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by caminante 3587 days ago 

  I think you are over-selling the internet's contribution. 
  The growth of MMA has been the real driver.
I think you're talking past the parent comment.

He's saying that the Internet shined a light and exposed "bullshido" martial arts. BJJ, muay thai, wrestling, and kickboxing didn't need an MMA forum to raise doubts. They needed visibility. The Internet makes the social proof easily accessible without having to buy a PPV, rent a DVD, or attend a fight. The exposure has correctly labeled many of these cultish martial arts for what they are -- ineffective combat systems.

The sad part is that for a sizeable minority, it almost takes a Youtube intervention with many videos such as this one [0] to convince them that no amount of aikido training will let them mow through a wave of attackers.

[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEDaCIDvj6I
2 comments
JulianMorrison 3587 days ago
Some of them are nonsense. Some of them are a knife being used as a screwdriver. A duelling art is not a sport art is not a self-defense art.
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S_Daedalus 3587 days ago
As an avid fencer, I couldn't agree more! My first instinct, trained into me for years with fencing has to do with scoring points on specific areas, in specific ways, not killing or surviving. It might look a little similar to the uninitiated, but it's basically night and day. Never mind that I've trained with little metal foils, sabers and epees, that probably weigh a fraction of a proper steel blade, I just wouldn't know what to do with it to literally save my life.
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JulianMorrison 3586 days ago
If you want to experience the difference, maybe look into any local HEMA groups.

Full weight steel swords aren't all that heavy, especially if well balanced, but they have inertia and aren't whippy and flexible.

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whiddershins 3587 days ago
Aikido is a great art. The video you linked to is not anything to do with Aikido.
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caminante 3587 days ago
Yes, the instructor's "school" isn't labeled in the video. That said, you have to admit the opening sequence shows misleading effectiveness much like that of (explicitly labeled) aikido. He's grabbing wrist control from people charging him and using the (similar?) techniques of aikido.

Aikido's heavily criticized [0] for using these attack caricatures both in practice and sales. In real life, you're not catching punches or twirling actors.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido#Criticisms

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