnt want to fight; but my mind was ready and I moved along with the semi-obvious, semi-stupid moves of my opponent. Would I be able to stand a series of kicks and punches in rapid sequence? Dunno... Probably not.





And this take us to the next explanatory level - What is the size of your enemy? In mma events, you have athletes, with similar levels of trainning and a very though body. This is not the real world! It is ALMOST Vale-Tudo, but not TOTAL Vale-Tudo. Fighting is a dirty game of eye gouging, biting, and so on (like I did).





Every martial art is useful! Some are more easy to apply imeddiatly. Krav-Maga was made to be quickly learned. Boxing can be taught, in its basics, in few weeks...





So that will take us to our last level of answering - what do you want?





If the answer is only self defense, well, get into a self-defense class. In this narrow (but noble) objective, Aikido wouldnt be my number one choice. Some Krav-maga or general self-defense is the quickest way to learn the basics. Want to fight a lillte more? Than you will have to practice some martial art with limited rules, in order to make it possible to continuosly develop your skills.





Thats another thing about Aikido. You do not have competition. Simply because it is too dangerous. You lack quicker and more realistic movements, for the same reason. That is why sometimes i go to my bjj class, in order to %26quot;express%26quot; my desire of fighting. Of course, while I am on the mat, a thousand of non-bjj (according to the rules, I mean) possiblilities occur to me:


- Can I break his finger?


- Byte his ear?


- Hold his balls? Pull my knife?


- Is there any other guy coming while I am here rolling on the ground?





So, do not confuse the gentle Aikido movements with inneficiency. I give you that - some practioneers exagerate their lack of enthusiasm in strikes or kicks, but, in general, it is an art martial with lots of very useful joint locks and unusual ground movimentation.|||Practical yes, very much so. I have a friend who has trained in Aikido and the men he trained with were all police swat officers or prison guards. They were looking for a method of controlling and subduing people without throwing a punch and thus being able to be blamed for assaulting a person.





Now before you rush into things know that most people I have talked to say that the first year of Aikido all you learn is how to fall so you won%26#039;t hurt yourself while learning the forms. The second video I%26#039;m putting up below should show you why you need to learn to fall properly. If your patient and willing to take it slow this is a very good style to learn.





Steven Segal or not Aikido is very real and very good at what it does.





Ok have to throw in a comment here after reading some of the comments below my answer. Everyone is big on MMA, MMA is awesome UFC kicks butt the only people that win these events do certain styles because only certain styles can win these events. I%26#039;ve bit my tongue for a bit but come on do you have such a narrow view of the world to think that because you never see an Aikido master or and old kung fu master sitting in the ring that they are not capable of winning the match. Have you ever even for just a second thought maybe the guys that fought in that stuff did so because they had something to prove to themseleves? What IF the true masters had nothing to prove and thus did not compete?





At a seminar I attened once by a grandmaster of his style I was told of story of his master who was a great martial artist and others would come from miles around to study and train with him. One man though came to challenge him and kept challenging him, the master kept refusing him as he saw no need to fight to prove how good he was. This went on for weeks and months when the master finally relented to fight the man. The fight ended with one blow, the master killing the challenger. I was told at the end of the seminar, to fight a 1000 fights and only lose 1 still makes you a loser. ( I will not say the grandmasters name out of respect as I am not sure if he would want this story told to just anyone. I felt though that this just might prove a point to some of those out there)





Just because a man chooses not to fight does not mean that he can%26#039;t defend himself. Just because you don%26#039;t see certain martial artist fighting in these extreme fights doesn%26#039;t mean that they are not every bit as dangerous and deadly as any MMA out there. Maybe they feel that the fights are pointless because in a real life situation they would seriously injure or kill the person attacking them and thus there is no point in competing.





You talk about the videos and how everything is choreograhped everyone is waiting blah blah blah, this just shows your ignorance to the styles. Apparently you have never had someone place a joint lock on you and move you around like a ragdoll, oh they can%26#039;t do that they could%26#039;t grab one of my punches or kicks and do that because I study an MMA!! I%26#039;ve had it done to me and seen men the size of line backers up on there toes dancing like a little girl as they were controlled by an old man half their size. Are you really that arrogant to believe that you are that much better than anyone else. I tell you what I%26#039;ll take any of your MMA guys the best of the best and I%26#039;ll put them up against an old grandmaster of these awfull styles, I%26#039;ll put them up against Kung Fu, Aikido, Tai Chi and I%26#039;ll let you wager whatever you want because my money would go with them everytime.





As I stated earlier my friend that took Aikido studied with a grandmaster of Aikido that would spend a couple months a year in Langley VA teaching special forces and counter intelligence experts Aikido manuevers. Now do you honestly think the goverment would hire him to train these guys if this form did not have quick and deadly applications. Just because these applications are not readily taught or used does not mean they don%26#039;t exist.





Get off your high horse learn humilty that was one of the things I was always taught was inherent in martial arts. Being Humble, but I guess in todays fast paced societies everything has to be proven and needs to be done right now. It is sad that this narrow point of view contiues, I feel sorry for you the day you realize the world does not revolve around you and your precious MMA%26#039;s.

How effective is Aikido as a martial art, especially in a street situation or against other martial artists?

It takes a long time to get the hang of it.|||It can be very effective if used properly. Consistent training is also very important. Guys that come in to the dojo only once in a while have a lot of difficulty acquiring the skills. Once you get the choregraphed stuff down, you can start using your knowledge for more concrete situations. At higher levels, the choregraphy makes place for more freestyle training and aikidoka begin to mix and match. So don%26#039;t sweat it if you feel all you%26#039;re learning is repetitious - that%26#039;s how you learn in the first stages, and the great ones practice the basics; Your tenkan and nikios can always be improved. I like to practice some of these outside the dojo as well; this will free your mind from having to concentrate on them when doing techniques, so that you can focus on stuff that is giving you more difficulty.


Finally, don%26#039;t forget the code: Aikido is not to be used outside the dojo unless a person (including yourself) is in danger. If you are attacked, or somebody else is attacked, you put an end to the situation as quickly as possible, and without violence at all if possible. But if you train continuously and put the proper effort into it, your training will kick in when the time comes.


As for other martial artists... Well, if you adhere by the code, those that are disciplined enough to get really good are very unlikely to attack you, because they have shown the character to get where they are. Those who have some skills but still hang on to their bullying ways are only slightly better equiped than your average street thug. There are a few exceptions to this general rule, of course - The Mike Tyson type who has both ability and unpredictability, but there are not many of those people around, fortunately. If you ever do get in one of those situations, you can only do your best and remember that what you%26#039;re trying to do is put an end to the situation, not necessarily %26quot;win%26quot; it. Also, remember the Bushido Code: When we must die, we must die. That may be a dramatic way to put it, but it basically means you shouldn%26#039;t get into a situation unless you%26#039;re prepared to accept all that could happen.


You can%26#039;t win them all, but you should strive to cultivate courage, humility and nobility.|||It is one of the best, no karate/martial arts is like it seems in the movies.


Aikido is one of the oldest formed and one of the most known forms.


Try it, it cant make matters worse.|||depends on how advanced you are|||Not so much the art as the person training, but let me say, for me Aikido is a very important part of my training. It, without doubt, is effective and very useful in not only real life combat but in cage combat as well.|||Aikido is very effective as a martial art but can take a while to acquire the skills. Take a look at some of the top Aikido masters in action and you will see how effective it can be.





Aikido is an %26quot;Internal%26quot; or %26quot;soft%26quot; art, which means that rather than using your own strength, you are using your skill and your opponent%26#039;s strength against them. This makes it ideal for people who are not built like bodybuilders and do not want to be. It also means that to the unskilled eye very little appears to be happening, and opponents seem to be throwing themselves around, which they are because the alternative, if they don%26#039;t yield, is broken limbs.





A real Aikido master will make the art look effortless and that is the true Art.


.


As with anything the more effort you put into it, the more you will get out, but effort does not mean strength or power, whilever you are thinking in terms of force and strength you will not progress with Aikido.





It%26#039;s certainly not the easiest Art to master - none of the Internal Arts are - but it is one of the most rewarding.|||aikido is a difficult art to master. It takes the average person quite a few years to really be able to effectively use the techniques they learn. However the art is very effective and can be used with devastating effects. The first and most important thing to learn in aikido is non resistance. Whatever comes your way, you must get out of it%26#039;s way and then treat the threat from a safe angle. It%26#039;s true that the aikido taught in class often consists of elaborate and unrealistic techniques but one must learn to to things the long way round if one is to understand how to execute them as an effective short technique. You have to understand what%26#039;s going on with the oponents momentum and use that to your advantage. Once you get to understand that you can do whatever you feel like. Instead of striking Aikido teaches you to break bones, dislocate members and even kill without too much effort. It is very much based on the bujutsu techniques of the Samurai and those boys weren%26#039;t out to give each other a black eye or a ko. They harmed or killed. However the true lesson in aikido as in most martial arts is to strive for peace and nothing else.|||bottom line,if the guy has a high skill level then Aikido is very effective,this applys to any martial art .it,s the guys experience and skill level that is the critical factor.|||Aikido is very effective in a street fight and against other martial artsis. I have had to use it many times. I have yet to find another martial art style that can come close to it. And no it isnt hard to get the hang of it is very easy to learn. I teach Shinbu Aikido and it consist of back falls/breakfalls, forward rolls flips/thorws, joint locks,chokes,take downs,and grappling,weapons are the knife, jo-staff, and the katana sword . from Gokyu = white belt to Shodan = 1st degree black belt you will know just over 200 techniques. and you can usually get your 1st black belt in under 2 years|||aikido shows you how to deffend from a robber with a knife, gun, etc... took a class once|||would you mess with Steven Segel?|||aiki-jitsu has aikido mixed with ju-jitsu its perfect.|||It is as effective as a person can be fighting a stand up only fight. It is a good stand up style, with no ground skills. In a real fight, well if the guy your fighting is street only he has problems, but if he took high school wrestling he is probably gonna take you down and hurt you.


The sword path in AiKiDo is sound, the style has no Forms or Katas.


Steven Seagul swears by it, and holds a 7th degree black.


In the UFC it failed fast along with alot of styles. It is great for learning falls, etc and hand / wrist manipulations.


But here again it relys on no resistance as an approach to training.


It can be very dangerous if learnt properly.|||wouldn%26#039;t consider it...it%26#039;s just that ur body doesn%26#039;t exert that much forcer therefore your body doesn%26#039;t develop, u just learn a couple of moves thats all....but what happens if u get caught unprepared? situations exampled by the sensei(sortof aikido teacher) are all set up and stuff....that perp won%26#039;t pose for you he%26#039;ll immediately kick the sh!t outta you....





i suggest jiu jitsu or muay thai...more of the physical stuff so u%26#039;ll get to stretch sum of ur muscles...and the poor lad won%26#039;t even need to pose and sh!t, u can immediately kick his *** in any friggin position|||It takes a long time to learn any of the %26#039;Aiki%26#039; styles of Jiu-Jitsu.





But Aikido is a complete martial art for the street. Again it depends on where you go to learn it.





Aikido teaches weapons defense, weapons usage, and multiple attack scenarios.|||Hey buddy!


Look it is like this. If you master it, than you are a step ahead. The problem with all of the arts is that they are not complete. What I mean by that, is they focus only on either standing and fighting or on the ground and fighting.





If you find a really good mix martial arts, you will learn both ground combatives as well as standing and striking. It really is a preference, but to me it makes sense if you are looking at it from a fighting point of view. I say that because most fights end up on the ground. A good fighter knows what to do in both situations. It makes you a very well rounded fighter. If you watch what happens, a considerable amount of people who get their black belts seek other styles. They do this, because what they just learned is lacking some of the things that they are looking for.





I hope that this helps you. Go with what your heart tells you to do. You know what you are looking for. You may not be looking for standing and ground combatives. You may just be looking for a standing combative. So go with what you feel is right.





Good luck buddy!|||If you know how to use it properly, yes, it is very effective. But Aikido does not teach us to retreat, however. We either move forward or sideways. All living things%26#039; reaction is to move back. Aikido wants us to resist that. Try looking at every technique. Does any of them requires retreating? I don%26#039;t think so. When we step forward, the attack stops, unlike when we step back. That%26#039;s when we apply the technique. Keeping the kamme (ready stance), is also very important in combat. No matter how much strength the opponent uses, he or she will find themselves being challenged by their own strength. To learn more, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido|||depends on how realistically you trained it.





If your aikido dojo is like the average one where they don%26#039;t train with resistance and the ukes practically throw themselves, then it will be about as much use to you as your skills at pac-man in a real situation, possibly worse, because it could give you an expectation of your opponent to act one way when it doesn%26#039;t happen you are in a more dangerous situation.





If you trained realistically, with fully-resisting opponents, then there are certainly techniques you can make work.|||It can be effective, but it does take a while to get the hang of it. When you do, you%26#039;ll find it can be effective...and painful.|||I would say extremely effective, check out this clip:





http://youtube.com/watch?v=l6Y3WZuUtVo|||Generally, street situations don%26#039;t occur against other martial artists. Aikido though, is quite effective against groups of untrained thugs or overextend.|||Its quite effective for self defence, as with all martial arts the main benefit is the confidence you gain.