[robaato]

Aikido is a very "broad church" - ranging from fluffy bunny to pretty hard styles - and the effectiveness can vary significantly.

The principles and techniques can be very effective, but it depends on what/how you train (or who you train with).

There are many reasons to train, and based on your reasons, you should choose the martial art you wish to study, and also the teacher/school where to study. That said, it can be a great idea to study with a good teacher (but of an art you are less keen on) who is close by, than the perfect martial art which you can only get to infrequently.

Aikido isn't the best art to quickly learn how to defend yourself if that's all you want to do. But it has many pluses - "old man's judo" as a friend of mine said - you can keep going and keep getting better (if you practice) inspite of age...

I can recommend: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meditations-Violence-Comparison-Mar... for some thought provoking reading and study.