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by andrewflnr 3482 days ago
Aikido in particular seems to be very subtle, both in my experience and the opinion of an aikido black belt I've asked about it. If you restrict yourself to aikido techniques and your attacker has no such reservations, you have to be extremely good. I think it would be a mistake to give up on self-defense in general because of that. In any case, you have to go into it knowing it's not a guarantee, it just increases your odds.
2 comments
SkyMarshal 3482 days ago
Yeah, I studied Aikido briefly in college and found it quite powerful when a petite 65yr old Japanese lady could inflict the most excruciating drop-to-your-knees pain I've ever felt with barely a touch. But it takes a decade or more of diligent practice to achieve that kind of skill, and I found Judo, BJJ, and Krav Maga quicker to become effective with.
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3131s 3482 days ago
Freestyle Olympic wrestling also has many useful techniques for winning a real street fight, and as an activity it builds the type of strength that is very effective in a fight. Worth taking a look at wrestler and BJJ practitioner Daniel Cormier's recent win of the UFC light heavyweight championship over Anthony Johnson, an extremely talented striker, to see why this is the case. Johnson essentially had a small window of time to knock Cormier out, and he nearly did, but once Cormier manage to get a hold of him the fight was brutal after that.

Strength training and general athleticism alone too will often allow you to win over someone who practices a martial art that is purely focused on striking, especially one of the more ornamental ones. Hard to win against someone that can just pick you up and slam you on the concrete ala Quinton Jackson.

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stcredzero 3482 days ago
Aikido in particular seems to be very subtle

Which aids in the analogy.

If you restrict yourself to aikido techniques and your attacker has no such reservations, you have to be extremely good.

Good for the analogy.

I think it would be a mistake to give up on self-defense in general because of that. In any case, you have to go into it knowing it's not a guarantee, it just increases your odds.

Good points for the analogy.

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