# Thinking of changing my practice from Krav Maga to Aikido.



## Jescalito (May 10, 2014)

6 months ago I begana training in Krav Maga. I have enjoyed every minute of it. I also train BJJ now for 2 months. The thing is It's just so brutal. I'm more of a pacifist and so Aikido philosophy with its defenses that come along are attractive. I just am curious about learning the basics to start and hopefully be able to apply some basic punch an kick defenses if I needed to in a self defence situation. If I like Aikido more I will probably stick with it of course. However if I only did train Aikido for a short while what kind of commitment am I looking at to at the very least be able to thwart some attacks and havean understanding of it I could build upon?


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## punisher73 (May 10, 2014)

My opinion only based on a very short study of Aikido.  Aikido is a long term commitment to become good and effective at it.  Because it focuses on blending with an attack, it requires a higher skill level to use it effectively than the offensive based arts like Krav Maga that are easier to learn physically.

If you are looking for something that fits with your personality and beliefs, than try Aikido.  But, if you are only looking for a short term self-defense program, I don't think it would fit your needs.


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## drop bear (May 10, 2014)

Fair enough. Train what you want.


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## scottcatchot (Jun 23, 2014)

I  love Aikido, but it is a long term commitment. But then anything worth having takes time and hard work. Choose what you enjoy and stick with it as long as you can.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 23, 2014)

EVERY martial art is a long-term commitment. Some people say not to move on to another until you have "mastered" the first. Then there are those who believe you can never truly master any of them. My personal belief is you should go with one that suits your personality and philosophy best. From what you have written, aikido seems to fit the bill.


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## KydeX (Jun 23, 2014)

Being a pacifist in a self defense situation won't save you if the fight is on. Being brutal might...

That said, I believe you should train in a style you think is fun and that fits your beliefs. That is the most important. Otherwise you will just quit.


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## K-man (Jun 23, 2014)

Jescalito said:


> 6 months ago I begana training in Krav Maga. I have enjoyed every minute of it. I also train BJJ now for 2 months. The thing is It's just so brutal. I'm more of a pacifist and so Aikido philosophy with its defenses that come along are attractive. I just am curious about learning the basics to start and hopefully be able to apply some basic punch an kick defenses if I needed to in a self defence situation. If I like Aikido more I will probably stick with it of course. However if I only did train Aikido for a short while what kind of commitment am I looking at to at the very least be able to thwart some attacks and havean understanding of it I could build upon?


As someone who teaches Krav and studies Aikido I can understand where you are coming from. In your profile you have listed Muay Thai as a primary style along with Krav. As you would already know they are very compatible. MT kicking is the style basically adapted by KM.

Six months training in KM should have given you enough SD skills to get away from trouble. I'm not sure that 'basic punch and kick skills' is really enough though if the brown stuff hits the rotating blades. The main issue is, is six months training enough to respond automatically in a pressure situation? That depends on each individual person and is quite complex. 

Let's look at Aikido. For me it took six years on top of a reasonable MA background before I felt confident I could rely on Aikido alone in a SD situation. And that is a style of Aikido that includes striking in the training. The other thing to bear in mind is that not all Aikido is taught to be effective, which is why Aikido gets a lot of flack from time to time. So, I think you need to ask, "what do I want to get from my Aikido training?" If it is self defence, stick to Krav. With Aikido, it will be years with a top instructor before you are at that level. If you enjoy a challenge and are really interested in learning a martial art that uses both mental and physical skills and doesn't rely on physical strength to be effective then Aikido might just be the right choice. 

If you decide to begin Aikido make sure you check out the place thoroughly before you start. Don't just look at the instructor, look at the senior students. If the instructor is good the top students will also be good. 

Good of luck with your choice.
:asian:


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## Kung Fu Wang (Jun 23, 2014)

wingchun100 said:


> Some people say not to move on to another until you have "mastered" the first.


I prefer to state as:

You should not move on to another style until you have developed a "solid foundation" from that style first.


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