How appliable is aikido for self-defense?

[Juany118]

I absolutely agree with your point there. Only one difference is remaining: there is usually 1 on 1 fight where you live, here is most unlikely that you will be attacked 1 on 1, and if attacked by one, usually it will be from one that will provoke you and his group from 2 to 3 minimum will jump from the back and will attack you (or just scare you).

Where is here generally? And what kind of fight/crime. The later makes a BIG difference. My town does have flash mob/swarm attacks by boredbored M School students during the spring and summer. Those always make the papers. The 2 am street robberies however are so common that the local news barely blinks.

If you give me a general area, that is in the US, I can perhaps give you links to sources that are objective vs the news. In the US the FBI UCR code listings are a good starting point.

 

[Juany118]

I tend to look at techniques as what we use when we are in a position, rather than what position we go to in order to access them. It's a distinction that works for me, because I wouldn't go into a clinch if I know there's a blade involved, but quite like it when I'm reasonably sure one is not yet. Since I favor a Judo-style leg sweep, I'd most likely use other tools at the distance of the sweep in that video.

I think my issue is that I take a paranoid route. I always assume my opponent has a weapon that I haven't seen yet, even if we are the only two people within a mile. Being trained to see the knife as "your opponent should feel it before they see it" over the last number of years does a good job at making you paranoid about weapons

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Can you send me some links from videos of NGA? I'm afraid that I found something on the subject, but I feel it's not what I was looking for. Books or articles are also welcomed.

The best books I know of are the one published by the NGAA and its predecessor (nearly identical) by Jim Giorgi (who co-authored the NGAA version): Integral Aikido: The Science, Art and Spirit of Nihon Goshin Aikido. I also see that there's another one out now, co-authored by Richard Bowe, who studied under the founder and brought the art to the US (and became the de facto head-of-style when the art died out in Japan): Nihon Goshin Aikido: The Art and Science of Self Defense.

Good video of NGA is tough to come by. It's a small art (by population), and not a lot of instructors posting much video. On YouTube, John Carter (senseicarter) has a few videos that show some of the techniques (also some BJJ videos, I think - he teaches both).

Here's one with Robert MacEwen (one of the most senior instructors in the art) showing some of the Classical Techniques (what I refer to as the Classical Forms of the techniques):

There are also some decent ones posted in the past by Walt Kopitov (ronin10562) on YouTube. Also mostly Classical forms.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Usually when you subdue a person, he will give up his desire to fight if he feels pain. Most of people will. Still, there are people that won't give up even when there is big pain or bad injury (for example junkers or alcoholics under heavy influences, usually they don't feel the pain at first if it's not too late for them).

And I'm not denying what you talk about Drop Bear, I really believe that he has put a good amount of time subduing people without injury. There are many skilled people. Like I said before, I learn from other experiences aside from mine. Don't know there, but here, you are most likely to be attacked by 2 people minimum on the streets, be attacked from behind or if there is one attacker - to be attacked with a weapon, but a rarity to be attacked 1 on 1 from unarmed attacker.

Where is "here" to you? I'm in the Southeastern US.

 

[GreatUniter]

In almost all Balkan Peninsula. No, there is not so big crime rate here, but usually many street assaults, street robberies and sexual assaults on the streets (rarest from contact crimes here). These are the crimes that are highly existing here. Usually there are street attacks (not robberies or sexual assaults) that happen for no reason (for example, walking down the street alone and seeing group of 4-5 guys and they attack you because you saw them, or any banal reason that they can think of). It's almost everyday thing. Most of the times street attacks are from highschool students. But more dangerous are street robberies, that are usually done from armed attackers (usually with knives, knuckledusters and/or bats).

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I think my issue is that I take a paranoid route. I always assume my opponent has a weapon that I haven't seen yet, even if we are the only two people within a mile. Being trained to see the knife as "your opponent should feel it before they see it" over the last number of years does a good job at making you paranoid about weapons

I probably fall just short of that, myself. If they punch with both hands, it's less likely they have a knife. If they grab with both, it's not in their hands, and tight control and fast action can keep it that way - as long as it's not one of your training partners. FMA guys and their knives...

 

[Gerry Seymour]

In almost all Balkan Peninsula. No, there is not so big crime rate here, but usually many street assaults, street robberies and sexual assaults on the streets (rarest from contact crimes here). These are the crimes that are highly existing here. Usually there are street attacks (not robberies or sexual assaults) that happen for no reason (for example, walking down the street alone and seeing group of 4-5 guys and they attack you because you saw them, or any banal reason that they can think of). It's almost everyday thing. Most of the times street attacks are from highschool students. But more dangerous are street robberies, that are usually done from armed attackers (usually with knives, knuckledusters and/or bats).

A bit like what I've heard (from my Ukrainian wife) is not uncommon in Ukraine. There are places where group attacks are more common than here.

 

[GreatUniter]

A bit like what I've heard (from my Ukrainian wife) is not uncommon in Ukraine. There are places where group attacks are more common than here.

Exactly.

 

[GreatUniter]

The best books I know of are the one published by the NGAA and its predecessor (nearly identical) by Jim Giorgi (who co-authored the NGAA version): Integral Aikido: The Science, Art and Spirit of Nihon Goshin Aikido. I also see that there's another one out now, co-authored by Richard Bowe, who studied under the founder and brought the art to the US (and became the de facto head-of-style when the art died out in Japan): Nihon Goshin Aikido: The Art and Science of Self Defense.

Good video of NGA is tough to come by. It's a small art (by population), and not a lot of instructors posting much video. On YouTube, John Carter (senseicarter) has a few videos that show some of the techniques (also some BJJ videos, I think - he teaches both).

Here's one with Robert MacEwen (one of the most senior instructors in the art) showing some of the Classical Techniques (what I refer to as the Classical Forms of the techniques):

There are also some decent ones posted in the past by Walt Kopitov (ronin10562) on YouTube. Also mostly Classical forms.

Thank you for the stuff. Are there any possibilities that these books can be downloaded from somewhere in pdf?

 

[Juany118]

I probably fall just short of that, myself. If they punch with both hands, it's less likely they have a knife. If they grab with both, it's not in their hands, and tight control and fast action can keep it that way - as long as it's not one of your training partners. FMA guys and their knives...

We are knife freaks. It's funny actually. On my new squad, on Tuesday just past, I drove with a partner to a place we couldn't enter with weapons. He dumps his in the trunk of the car in the parking lot and then saw me dump our issued gear plus 4 knives from different locations. His reaction was priceless lol.

 

[Juany118]

In almost all Balkan Peninsula. No, there is not so big crime rate here, but usually many street assaults, street robberies and sexual assaults on the streets (rarest from contact crimes here). These are the crimes that are highly existing here. Usually there are street attacks (not robberies or sexual assaults) that happen for no reason (for example, walking down the street alone and seeing group of 4-5 guys and they attack you because you saw them, or any banal reason that they can think of). It's almost everyday thing. Most of the times street attacks are from highschool students. But more dangerous are street robberies, that are usually done from armed attackers (usually with knives, knuckledusters and/or bats).

I think you point out another important issue. "Train for where you live" because different regions have different social dynamics, hence different needs overall.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Thank you for the stuff. Are there any possibilities that these books can be downloaded from somewhere in pdf?

Probably not. They're fairly new, and I'm not aware of any of them being published even as an e-book.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

We are knife freaks. It's funny actually. On my new squad, on Tuesday just past, I drove with a partner to a place we couldn't enter with weapons. He dumps his in the trunk of the car in the parking lot and then saw me dump our issued gear plus 4 knives from different locations. His reaction was priceless lol.

I remember a friend and his instructor and a training partner going to a government office to get visas to do a demo somewhere (might have been China). Before they got out of the car, Ken got out a box and all three dumped their knives in it. I think there were 13 total. Me? I have a key-shaped knife/tool on my keyring for opening boxes.

 

[GreatUniter]

I think you point out another important issue. "Train for where you live" because different regions have different social dynamics, hence different needs overall.

Yes, that's why I'm trying to grasp some other things that are useful beside my normal training. Thank you for your tips. Really useful talking with you.

 

[Juany118]

I remember a friend and his instructor and a training partner going to a government office to get visas to do a demo somewhere (might have been China). Before they got out of the car, Ken got out a box and all three dumped their knives in it. I think there were 13 total. Me? I have a key-shaped knife/tool on my keyring for opening boxes.

Yep we are like that. I still had two tactical pens on me, the FMA equivalent would be a dulo dulo, aka palm stick.

 

[vince1]

The best books I know of are the one published by the NGAA and its predecessor (nearly identical) by Jim Giorgi (who co-authored the NGAA version): Integral Aikido: The Science, Art and Spirit of Nihon Goshin Aikido. I also see that there's another one out now, co-authored by Richard Bowe, who studied under the founder and brought the art to the US (and became the de facto head-of-style when the art died out in Japan): Nihon Goshin Aikido: The Art and Science of Self Defense.

Good video of NGA is tough to come by. It's a small art (by population), and not a lot of instructors posting much video. On YouTube, John Carter (senseicarter) has a few videos that show some of the techniques (also some BJJ videos, I think - he teaches both).

Here's one with Robert MacEwen (one of the most senior instructors in the art) showing some of the Classical Techniques (what I refer to as the Classical Forms of the techniques):

There are also some decent ones posted in the past by Walt Kopitov (ronin10562) on YouTube. Also mostly Classical forms.

Looks very similar to what I am currently learning Aiki Jiu Jitsu.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Looks very similar to what I am currently learning Aiki Jiu Jitsu.

The times I've been in an (Ueshiba's) Aikido dojo and used any of my NGA, I've been told it looks like Shioda's students. I've gotten that enough that when I explain NGA to folks who have trained in Aikido for any length of time, I use Yoshinkan to describe it.