Aikido and Sparring

[Budo_NJ]

However, I think your is actually ---->lack of practice. The truth is that sparring nor practice are either like hat you actually encounter in a self-defense situation. I have heard too many folks go on and on about sparring, but in reality it is not better nor worse than any tool we use to gain skill, such as forms (kata), waza etc. GM Rudy Timmerman once related a story about having one of his friends shot in front of his face, and then having the weapon turned on him, when he charged the man he knew that he would do him in if the gun didnt get him first. The man with the gun ran even though GM was unarmed. He knew that GM would "do him in". He then followed by "if you think sparring is going to prepare you for a real situation you are mistakes, the energy or whatever you call is it completely different than what you get in sparring or practice". In sparring your opponent is not trying to kill you. The connection is different. Sparring has its place, but IMHO it is basic practice that matters in Aikido, this is where the concepts are learned and perfected, after that there is sparring with random attacks, it all ties together, but sparring is no more realistic than basic partnered waza ^_^
--josh

You have a good point. But I don't think anyone ever mentioned that sparring would prepare you for a real life situtation. I only want to spar to improve my technique and reaction to different, unknown attacks. The way a person reacts to an unknown attack will be very different than from a predetermined one.

In response to your earlier post, I think that competition already exists in aikido in a very mild form. For example, when an uncooperative uke resists your technique or when your training partner throws you extra hard. Isn't this friendly competition? I think so and I don't have a problem with it. Competition happens to be a good thing as long as it doesn't begin dominating the art or the dojo.