Yoko Okamoto

[Taiji Rebel]

 

[isshinryuronin]

Looks nice, but...

1. Although the attackers are not aiding the uke, actively helping the technique like in many aikido demos I've seen, they are certainly not resisting at all.

2. Aside from active resistance, I don't believe the attackers' greater weight is being addressed.

3. The plan of battle seldom goes smoothly after first contact. Much of the time, the attacker will flail or otherwise react in a way not condusive to the technique.

4. Several times, simply letting go or shifting their weight would allow the attacker to escape the technique. Yes, in the heat of attack this often does not come to mind but could happen unintentionally as in #3.

I like aikido. It's very elegant. Some of the concepts (physical such as timing and flow, as well as mental/spiritual bearing) and even some of the techniques, can certainly be used in some situations. But to rely on it as one's sole martial art for self-defense purposes I think leaves something to be desired. It does offer other "soft" benefits, so I understand why some are drawn to it. I wouldn't knock anybody from studying it as long as it's limitations (as commonly taught) are recongnized.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

If we compare the Aikido video with this video, you can see difference in training.

What's the difference? IMO, the counter training is missing in that Aikido video.

 

[JowGaWolf]

If we compare the Aikido video with this video, you can see difference in training.

What's the difference? IMO, the counter training is missing in that Aikido video.

I'm not sure if it's missing. I've seen counters and escapes used before in Aikido.

 

[Taiji Rebel]

Glad to hear you guys enjoyed the video demonstration

 

[Flying Crane]

If we compare the Aikido video with this video, you can see difference in training.

What's the difference? IMO, the counter training is missing in that Aikido video.

The difference is that this video is a two-person form and is entirely choreographed. That is far from the “realistic” training that everyone keeps going on about.

There is no “counter-training” going on in this video. They are just moving through the combos together, with full cooperation.

 

[Flying Crane]

Glad to hear you guys enjoyed the video demonstration

I enjoyed the video. Shared it with my son (age 9) since we are training aikido together.

My opinion: aikido is simply a different animal. It refuses to follow the popular trends. A lot of people (most of whom I suspect have never trained aikido for so much as a minute in their lives) simply don’t know what to make of it and don’t know what to do with it. They want aikido to be more like something that they are familiar with. But it refuses. It’s too bad. Their loss, not aikido’s

 

[Xue Sheng]

I use to truly enjoy watching the late sensei of my daughters Aikido dojo do demos, even more impressive was his Randori. I could not believe on how small his circles were.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I enjoyed the video. Shared it with my son (age 9) since we are training aikido together.

My opinion: aikido is simply a different animal. It refuses to follow the popular trends. A lot of people (most of whom I suspect have never trained aikido for so much as a minute in their lives) simply don’t know what to make of it and don’t know what to do with it. They want aikido to be more like something that they are familiar with. But it refuses. It’s too bad. Their loss, not aikido’s

Been saying that for a long time, people see something they don't understand but instead of taking the time to understand it they try and change it to something they do understand and thereby destroy the essence of the style

 

[JowGaWolf]

I enjoyed the video. Shared it with my son (age 9) since we are training aikido together.

My opinion: aikido is simply a different animal. It refuses to follow the popular trends. A lot of people (most of whom I suspect have never trained aikido for so much as a minute in their lives) simply don’t know what to make of it and don’t know what to do with it. They want aikido to be more like something that they are familiar with. But it refuses. It’s too bad. Their loss, not aikido’s

I think most people want clarification and much of that confusion is because Aikido is not clear about Aikido.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Been saying that for a long time, people see something they don't understand but instead of taking the time to understand it they try and change it to something they do understand and thereby destroy the essence of the style

In what way is it being destroyed? Thinking that it's for fighting or thinking that its only for spiritual and mental growth?

 

[Xue Sheng]

In what way is it being destroyed? Thinking that it's for fighting or thinking that its only for spiritual and mental growth?

Your question is binary (0 or 1) and asking such a question already shows you do not really want to understand what aikido actually is, was, or was meant to be...

 

[Flying Crane]

I think most people want clarification and much of that confusion is because Aikido is not clear about Aikido.

I believe that people who do aikido are completely clear on what it is. The fact that other people are confused isn’t aikido’s problem.

Aikido can be many things, to different people. It doesn’t fit neatly into a slot. It can be many things at the same time, including contradictory things, to the same person. Again, if other people can’t accept that, that is their own problem and not a problem with aikido. You can demand an explanation, but nobody is obligated to give you one nor to satisfy your pre-conceived notions.

 

[Flying Crane]

In what way is it being destroyed? Thinking that it's for fighting or thinking that it’s only for spiritual and mental growth?

It can be all of those things and more, at the same time, even for the same person.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Your question is binary (0 or 1) and asking such a question already shows you do not really want to understand what aikido actually is, was, or was meant to be...

So much for clarity. I will not ask you about Aikido again.

 

[JowGaWolf]

believe that people who do aikido are completely clear on what it is. The fact that other people are confused isn’t aikido’s problem.

Not a good answer. If people ask Aikido practitioners for clarity then it's Aikido's place to provide clarity. If people can't ask Akidio practitioners then who should they ask?

 

[JowGaWolf]

You can demand an explanation, but nobody is obligated to give you one nor to satisfy your pre-conceived notions.

Asking is not demanding. if an Aikido or any other system doesn't want to answer questions, provide clarity, and correct misconceptions about the system. Then that's on that Aikido practitioner. That practitioner should not be frustrated, surprised, or irritated when others have questions. Especially when they do not want to give answers. The assumption that it's someone else's problem is not accurate.

Nothing about the replies I've gotten are problematic to anything I do. It's the same for most people who don't train Aikido.

I have a saying about Answers. Regardless of what I'm told or not told, I will get an answer. The person who is answering will either shape the answer or he or she will be silent and allow me to shape the answer. Straight from the source or from silence, an answer will exist. Since the answer that was given to me was about me and not Aikido, Then I can form my own answer about the deflection and how I am the issue.

If the answer is about Ikido then I'll listen. The answer is about me then I have my own answers.

With the exception of your answer. I'm pretty much reminded of how some TMA people get upset when someone asks a question about something they want to know.

 

[JowGaWolf]

It can be all of those things and more, at the same time, even for the same person.

By the way thank you for the answer it helps me to better understand many of the perceptions about Aikido.

 

[mograph]

If people ask Aikido practitioners for clarity then it's Aikido's place to provide clarity.

It depends on the question.

Wouldn’t you agree that some questions cannot be answered with symbolic representations (e.g. words), but require direct experience, leading to implicit understanding?

 

[Flying Crane]

Not a good answer. If people ask Aikido practitioners for clarity then it's Aikido's place to provide clarity. If people can't ask Akidio practitioners then who should they ask?

It is aikidokas’ place to provide it if they so choose. Nobody is bound to answer. There have been multiple threads on aikido over the years. To my memory, people connected to aikido have tried to provide clarity over and over. But those demanding the clarity either refuse to accept the answers or they simply ignore or disregard them because they think aikido must be something like what they are used to or what they want it to be, they think they know what something must look like in order to qualify as a martial method and aikido does not fit their notions. “Aikido can’t be THIS because they don’t train like THAT (meaning: they don’t train like I train); aikido must be THAT because of blah blah blah”. It gets old. After a while, the answer simply becomes, “you don’t like aikido. That’s fine, sod off.”

Aikido is fluid, it isn’t just one thing. Like it or not, that is aikido, whether it makes sense to you or not.

You really want to understand it? Enroll in a good school for a few years.