that's exactly what it is, keep it up. I really look forward to seeing how you adapt aikido and what comes out of the pressure training in modernization episodes.
I'm not an aikido guy, but the Aikido vs MMA sparring video made me consider subscribing, so I clicked into the channel. When I then realised that you were continuing on that path trying to adapt and improve, I couldn't find my way to the subscribe button fast enough.
Thanks! That's very cool of you to say that. I appreciate it. Yup, this is will be a full long path. I've already started doing extra training in BJJ, MMA and kick boxing to better understand the whole subject and am filming continuous videos with pro fighters and other experienced people to see what Aikido could really bring useful to the table
That's awesome! Looking forward to follow your "journey" and see what this leads to. I am currently practising Taekwondo and Wing Chun, and considering following that up with a non-striking art. I'm likely gonna go for either BJJ or Judo, but aspects of Aikido also has me somewhat intrigued.
Thanks! Yeah, I feel if we want to move on and really have some use, we need to get rid of BS that get's us stuck doing the same thing over and over, even if it doesn't really work or have much use
@AikidoSiauliai You seem like a decent gent who loves aikido and the martial arts. i so agree that mechanical repetition of techniques will lead to very little. I think you want to bring aikido forward, by combining aikido with bjj/karate etc. I respectfully disagree with your approach, and think it is just another way of watering down a great art. i hope you will see the truth one day that the Japanese have not shown us all there is (those who know, i mean. many sensei/shihans have no idea) and that somethings are "hidden in plain sight".
ccdev I don't think the idea is to simply combine Aikido with other arts, but expose it to other arts so it can see where it's deficient, catch up to modern progress, and start innovating again. I don't think this is watering Aikido down, I think it's allowing it to breathe. I believe the way to preserve a martial art is to honor it's spirit, but not let it sit in its own echo chamber and stagnate.
@dynamic1 ok, excuse me if i misunderstood. Imo aikido is the study of aiki, which is a way of changing the body internally, without which you are just practicing jujitsu packaged in aikido format. AIKI is not specific to aikido, and can be used with any other art eg karate, bjj, wing chun. Add aiki to jujtisu, it becomes aikijitsu. Change the main emphasis from destruction of your opponent to harmony & cultivation of self, and it becomes aikido. from CMA, aiki is basically called internal power. It is a way of developing an aikibody BUT it is not taught anymore, at least not openly. 99% of aikido dojos teach techniques which rely on speed, momentum, leverage, angle, strength BUT without the necessary changes INSIDE THE BODY. Why do you think the GIANTS of aikido/daito ryu were all small sized people? Maybe they were forced to look for something that the bigger sized people were not. Grab someone with an aikibody and you can tell the difference immediately. many (including high level sensei and shihans) say they have aiki but not many actually do. "aikido" is deficient (actually it is a joke among other MA practitioners) because Aikikai Hombu is merely teaching "empty" techniques devoid of the true essence of the art. What is there to preserve if what is being taught is just jujitsu with fancy slogan (like "we practice with the spirit of harmony or BS like that)? Some people think that aikido is the property of a certain family. Doshu (moriteru) is head of a martial arts organization where he does not have to prove his skills in a ring. He is treated like a VIP everywhere he goes (like most japanese shihans when they conduct seminars around the world). He is head of a foundation with favourable tax-breaks. Do you think Aikikai is worried about the criticism that aikido gets when the top people are so insular? What if i said that Aikikai is more interested in student recruitment and gradings (ie $$$)? So many people have been played for so long by aikikai and the japs but some people have opened their eyes. Even the japs got played out by the japs ie check out sagawa's interview when at the grand ol' age of 80, he came out and said "i think i will start teaching aiki" to his daito ryu students. HAha, what a joke! If you are doing aikido, check out george ledyard or bill gleason sensei, if you really want to know what aikido is about and not just do jujitsu that looks like aikido. Then maybe, there would be something worth preserving. The rest of the so-called 'aikido' that is being practiced worldwide, is nothing more than jujitsu.
This is a great idea. I trained in Aikido and Judo simultaneously. I now study ITF Taekwondo. The Ai in Aikido and the Ju in Judo have never left me. I'm learning a lot from you video's. Respectfully John
“You have to be capable of violence to give mercy”. DAMM!! That was total truth. It will take weeks to process the astounding profoundness of that statement. Rokas you are on a journey to becoming a total BOSS 🤙
Would love to see you revisit with these guys as a “5 years later what has changed”. Especially now that you’re training in the arts they were. These guys still hold some nuggets of truth.
I'm an aikidoka from marocco i appreciate that modernizarion of this harmonious art i've been practicing aïkido for 12 years i'm proud To be a part of this new practice of aïkido bro
Something chappy at the start said is quite important at least to me (Although I don't do Aikido, I think it applies to a number of other martial arts which struggle in this sort of situation) in that the philosophy behind it is also quite significant. I think cross-training is the ONLY way to make a lot of martial arts truly viable, especially if we're talking against trained fighters: But while you're taking the physical aspects and testing them, I think the reverse is also true in some aspects. The philosophy elements of a lot of martial arts, and the history of those who made or practice is, can be extremely beneficial to combat in general. I'm curious: I've usually held the position that things like Tai Chi, or Kung-Fu (Certain branches, anyway!) and Aikido, all have roots in genuine fighting arts, but the chances are they're extremely watered down by this point, be it through time or location. But that's where the cross training becomes infinitely useful. It should be seen as a guide, not as an attack, to say recognise weaknesses. I also think its ironic that you (correctly) said that people got defensive, or felt that you were somehow bringing shame or attacking your own martial art. In truth: You're encompassing the spirit of a TRUE martial artist far more than any Karate / Kungfu / Whatever purist. The philosophy of many fighting arts is one of learning, one of dedication and commitment. The idea that they refuse knowledge that WORKS is laughable to me. And that does work both ways; I think it's one thing modern MMA has shown people, martial artists should not be merely defined by the specific arts they practice. One key example of this combination that i'm trying to get at would be Bruce Lee (As obvious as the example is.) in that he was a Gung-fu practitioner, who also elected wisely to practice various other forms of combat, be it Muay Thai or Grappling (I don't know specifically what grappling he did, I would assume Jiujitsu or Judo and Catch-wrestling) in order to truly push him forward as a martial artist. And he approached it with a strong sense of philosophical purpose, and it didn't damage his ability to train properly or fight, if anything I would contest it was likely invaluable to his ability to be as good as he was, he had utmost respect for all the fighting arts. Basically man: Damn fine work, I'm enjoying these a lot. It's a breath of fresh air to see this attitude taken in a study that is very typically full of bollocks and ego. I'm a Jiujitsu / Muay Thai guy, but when I was younger I did various traditional martial arts aswell, namely Judo and a few others, and found there were always transferable skills, you just need to be willing to view it as being more similar than different. For example, do you think Ueshiba would reject a master of other martial arts? I don't actually know the answer (I'm not overly familiar with his philosophical discipline specifically.) I would hope he would open to knowledge, as many other amazing martial artists were. Musashi (Book of five rings gentlemen.) travelled and TESTED himself, and I think that's the spirit you're encompassing here, and I believe those who cast you aside for such things should be viewed as ignorant. That's not to insult purists of any form, its entirely personal, but when it comes to practicality, that attitude is what makes good fighters. And I also believe (and it sounds like aikido could use it) it humbles the individual. A master of BJJ should walk into a Muay Thai gym not with arrogance, but with knowledge he has a hole to fill in his fighting, which would also allow an expansion of his larger philosophy. No different to a Karate guy learning Judo, or Kickboxing. Sorry, that was long and rambly and I got slightly carried away: But I hope you get my point. You're doing great, and I look forward to seeing the rest of it. Peace out homie! Edit: I think viewing fighting arts purely for their practical application vs other trained fighters isn't necessarily the focus of a lot of MODERN versions of those martial arts, and a lot of them have transitioned into more spiritual or fitness practices. And I don't think that takes anything away from them in a value point of view; but in the same way Boxing won't necessarily make you the most spiritual person, Tai Chi wouldn't make you the most capable fighter. It's apples and oranges: even if they at some point came from the same logical tree.
HI, in order to make Aikido work, you have to block and kick until time and chance is on your side. Then you wait for an opening. Once you get that opening you go in and blend with your opponent to execute Aikido, or until your opponent goes full force.
I want to share my story with you. I started training in martial arts at the age of 13, my first art was kickboxing (what was called at the time Western Kickboxing) in a club in my local town, I live in the UK. I became bored a few years later as only teenager's can, and moved on to train Wado Ryu Karate, I felt I needed something with a bit more flavour, the problem was I sucked at it, I could do the punches and kicks fine, even the locks, holds and throws... But Kata... no. At this time my friends started Judo after a period of light peer pressure and the feeling I was struggling with Karate I joined the Judo club. I stuck with it for a good number of years and achieved a brown belt. During this time me and one of my buddies went around and tried every martial arts school in the area! Muay Thai, Karate, Ju Jitsu, English wrestling, Kung Fu etc... It was a lot of fun. A few years later after leaving Judo and after a short break I started Eskrima Kali, JKD, Wing Chun and BJJ. This was basically a cross training gym (when cross training was a new thing) and I did very well. Now years later I'm thinking of starting Aikido. Because I experienced it in a real life setting and it works! I know it works because it worked on me. Cross train yes. Evolve personally. But I offer caution, don't throw the baby out with the bath water.
Congrats on this series of videos rokas, very interesting and refreshing. I only recently started training aikido ( 8 months so far) but i´m dissapointed and ashamed of the level of discussion about aikido being a martial art or not and the restrictions on the methods of training, specifically regarding sparring. As a general martial artist everyone should crosstrain, putting a restriction on learning and developing yourself not only physically but mentally should be a red flag. About live sparring being restricted on aikido i really can't understand it, O' sensei prohibited any form of competition but sparring is a method of training, not a tournament, so there is no competition per se. The only competitive element that may be in sparring is the ego you bring to the mat. Keep it outside and you focus only on learning, i don't think is that hard.
Thanks. More will come. I will release a full version of this talk Thursday and then will continue on with the next project which will be more practical application based, although will include some conversations too. Then I am considering to expand the subject and look with experienced martial artists and fighters at a bigger scale of TMA vs MMA, meaning Wing Chun, Karate, Judo, Tai Chi etc. Should be very interesting and beneficial
One of these things is not like the others! Remember that Judo evolved from sparring with traditional Japanese Jujitsu and is a functional sport grappling approach like wrestling is. As Judoka would say, BJJ stands for "Basically Just Judo" :-) www.cagesideseats.com/2012/12/8/3669792/the-forgotten-golden-age-of-mma-part-two-the-rise-of-judo-dawn-of-new-age-john-nash
Wow,I didn't expect this kind of talk. I'm greatfull on this. Thank you. The key is sparring. Testing the limits of the martial art is improving your mindset and skillset.
Wow this was so interesting! As an Aikido practitioner I do care a great deal about the functionality of Aikido and i'm open to all these things. Although I also sort of feel a little that when people introduce too many punches and different aproaches to Aikido, it sort of distorts a little O Sensei's original intentions, so it's good to be careful not to lose the main focus and turn Aikido into a violent martial art as it was in its past when Samurai used the movements for dismemberment.
Aikido was never meant to be a singular art to be practised by itself all of the greatest Aikidoka Gozo Shioda, Kenji Tomiki, Shoji Nishio and O'Sensei himself were masters of other arts first thats what made them so great at Aikido so the idea of cross training with Aikido shows that people are starting to wise up and head in the right direction.
Thats because Ueshiba had experienced or mastered those arts well enough to defend against them he didn't just study Daito Ryu he studied many other martial arts before he put Aikido together so he understood how they worked.
osensei (then plain ol ueshiba) was a cross trainer of many arts when he got his butt kicked by Takeda. He then started training only aikijitsu and stopped his training in all the other arts. why?
@Alex Corsair "if he trained well in MMA"?? ueshiba was already doing MMA (like many people know he was already cross-training before he met Takeda), he just came across someone who had something beyond mere techniques. Apparently, aikido to you (and many aikidokas) is merely a set of forms/techniques but many don't realise that aikido techniques are basically jujitsu forms and not unique to aikido. What makes jujitsu different from aikijitsu different from aikido? there is a reason osensei said "there is no kata in aikido" and i have already mentioned that the component of aiki is not specific to aikido, and can be implemented into other art forms. I respectfully say that the Aikido of modern days is totally watered down and is NOT o'sensei's aikido but rather his son's, kisshomaru. People have been played by aikikai hombu for too long and should wake up. i think verbal words would not sway some people (and it should not. i myself was only convinced by mixing it up with someone who had "it" ). Only by feeling someone with an aikibody (as compared to those who say they do aikido, like many high ranking sensei and shihans) would you understand where i am trying to go with my argument. Good luck on your journey.
gj bro, keep exploring this avenue and you will most likely end up improving this situation aikido is in and all the practitioners. There is real value in some aikido techniques but it's a very situational art comparing it to other traditional combat sports like muay thai. Ignore the trolls and idiots, they will only waste your time and energy and that's all they can do if you feed them. I can't wait to see you in a few years of contemplating and crosstraining what you will come up with. I'm new to combat sports and i do it for fitness and fun alone, got a rib busted last night but even if i break all the bones i will keep fighting. I love it. Never had more fun in my life, to bad i'm kind of old for any real performance and my physical condition sux after vegging or 10 years or more.
Dude your video becomes a massive wake up call. You should go on TV and talk about it. I think this will help a lot of people who love Aikido to think differently and may be someone will combine BJJ and AIKIDO to make something greater
This was funny to me: I found myself aligned with Francisco philosophically but I also saw myself as a version of Nathanael but batting for the opposite philosophy to him. In other words, I believe aikido movements can be made more efficient in a realistic sense, without turning ourselves into either wimps or monsters, or even by jumping ship to other martial arts. I agree with Nathanael in many respects, but I sometimes get frustrated in these kinds of discussions because we use abstractions like 'aikido'. Well, truth is, there is no one monolithic aikido. There are schools, styles, and within each style individual instructors with various leanings. So, I am not sure what he means really by aikido doesn't work. It may just be the style he trained in or the instruction he got which didn't lend itself to imparting that side. There are some general things we can say about aikido, such as the idea that it is non-violent. It's precisely because we don't want to injure our training partner(s) or cause death that we don't indulge in 'tests'. In practice though, people do compete covertly when the instructor isn't watching, or after class. My professional opinion is that we don't need to compete, just do drills, and in a non-competitive environment, working at 50% or even less of the force / pace / resistance, etc, that you think you'll need, work on timing, unbalancing, light open-palm sparring too if need be, but in a controlled and supervised setting where there are instructors monitoring the situation and able to intervene if necessary. These videos of yours are helpful in bringing aspects of aikido that need to be discussed but from another point of view, I feel, they seem a bit naive. Just because some people fail to make their aikido effective, doesn't mean that we need to believe that MMA is fail-safe in every aspect. In marriage, that woul dbe like thinking, hey maybe my wife doesn't have what other women have... Let me get into bed with someone who looks more modern... I feel, it is only human to have faults. And so, there can never be one or even a combo of martial arts that will do the trick, whatever the trick is supposed to do. Pepper spray works too. And so does a knife, if you know how to use it. But, on balance, I think aikido makes us more human, in body, mind and spirit. MMA is gross, by comparison; but, then again, it doesn't try to be spiritual, which is probably why I would never want to do it. I find it strangely perverse when people say that hitting people in the face is spiritual for them. That's kinda weird if you think about it. Then again, if this a belief then MMA, we can say, also has cultish aspects, with its own mythological worldview. A way to gauge whether someone is caught in a mythic worldview is when they no longer see sensory facts as facts but cling to a good vs evil script, where the only thing we can do is destroy evil because there is nothing good in an evil person - there is no trace of good in that person, that tribe, that race, that nation, or that group. I think, we all too easily slip from a sensory mode of apprehending reality to the other mythic mode. The mythic mode is often dangerous. I feel we need to be factual but focus on the psychology of aikido rather than take its techniques as gospel. After all, the techniques are evolving. It is meant to be creative because love is...Isn't that so?
Hey Rokas! I was hoping that you could hear me out and do something for me in Modernized Aikido or in a small side project :) My problem with the Aikido is rolling out of throws, I was wondering if you could get a controlled partner to do Aikido moves, like those stepping forward and chopping as if they had a knife, but NOT roll out of the throws. Have them be controlled up until the point of the contact and then have them be resistant towards the throw. (of course have extra thick mats for them to land on) I would absolutely love to see if Aikido still works without rolling out of the throw, much appreciated, I love what your doing here :D
AikidoSiauliai I was thinking that in a lot of Aikido demonstrations, the partner rolls out of small pushs, I've never done Aikido but I think thats my main problem with it, not the concept of redirection. I was thinking that you should do a bunch of Aikido moves with a controlled partner but the partner doesn't roll out of the throw, if the Aikido move truly works then the partner shouldn't have to roll out of the throw, but the throw should cause them to fall or flip on its own. Btw, the partner should land on a extra thick Mat so they don't land incorrectly and hurt themself. I know that rolling out of the throw is for protection of the partner but I believe that the throw should also work without rolling out of it if Aikido truly works. Thank you for replying and considering what I am saying. I really do appreciate it :))
We have an Aikido sandan in our dojo, learning Shorin-Ryu karate. He's a very nice guy, and if you're interested in talking with him about how karate can tie in with Aikido, I could get you in touch with him.
My instructor (6th dan) suggests to stick with one style or teacher until Yondan when you have the system memorised and integrated in one style and then consider training another style alongside. Not before 4th dan though as you may get lost and the styles become blurred and lacking insight. Great video though..
Aaron wieclawski Your instructor need more money. Lol! I am a 1st Dan in Aikido, Judo and Daido Juku Karate. I am also a purple belt in BJJ. No problem.
Alex Corsair I think we all need more money lol, but sounds like you are mma rather than traditional and a 'jack of all trades and a master of none'. I personally want to study my art for another 10 years or so to understand it deeply rather than moving on simply because I have a black belt. Which, -as all martial artists know- is the first step on a very long journey and not the final destination of any. Just my opinions..
Aaron wieclawski Master of none is just an excuse brother. Lol! This is my real name. That's my real picture. I love Aikido. But Aikido need to evolve. No more dancing. No more UKEMI. That is our opinion. Cheers.
Alex Corsair no more ukemi? Are you mad!?! I think it's good to have differences in opinions but ukemi is fudamental in all martial arts in some form or other and is as important as atemi/striking. To remove one would remove the essence of budo and it would no longer be aikido.
Aaron wieclawski Nah brother. That thing need to go away. It teaches bad habits. Its for WWE. Lol! Atemi need to change as well. Those punches are useless. You need to incorporate a cross, jab, hook, uppercut, karate chop, back fist, elbow strike, eyes gouge, palm strike and a headbutt.
Go shadow some nurses working in high security facilities if you want to learn how to fight without killing people. Hands down the most experienced self defense people you can cross train with. They may not talk the talk, but can work 4-5 decades dealing with aggression and violence on a daily basis with very few fatalities. Always recruit a few for the dojo/gym if you want to stay grounded.
If you go back far enough in any martial arts system for it to have lasted this long there has to be a foundation rooted in practicality. Point in case, most people study karate kata with the mentality of performing the moves correctly- this is not the true purpose of kata. Kata is designed to show HOW to use the moves in a real life circumstance. Similarly aikido by itself does not seem practical in real life yet it is derived from Japanese swordsmanship and real life and death situations. Understanding that root will allow for a better understanding of how to apply it today.
Since we are comparing cross training in Aikido, Judo, Karate, BJJ and other martial arts... lets continue this to the next step, with other athletes in other professional sports. Lets see a professional Tennis player, a pro Ping Pong player, a professional U.S. Football player and a professional Baseball player, go at it in a street fight to the death! Lets see in a street fight who will win that match! Now that seems ridiculous. But is it? Should those sports now be cross trained and mixed together into one? As far as Aikido... it is it's own unique sport or martial art, that I've enjoyed learning and practicing. I've watched, studied and practiced all of Rokas's Aikido videos here... over and over. They've been a huge help learning the techniques and their Japanese names for each technique. In my Aikido classes... my Sensei appreciates, that I've taken the time and try to bring to class some knowledge of what my Sensei is trying to teach us... and I've learned that knowledge here. I enjoy the concept, that there is no competition in Aikido. My Uke and I learn from our Sensei, and then we learn from each other what we've been taught. My Uke is not my enemy. I don't have to defeat him at all costs. Winning is not the point of Aikido. I've been taught that Aikido is a spiritual art of defense that tries not to hurt the aggressor. Aikido is not a baseball bat you use to beat someone into submission. I've watched trained Aikido artists in street fights. And the large majority of street thugs looking to steal your money or beat you up, are not trained in BJJ, Judo, Aikido or any kind of martial art. Against a trained Aikido martial artist... I'll put my money on the Aikido fighter in a street fight any day. If I feel I'm going someplace that's not safe and my Aikido training may not be enough in a street fight to save my life or a family member's life... that's why I carry a concealed gun. I'm very proficient with my weapon. Hint... don't bring your BJJ to a gun fight. I don't see any reason to mix Aikido, BJJ, Judo, Karate or other martial arts together. When you mix warm beer, beet juice, lemonade, Coke, tomato juice and goat's milk... what you get isn't worth drinking. If you want to enjoy a beautiful unique martial art, then do that. If you want to dominate or kill someone in a life or death street fight... carry a gun. Maybe in today's Aikido dojos, they should have an Uke aggressor fight as a common street fighter and NOT use their Aikido training and the Aikido trainee use their learned Aikido techniques against the street aggressor. That might be more useful for Aikido street fight training. A good Sensei could use this in defense street training. Our Sensei teaches this kind of street training in our dojo. Our Aikido Senseis are all Police Officers with 3rd, 4th and 5th degree Black belts. They use Aikido in everyday street life, to save they're own lives and lives of others. It works! I'll learn Aikido for what it is... and be the best I can be in that martial art. I only have time for one martial art at a time. Aikido is fine for now.
jrwhorse Yeah just stick to that old thinking buddy. As for us, we are moving forward and will bring Aikido towards another height. Being inovative is the best thing you could do to improve everything.
I think of Aikido and other martial arts disciplines each are useful for different situations or all emcompassing Aikido for example joint locking etc and weapons specifically good for street, door men, police not to test in a cage or a ring so I don't see why their is lack of confidence in this art or why the need to prove something by it's nature it is specific. .the same applies for muay Thai or BJJ they can't do everything..this is simliar to stretching it self too thin.
Rokas does a great job in explaining in great detail each Aikido technique... but not enough detail how to use that technique in a street fight. That's the one limitation here. A TH-cam site called: AikidoFlow, does a great job explaining how to use Aikido in a street fight... but not with enough details in how to learn that basic Aikido technique, step by step first. Now, for the beginners in Aikido, wanting to learn from Rokas the basic step by step moves of each Aikido technique, now Rokas may be telling us that Aikido alone in a street fight may not save your live... but Aikido and Cross Training with other Martial Arts will. This only gives the beginners the impression that Aikido by itself is useless, unless you also train for years, in multiple Martial Arts at the same time. This is to much for a beginning student in Aikido to comprehend. This is to much time and money to achieve or undertake. Maybe just learn boxing, instead of Aikido and call it quits? Rokas did only one instruction video of any kind of street fighting and how to move faster than his attacker. That helped. I suggest Rokas does what AikidoFlow does and offer more videos on how to use Aikido basics and techniques in the street to his students. Combine the best of both Aikido and how to use Aikido on the street to save your life. Instead of maybe pushing Cross Training to his Aikido students so hard in the future. Unless we are suppose to learn the basics here... and then go to AikidoFlow, in how to make Aikido really useful. Beginners need the Aikido basics and detailed instructions in how to use those techniques on the street. If Rokas goes for all Cross Training... we'll have to find another TH-cam Sensei to learn from. They are out there... but not with Rokas's skill of teaching.
I am happy to find courageous aikidokas want to measure theire "sunk cost "to know how to improve or change if you take a look at wekepedia difinition about "sunk cost " théorème you will know what was the problem ;)
The problem with the Aikido practitioners in all these videos including the host is that they have never trained Aikido for fighting. Learning from wrist grabs is bullshit and should be banned in Aikido. The waiting for the attack and reacting bull shit you see them all doing also gives Aikido a bad name as you never wait.
All your doing is the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do and creating your own version of fighting. You can claim what you want but mixing styles and picking out what you want and what works for you is what ultimately every martial artists does. As for Aikido..it's a dying art. Still great to reference and learn from though.
Guys watch this video of comparison of different martial arts: th-cam.com/video/x6WUq51z3KM/w-d-xo.html . It shows why some MMA techniques aren't effective in the streets. And they can even be dangerous for the person doing them.
Kaysar777 Brother, i knew that Falcaro guy. I had sparred with him last year. I can tell you that i wasn't impress. He is probably not use to do full contact.
At last keep going down this path your aikido will start to work ...I'm very pleased for you ..the bullshit tree hugging crap you used to teach on your channel. Used to drive me mad as an aikido sensei I could not understand how you were missing the point so badly.. This is great before long you will discover functional aikido. . I left mainstream aikido. .explored my jujitsu, boxing, silat, Kfm. ..all because 10 yrs of working in a tough prison ..made me realise psychologically aikido does not prepare you, physically it does not prepare you ( how many of you aikido sensei have ever really been punched in the face?) . Technically it doesn't prepare you .. I now incorporate all of the above ..it only teach six aikido techniques as part of my syllabus. . Ikkyo Sankyo Nikkyo Shihonage Kotei gaeshi Irimi nage Every thing else is striking ,grappling and anti grappling. .. I have students who after 3 or 4 months can deal with unscripted attacks spontaneously. . In ways the shihan I used to get taught by could not. I love aikido and keep it as our base .but it has got to wake up as you are .. well done.
I don't remember hearing Bruce Lee say that in those exact words through video footage though he may have written it down as it's core to his philosophy that created Jeet Kun Do: style of no style, adapt and use only what works, discard what doesn't. So transcending martial art styles to win the fight, or for Lee, honestly express oneself can mean embracing all of your values--survival of course, but also seeing, knowing, and valuing people as part of a broader human and living family. Bruce Lee did write a book on his own martial art principles--you might find it in there, and you can also find video clips online with him choosing to advance a view on humanity that looks beyond a question oriented toward race asked by an interviewer. In Aikido, the words roughly translate into "way of harmonious energy" (Ai=harmony Ki=energy/life force Do=artful path for discovery), and one of the underpinning theses to its philosophy comes from realizing that ki is fundamental to all life and can be shared. The trick is to intuitively make the conscientious distinction from embracing or allowing the attacker's energy to resolve in a way that you have discretion over for making peaceable outcomes. And that's where the discussion in this video tends to focus.
You shoud restart your aikido. And do Iwama Ryu (the founder aikido). This style is real and works, aikikai gives the bad repitutaion of our art...... Wacth Saito Sensei videos search study, and you will realise what is aikido. Is not peace and love and the universe like everybody says but is just effortless fingthing when you have the choisse to hurt or not. Have a great day i am not ofending you, i am just trying to help you. My Sensei has a uchideshi program you could try it. He is Tristão Da Cunha 8 Dan in Iwama Ryu he learned from Saito Sensei himself.
I switched to Iwama Ryu in 2003 and was uchideshi for 2 years. It is not much more effective than Aikikai - though definitely more martial. In some ways it is worse because of the overemphasis on static kihon technique vs. jiyu waza and randori. Like all traditional Aikido, there is no aliveness - no pressure testing - and so, no evolution of form. I'd invite you not to believe me, but to test it for yourself as Rokas is suggesting... The map is not the territory ...
Nathanael Chawkin I belive you but the only thing that is different is that I am learning form a 8 Dan and there are only 2 in the world in Iwama Ryu. 60 % of the techniques don't work I know it. I test always with persons that don't do Aikido to see a honest reaction. When my technique failes i ask my sensei about what I did wrong or what henka should i do and 60% is my mistake 40% I need to do a henka or oyo waza. I apricciatte or opinion. And just a note I do muay Thai that combined you the type of aikido grappling is very good. The great problem of aikido is to apply the technique normaly you see aikido vs MMA. And the aikidoka is trying to grab the arms or something that s impossibel.
Glad to hear you have the aliveness of the Muay Thai striking and clinch-work to go with your Aikido, Nuno! An uncooperative, resisting opponent is the water we must learn to swim in if we are to find what truly works! It may be far less YOU than you think if the technique isn't working. I would build on Bruce Lee's quote to say that a year of boxing and wrestling is worth a shihan in any traditional art. To me, your Muay Thai cross-training experience alone makes you more of an authority on how to make Aikido work in a real fight than any Aikido shihan (unless they too have cross-trained). Just keep experimenting and your own truth will set you free
Nathanael Chawkin you are right a 1 year of box and wrestling is much more effective than being a shian. What's or opinion in goju ryu? Sorry to ask but you are smart and a stranger opinion is super honest.
The problem with most Karate and Taekwondo is that, at some point, they modified the rule-sets to remove punches to the head. Imagine if kickboxing removed strikes to the head!? Someone like Lyoto Machida is a great example of someone who has differentiated himself with his karate in MMA - but only after years of Muay Thai boxing and MMA sparring. It depends on your goals, but Muay Thai and western boxing will cover most of what you want to learn with striking in my estimation. From that base, you can play with anything with confidence. Just train safely and protect the king (your brain)!
Using aikido in a street fight is different than using aikido against professional fighters in a cage. Your average drunk @$$hole isn't a trained martial artist. I think it would be interesting to find out if aikido works against UNTRAINED opponents in a street fight scenario.
It is interesting though that for some reason we know some of the martial/fighting arts would work against an untrained opponent. Why do we still guess around though about Aikido in this scenario?
I've already started training extra fighting arts, yet I am not ready to ditch Aikido :) Ditching it would be the easy way. Let's see what good can come out of it. If I won't do it, most likely no one soon will do it on a public level
Aikido as a base will get you killed ! ! ! The greatest base of all is Kung Fu with European Boxing ... When I say Kung Fu , I mean the dynamics of movement in allowing movement past you , and absorbing power . Chief is zen . I don't mean zen buddhism - I mean zen as in the sub conscious mind . No European Boxing - No Martial Art . I will not post the holistic truth of what I am saying here .
While there is certainly value in cross-training to widen your experience as a martial artist, those of you who are cheering these cross-training mentality as a means to do "true" aikido should consider the fact that Gozo Shioda, Kenji Tomiki, Shoji Nishio etc with all their previous martial art experience (judo, kendo jujitsu karate etc) discovered that their previous knowledge and strength counted for nothing and they were completely useless against Ueshiba. Just as Ueshiba's previous martial art experience was useless against his most influential master, Takeda. Tohei, Shioda was taken down instantly by Ueshiba (whom they thought was some fake when they first saw ueshiba throwing some students). So what good did their previous martial experience do for them?? they would never have studied with ueshiba if Ueshiba couldnt take them down. Why could Ueshiba (after traning with Takeda) handle these masters of martial arts with ease? Someone commented below "extremely watered down" (imho , so true) but cross training is NOT the answer. The Japanese (aikikai hombu with their official Aikikai curriculum) have been playing people out for years. Unlike a bloodline, unique martial skills do not get passed down automatically from father to son, or grandson. Cross-training in aikido should include going up against other styles of martial arts rather than trying to absorb the techniques of these other arts.
@Alex really? i would never have guessed that "Cross training is the answer" if you didnt put it so succinctly. Like i said, not many realize (some because of their ego and how much time they have put in, refuse to see) that maybe, just maybe, aikikai hombu all these years may not have been teaching osensei's aikido but rather that of his son, kisshomaru's which is NOT aikido at all but merely jujitsu packaged in aikido format. the gravy train has been flowing from kisshomaru to moriteru to now, waka sensei mitsuteru. The Japanese at aikikai hombu are polite (at least their tatemae is) but not necessarily honest or open in their teachings. And that is IF they actually know the aiki stuff in the first place.
man, sounds you really like aikido... If aikikai hombu won't listen or teach (that's assuming that they can and it's a big assumption) there are others who will and with a systematic training model. ledyard, gleason (both aikido based), sam chin, goldberg, arkuzawa, harden. cross training is just fitting in things from a technical perspective just so we can overcome the deficiencies of the current system (what system haha?!!).
You've done a great service to the Aikido community.
Thanks. I feel it's a positive step too, although not all Aikido people will think so too. I guess it can be a case of cognitive dissonance :)
that's exactly what it is, keep it up. I really look forward to seeing how you adapt aikido and what comes out of the pressure training in modernization episodes.
I'm not an aikido guy, but the Aikido vs MMA sparring video made me consider subscribing, so I clicked into the channel.
When I then realised that you were continuing on that path trying to adapt and improve, I couldn't find my way to the subscribe button fast enough.
Thanks! That's very cool of you to say that. I appreciate it. Yup, this is will be a full long path. I've already started doing extra training in BJJ, MMA and kick boxing to better understand the whole subject and am filming continuous videos with pro fighters and other experienced people to see what Aikido could really bring useful to the table
That's awesome! Looking forward to follow your "journey" and see what this leads to.
I am currently practising Taekwondo and Wing Chun, and considering following that up with a non-striking art. I'm likely gonna go for either BJJ or Judo, but aspects of Aikido also has me somewhat intrigued.
Another good episode. I'm glad to see honest discussion on this topic.
really loving this series man! I appreciate the lack of BS that most inter-disciplinary discussions on martial arts have.
Thanks! Yeah, I feel if we want to move on and really have some use, we need to get rid of BS that get's us stuck doing the same thing over and over, even if it doesn't really work or have much use
@AikidoSiauliai You seem like a decent gent who loves aikido and the martial arts. i so agree that mechanical repetition of techniques will lead to very little. I think you want to bring aikido forward, by combining aikido with bjj/karate etc. I respectfully disagree with your approach, and think it is just another way of watering down a great art. i hope you will see the truth one day that the Japanese have not shown us all there is (those who know, i mean. many sensei/shihans have no idea) and that somethings are "hidden in plain sight".
ccdev I don't think the idea is to simply combine Aikido with other arts, but expose it to other arts so it can see where it's deficient, catch up to modern progress, and start innovating again. I don't think this is watering Aikido down, I think it's allowing it to breathe. I believe the way to preserve a martial art is to honor it's spirit, but not let it sit in its own echo chamber and stagnate.
@dynamic1 ok, excuse me if i misunderstood. Imo aikido is the study of aiki, which is a way of changing the body internally, without which you are just practicing jujitsu packaged in aikido format. AIKI is not specific to aikido, and can be used with any other art eg karate, bjj, wing chun. Add aiki to jujtisu, it becomes aikijitsu. Change the main emphasis from destruction of your opponent to harmony & cultivation of self, and it becomes aikido. from CMA, aiki is basically called internal power. It is a way of developing an aikibody BUT it is not taught anymore, at least not openly. 99% of aikido dojos teach techniques which rely on speed, momentum, leverage, angle, strength BUT without the necessary changes INSIDE THE BODY. Why do you think the GIANTS of aikido/daito ryu were all small sized people? Maybe they were forced to look for something that the bigger sized people were not.
Grab someone with an aikibody and you can tell the difference immediately. many (including high level sensei and shihans) say they have aiki but not many actually do.
"aikido" is deficient (actually it is a joke among other MA practitioners) because Aikikai Hombu is merely teaching "empty" techniques devoid of the true essence of the art. What is there to preserve if what is being taught is just jujitsu with fancy slogan (like "we practice with the spirit of harmony or BS like that)?
Some people think that aikido is the property of a certain family. Doshu (moriteru) is head of a martial arts organization where he does not have to prove his skills in a ring. He is treated like a VIP everywhere he goes (like most japanese shihans when they conduct seminars around the world). He is head of a foundation with favourable tax-breaks. Do you think Aikikai is worried about the criticism that aikido gets when the top people are so insular? What if i said that Aikikai is more interested in student recruitment and gradings (ie $$$)?
So many people have been played for so long by aikikai and the japs but some people have opened their eyes. Even the japs got played out by the japs ie check out sagawa's interview when at the grand ol' age of 80, he came out and said "i think i will start teaching aiki" to his daito ryu students. HAha, what a joke! If you are doing aikido, check out george ledyard or bill gleason sensei, if you really want to know what aikido is about and not just do jujitsu that looks like aikido. Then maybe, there would be something worth preserving. The rest of the so-called 'aikido' that is being practiced worldwide, is nothing more than jujitsu.
ccdev
Aikido need to progress. It has to evolve. I am a 1st Dan Black Belt Aikidoka. I am also very well trained in Judo, BJJ and Daido Juku Karate.
Very good discussion. The point that every modern martial artists should cross train is so true. I'm looking forward to more.
Thanks!
This is a great idea. I trained in Aikido and Judo simultaneously. I now study ITF Taekwondo. The Ai in Aikido and the Ju in Judo have never left me. I'm learning a lot from you video's. Respectfully John
Thanks
“You have to be capable of violence to give mercy”. DAMM!! That was total truth. It will take weeks to process the astounding profoundness of that statement. Rokas you are on a journey to becoming a total BOSS 🤙
Would love to see you revisit with these guys as a “5 years later what has changed”. Especially now that you’re training in the arts they were. These guys still hold some nuggets of truth.
I'm an aikidoka from marocco i appreciate that modernizarion of this harmonious art i've been practicing aïkido for 12 years i'm proud To be a part of this new practice of aïkido bro
Something chappy at the start said is quite important at least to me (Although I don't do Aikido, I think it applies to a number of other martial arts which struggle in this sort of situation) in that the philosophy behind it is also quite significant.
I think cross-training is the ONLY way to make a lot of martial arts truly viable, especially if we're talking against trained fighters: But while you're taking the physical aspects and testing them, I think the reverse is also true in some aspects. The philosophy elements of a lot of martial arts, and the history of those who made or practice is, can be extremely beneficial to combat in general.
I'm curious: I've usually held the position that things like Tai Chi, or Kung-Fu (Certain branches, anyway!) and Aikido, all have roots in genuine fighting arts, but the chances are they're extremely watered down by this point, be it through time or location. But that's where the cross training becomes infinitely useful. It should be seen as a guide, not as an attack, to say recognise weaknesses.
I also think its ironic that you (correctly) said that people got defensive, or felt that you were somehow bringing shame or attacking your own martial art. In truth: You're encompassing the spirit of a TRUE martial artist far more than any Karate / Kungfu / Whatever purist. The philosophy of many fighting arts is one of learning, one of dedication and commitment. The idea that they refuse knowledge that WORKS is laughable to me. And that does work both ways; I think it's one thing modern MMA has shown people, martial artists should not be merely defined by the specific arts they practice.
One key example of this combination that i'm trying to get at would be Bruce Lee (As obvious as the example is.) in that he was a Gung-fu practitioner, who also elected wisely to practice various other forms of combat, be it Muay Thai or Grappling (I don't know specifically what grappling he did, I would assume Jiujitsu or Judo and Catch-wrestling) in order to truly push him forward as a martial artist. And he approached it with a strong sense of philosophical purpose, and it didn't damage his ability to train properly or fight, if anything I would contest it was likely invaluable to his ability to be as good as he was, he had utmost respect for all the fighting arts.
Basically man: Damn fine work, I'm enjoying these a lot. It's a breath of fresh air to see this attitude taken in a study that is very typically full of bollocks and ego. I'm a Jiujitsu / Muay Thai guy, but when I was younger I did various traditional martial arts aswell, namely Judo and a few others, and found there were always transferable skills, you just need to be willing to view it as being more similar than different. For example, do you think Ueshiba would reject a master of other martial arts? I don't actually know the answer (I'm not overly familiar with his philosophical discipline specifically.) I would hope he would open to knowledge, as many other amazing martial artists were.
Musashi (Book of five rings gentlemen.) travelled and TESTED himself, and I think that's the spirit you're encompassing here, and I believe those who cast you aside for such things should be viewed as ignorant. That's not to insult purists of any form, its entirely personal, but when it comes to practicality, that attitude is what makes good fighters. And I also believe (and it sounds like aikido could use it) it humbles the individual. A master of BJJ should walk into a Muay Thai gym not with arrogance, but with knowledge he has a hole to fill in his fighting, which would also allow an expansion of his larger philosophy. No different to a Karate guy learning Judo, or Kickboxing.
Sorry, that was long and rambly and I got slightly carried away: But I hope you get my point. You're doing great, and I look forward to seeing the rest of it.
Peace out homie!
Edit: I think viewing fighting arts purely for their practical application vs other trained fighters isn't necessarily the focus of a lot of MODERN versions of those martial arts, and a lot of them have transitioned into more spiritual or fitness practices. And I don't think that takes anything away from them in a value point of view; but in the same way Boxing won't necessarily make you the most spiritual person, Tai Chi wouldn't make you the most capable fighter. It's apples and oranges: even if they at some point came from the same logical tree.
What Freak chill
HI, in order to make Aikido work, you have to block and kick until time and chance is on your side. Then you wait for an opening. Once you get that opening you go in and blend with your opponent to execute Aikido, or until your opponent goes full force.
great episode! looking forward to the next videos. good job man
Thanks!
I want to share my story with you.
I started training in martial arts at the age of 13, my first art was kickboxing (what was called at the time Western Kickboxing) in a club in my local town, I live in the UK.
I became bored a few years later as only teenager's can, and moved on to train Wado Ryu Karate, I felt I needed something with a bit more flavour, the problem was I sucked at it, I could do the punches and kicks fine, even the locks, holds and throws...
But Kata... no.
At this time my friends started Judo after a period of light peer pressure and the feeling I was struggling with Karate I joined the Judo club.
I stuck with it for a good number of years and achieved a brown belt.
During this time me and one of my buddies went around and tried every martial arts school in the area!
Muay Thai, Karate, Ju Jitsu, English wrestling, Kung Fu etc...
It was a lot of fun.
A few years later after leaving Judo and after a short break I started Eskrima Kali, JKD, Wing Chun and BJJ.
This was basically a cross training gym (when cross training was a new thing) and I did very well.
Now years later I'm thinking of starting Aikido.
Because I experienced it in a real life setting and it works!
I know it works because it worked on me.
Cross train yes.
Evolve personally.
But I offer caution, don't throw the baby out with the bath water.
Loved this one, looking forward to watch the whole thing
Thanks! The whole thing is great :)
You guys said so many things that I wish I myself could have explained.
Thanks
Thank you for your channel! Very interesting!
Thanks!
I hope you will reach your goals. Respect from a Shotokai Karateka.
Great interview!!
Thank you
Congrats on this series of videos rokas, very interesting and refreshing. I only recently started training aikido ( 8 months so far) but i´m dissapointed and ashamed of the level of discussion about aikido being a martial art or not and the restrictions on the methods of training, specifically regarding sparring.
As a general martial artist everyone should crosstrain, putting a restriction on learning and developing yourself not only physically but mentally should be a red flag.
About live sparring being restricted on aikido i really can't understand it, O' sensei prohibited any form of competition but sparring is a method of training, not a tournament, so there is no competition per se. The only competitive element that may be in sparring is the ego you bring to the mat. Keep it outside and you focus only on learning, i don't think is that hard.
Amaizing Rokas! Keep it up all my support from Mexico!
Thank you!
I'd really like too see more, these videos are awesome. It's too often I cant watch a logical/respectful discussion about this.
Thanks. More will come. I will release a full version of this talk Thursday and then will continue on with the next project which will be more practical application based, although will include some conversations too. Then I am considering to expand the subject and look with experienced martial artists and fighters at a bigger scale of TMA vs MMA, meaning Wing Chun, Karate, Judo, Tai Chi etc. Should be very interesting and beneficial
One of these things is not like the others! Remember that Judo evolved from sparring with traditional Japanese Jujitsu and is a functional sport grappling approach like wrestling is. As Judoka would say, BJJ stands for "Basically Just Judo" :-) www.cagesideseats.com/2012/12/8/3669792/the-forgotten-golden-age-of-mma-part-two-the-rise-of-judo-dawn-of-new-age-john-nash
Wow,I didn't expect this kind of talk. I'm greatfull on this. Thank you. The key is sparring. Testing the limits of the martial art is improving your mindset and skillset.
Wow this was so interesting! As an Aikido practitioner I do care a great deal about the functionality of Aikido and i'm open to all these things. Although I also sort of feel a little that when people introduce too many punches and different aproaches to Aikido, it sort of distorts a little O Sensei's original intentions, so it's good to be careful not to lose the main focus and turn Aikido into a violent martial art as it was in its past when Samurai used the movements for dismemberment.
Aikido was never meant to be a singular art to be practised by itself all of the greatest Aikidoka Gozo Shioda, Kenji Tomiki, Shoji Nishio and O'Sensei himself were masters of other arts first thats what made them so great at Aikido so the idea of cross training with Aikido shows that people are starting to wise up and head in the right direction.
Thats because Ueshiba had experienced or mastered those arts well enough to defend against them he didn't just study Daito Ryu he studied many other martial arts before he put Aikido together so he understood how they worked.
It is interesting that O'Sensei was a cross trainer and these days students of Aikido believe that cross training is a bad thing :)
osensei (then plain ol ueshiba) was a cross trainer of many arts when he got his butt kicked by Takeda. He then started training only aikijitsu and stopped his training in all the other arts. why?
ccdev
If he trained well in MMA and mixed up with Aikido then Takeda will not have a chance in hell.
@Alex Corsair "if he trained well in MMA"?? ueshiba was already doing MMA (like many people know he was already cross-training before he met Takeda), he just came across someone who had something beyond mere techniques. Apparently, aikido to you (and many aikidokas) is merely a set of forms/techniques but many don't realise that aikido techniques are basically jujitsu forms and not unique to aikido. What makes jujitsu different from aikijitsu different from aikido?
there is a reason osensei said "there is no kata in aikido" and i have already mentioned that the component of aiki is not specific to aikido, and can be implemented into other art forms. I respectfully say that the Aikido of modern days is totally watered down and is NOT o'sensei's aikido but rather his son's, kisshomaru. People have been played by aikikai hombu for too long and should wake up.
i think verbal words would not sway some people (and it should not. i myself was only convinced by mixing it up with someone who had "it" ). Only by feeling someone with an aikibody (as compared to those who say they do aikido, like many high ranking sensei and shihans) would you understand where i am trying to go with my argument. Good luck on your journey.
gj bro, keep exploring this avenue and you will most likely end up improving this situation aikido is in and all the practitioners. There is real value in some aikido techniques but it's a very situational art comparing it to other traditional combat sports like muay thai.
Ignore the trolls and idiots, they will only waste your time and energy and that's all they can do if you feed them.
I can't wait to see you in a few years of contemplating and crosstraining what you will come up with. I'm new to combat sports and i do it for fitness and fun alone, got a rib busted last night but even if i break all the bones i will keep fighting. I love it. Never had more fun in my life, to bad i'm kind of old for any real performance and my physical condition sux after vegging or 10 years or more.
Thanks for sharing! As long as we enjoy what we are doing, I feel we can go very far
Loves these videos!
Dude your video becomes a massive wake up call. You should go on TV and talk about it. I think this will help a lot of people who love Aikido to think differently and may be someone will combine BJJ and AIKIDO to make something greater
I have positive expectations as well. It's still just a beginning of this movement, yet as it will grow I am sure we will wake up more people :)
wish you all the best
This was funny to me: I found myself aligned with Francisco philosophically but I also saw myself as a version of Nathanael but batting for the opposite philosophy to him. In other words, I believe aikido movements can be made more efficient in a realistic sense, without turning ourselves into either wimps or monsters, or even by jumping ship to other martial arts. I agree with Nathanael in many respects, but I sometimes get frustrated in these kinds of discussions because we use abstractions like 'aikido'. Well, truth is, there is no one monolithic aikido. There are schools, styles, and within each style individual instructors with various leanings. So, I am not sure what he means really by aikido doesn't work. It may just be the style he trained in or the instruction he got which didn't lend itself to imparting that side. There are some general things we can say about aikido, such as the idea that it is non-violent. It's precisely because we don't want to injure our training partner(s) or cause death that we don't indulge in 'tests'. In practice though, people do compete covertly when the instructor isn't watching, or after class. My professional opinion is that we don't need to compete, just do drills, and in a non-competitive environment, working at 50% or even less of the force / pace / resistance, etc, that you think you'll need, work on timing, unbalancing, light open-palm sparring too if need be, but in a controlled and supervised setting where there are instructors monitoring the situation and able to intervene if necessary. These videos of yours are helpful in bringing aspects of aikido that need to be discussed but from another point of view, I feel, they seem a bit naive. Just because some people fail to make their aikido effective, doesn't mean that we need to believe that MMA is fail-safe in every aspect. In marriage, that woul dbe like thinking, hey maybe my wife doesn't have what other women have... Let me get into bed with someone who looks more modern... I feel, it is only human to have faults. And so, there can never be one or even a combo of martial arts that will do the trick, whatever the trick is supposed to do. Pepper spray works too. And so does a knife, if you know how to use it. But, on balance, I think aikido makes us more human, in body, mind and spirit. MMA is gross, by comparison; but, then again, it doesn't try to be spiritual, which is probably why I would never want to do it. I find it strangely perverse when people say that hitting people in the face is spiritual for them. That's kinda weird if you think about it. Then again, if this a belief then MMA, we can say, also has cultish aspects, with its own mythological worldview. A way to gauge whether someone is caught in a mythic worldview is when they no longer see sensory facts as facts but cling to a good vs evil script, where the only thing we can do is destroy evil because there is nothing good in an evil person - there is no trace of good in that person, that tribe, that race, that nation, or that group. I think, we all too easily slip from a sensory mode of apprehending reality to the other mythic mode. The mythic mode is often dangerous. I feel we need to be factual but focus on the psychology of aikido rather than take its techniques as gospel. After all, the techniques are evolving. It is meant to be creative because love is...Isn't that so?
Hey Rokas! I was hoping that you could hear me out and do something for me in Modernized Aikido or in a small side project :)
My problem with the Aikido is rolling out of throws, I was wondering if you could get a controlled partner to do Aikido moves, like those stepping forward and chopping as if they had a knife, but NOT roll out of the throws. Have them be controlled up until the point of the contact and then have them be resistant towards the throw.
(of course have extra thick mats for them to land on)
I would absolutely love to see if Aikido still works without rolling out of the throw, much appreciated, I love what your doing here :D
That's an interesting question Devin. Could you tell me more in detail what you are interested in so I could get it down, if I'll do it?
AikidoSiauliai I was thinking that in a lot of Aikido demonstrations, the partner rolls out of small pushs, I've never done Aikido but I think thats my main problem with it, not the concept of redirection.
I was thinking that you should do a bunch of Aikido moves with a controlled partner but the partner doesn't roll out of the throw, if the Aikido move truly works then the partner shouldn't have to roll out of the throw, but the throw should cause them to fall or flip on its own. Btw, the partner should land on a extra thick Mat so they don't land incorrectly and hurt themself.
I know that rolling out of the throw is for protection of the partner but I believe that the throw should also work without rolling out of it if Aikido truly works.
Thank you for replying and considering what I am saying. I really do appreciate it :))
We have an Aikido sandan in our dojo, learning Shorin-Ryu karate. He's a very nice guy, and if you're interested in talking with him about how karate can tie in with Aikido, I could get you in touch with him.
Wolfman is the only one you need to talk to concerning this subject.
My instructor (6th dan) suggests to stick with one style or teacher until Yondan when you have the system memorised and integrated in one style and then consider training another style alongside. Not before 4th dan though as you may get lost and the styles become blurred and lacking insight. Great video though..
Aaron wieclawski
Your instructor need more money. Lol!
I am a 1st Dan in Aikido, Judo and Daido Juku Karate. I am also a purple belt in BJJ. No problem.
Alex Corsair I think we all need more money lol, but sounds like you are mma rather than traditional and a 'jack of all trades and a master of none'. I personally want to study my art for another 10 years or so to understand it deeply rather than moving on simply because I have a black belt. Which, -as all martial artists know- is the first step on a very long journey and not the final destination of any. Just my opinions..
Aaron wieclawski
Master of none is just an excuse brother. Lol!
This is my real name. That's my real picture. I love Aikido. But Aikido need to evolve. No more dancing. No more UKEMI.
That is our opinion. Cheers.
Alex Corsair no more ukemi? Are you mad!?! I think it's good to have differences in opinions but ukemi is fudamental in all martial arts in some form or other and is as important as atemi/striking. To remove one would remove the essence of budo and it would no longer be aikido.
Aaron wieclawski
Nah brother. That thing need to go away. It teaches bad habits. Its for WWE. Lol!
Atemi need to change as well. Those punches are useless. You need to incorporate a cross, jab, hook, uppercut, karate chop, back fist, elbow strike, eyes gouge, palm strike and a headbutt.
I always watch the videos from the Aikidoflow channel... those guys work as security in clubs and they are always putted to real life tests.
This is excellent, makes sense to be a better fighter you do need cross training
Go shadow some nurses working in high security facilities if you want to learn how to fight without killing people. Hands down the most experienced self defense people you can cross train with. They may not talk the talk, but can work 4-5 decades dealing with aggression and violence on a daily basis with very few fatalities. Always recruit a few for the dojo/gym if you want to stay grounded.
If you go back far enough in any martial arts system for it to have lasted this long there has to be a foundation rooted in practicality. Point in case, most people study karate kata with the mentality of performing the moves correctly- this is not the true purpose of kata. Kata is designed to show HOW to use the moves in a real life circumstance. Similarly aikido by itself does not seem practical in real life yet it is derived from Japanese swordsmanship and real life and death situations. Understanding that root will allow for a better understanding of how to apply it today.
they are putting aikido with legit martial arts to make it legit :D
Nice video
Since we are comparing cross training in Aikido, Judo, Karate, BJJ and other martial arts... lets continue this to the next step, with other athletes in other professional sports.
Lets see a professional Tennis player, a pro Ping Pong player, a professional U.S. Football player and a professional Baseball player, go at it in a street fight to the death! Lets see in a street fight who will win that match! Now that seems ridiculous. But is it? Should those sports now be cross trained and mixed together into one?
As far as Aikido... it is it's own unique sport or martial art, that I've enjoyed learning and practicing. I've watched, studied and practiced all of Rokas's Aikido videos here... over and over. They've been a huge help learning the techniques and their Japanese names for each technique. In my Aikido classes... my Sensei appreciates, that I've taken the time and try to bring to class some knowledge of what my Sensei is trying to teach us... and I've learned that knowledge here.
I enjoy the concept, that there is no competition in Aikido. My Uke and I learn from our Sensei, and then we learn from each other what we've been taught. My Uke is not my enemy. I don't have to defeat him at all costs. Winning is not the point of Aikido.
I've been taught that Aikido is a spiritual art of defense that tries not to hurt the aggressor. Aikido is not a baseball bat you use to beat someone into submission. I've watched trained Aikido artists in street fights. And the large majority of street thugs looking to steal your money or beat you up, are not trained in BJJ, Judo, Aikido or any kind of martial art. Against a trained Aikido martial artist... I'll put my money on the Aikido fighter in a street fight any day.
If I feel I'm going someplace that's not safe and my Aikido training may not be enough in a street fight to save my life or a family member's life... that's why I carry a concealed gun. I'm very proficient with my weapon. Hint... don't bring your BJJ to a gun fight.
I don't see any reason to mix Aikido, BJJ, Judo, Karate or other martial arts together. When you mix warm beer, beet juice, lemonade, Coke, tomato juice and goat's milk... what you get isn't worth drinking. If you want to enjoy a beautiful unique martial art, then do that. If you want to dominate or kill someone in a life or death street fight... carry a gun.
Maybe in today's Aikido dojos, they should have an Uke aggressor fight as a common street fighter and NOT use their Aikido training and the Aikido trainee use their learned Aikido techniques against the street aggressor. That might be more useful for Aikido street fight training. A good Sensei could use this in defense street training. Our Sensei teaches this kind of street training in our dojo.
Our Aikido Senseis are all Police Officers with 3rd, 4th and 5th degree Black belts. They use Aikido in everyday street life, to save they're own lives and lives of others. It works!
I'll learn Aikido for what it is... and be the best I can be in that martial art. I only have time for one martial art at a time. Aikido is fine for now.
jrwhorse
Yeah just stick to that old thinking buddy. As for us, we are moving forward and will bring Aikido towards another height. Being inovative is the best thing you could do to improve everything.
I think of Aikido and other martial arts disciplines each are useful for different situations or all emcompassing Aikido for example joint locking etc and weapons specifically good for street, door men, police not to test in a cage or a ring so I don't see why their is lack of confidence in this art or why the need to prove something by it's nature it is specific. .the same applies for muay Thai or BJJ they can't do everything..this is simliar to stretching it self too thin.
sOMe very goOod pOints ... its not *non viOlent to get your ass kicked* :-) ... i like that ONE !
That is a very good point :)
Rokas does a great job in explaining in great detail each Aikido technique... but not enough detail how to use that technique in a street fight. That's the one limitation here.
A TH-cam site called: AikidoFlow, does a great job explaining how to use Aikido in a street fight... but not with enough details in how to learn that basic Aikido technique, step by step first.
Now, for the beginners in Aikido, wanting to learn from Rokas the basic step by step moves of each Aikido technique, now Rokas may be telling us that Aikido alone in a street fight may not save your live... but Aikido and Cross Training with other Martial Arts will. This only gives the beginners the impression that Aikido by itself is useless, unless you also train for years, in multiple Martial Arts at the same time. This is to much for a beginning student in Aikido to comprehend. This is to much time and money to achieve or undertake. Maybe just learn boxing, instead of Aikido and call it quits?
Rokas did only one instruction video of any kind of street fighting and how to move faster than his attacker. That helped. I suggest Rokas does what AikidoFlow does and offer more videos on how to use Aikido basics and techniques in the street to his students. Combine the best of both Aikido and how to use Aikido on the street to save your life. Instead of maybe pushing Cross Training to his Aikido students so hard in the future. Unless we are suppose to learn the basics here... and then go to AikidoFlow, in how to make Aikido really useful.
Beginners need the Aikido basics and detailed instructions in how to use those techniques on the street. If Rokas goes for all Cross Training... we'll have to find another TH-cam Sensei to learn from. They are out there... but not with Rokas's skill of teaching.
I am happy to find courageous aikidokas want to measure theire "sunk cost "to know how to improve or change if you take a look at wekepedia difinition about "sunk cost " théorème you will know what was the problem ;)
I see what you mean
There is nothing wrong with being a complete martial Arts artist. no need for cross training just become qualified in multiple arts
Neo Cloudmarts how do you become qualified in multiple arts without cross training?
The problem with the Aikido practitioners in all these videos including the host is that they have never trained Aikido for fighting. Learning from wrist grabs is bullshit and should be banned in Aikido. The waiting for the attack and reacting bull shit you see them all doing also gives Aikido a bad name as you never wait.
Have you been sparring more?
Also sparring using aikido is not new...
I did start to train more fighting arts so more sparring is inevitable
AikidoSiauliai such as?
I believe he is cross training brazilian jiu jitsu at least, maybe some others as well.
Stefan Theard Mmk
All your doing is the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do and creating your own version of fighting. You can claim what you want but mixing styles and picking out what you want and what works for you is what ultimately every martial artists does. As for Aikido..it's a dying art. Still great to reference and learn from though.
Guys watch this video of comparison of different martial arts: th-cam.com/video/x6WUq51z3KM/w-d-xo.html . It shows why some MMA techniques aren't effective in the streets. And they can even be dangerous for the person doing them.
Good video.
Kaysar777
Brother, i knew that Falcaro guy. I had sparred with him last year. I can tell you that i wasn't impress. He is probably not use to do full contact.
At last keep going down this path your aikido will start to work ...I'm very pleased for you ..the bullshit tree hugging crap you used to teach on your channel. Used to drive me mad as an aikido sensei I could not understand how you were missing the point so badly..
This is great before long you will discover functional aikido. . I left mainstream aikido. .explored my jujitsu, boxing, silat, Kfm. ..all because 10 yrs of working in a tough prison ..made me realise psychologically aikido does not prepare you, physically it does not prepare you ( how many of you aikido sensei have ever really been punched in the face?) . Technically it doesn't prepare you ..
I now incorporate all of the above ..it only teach six aikido techniques as part of my syllabus. .
Ikkyo
Sankyo
Nikkyo
Shihonage
Kotei gaeshi
Irimi nage
Every thing else is striking ,grappling and anti grappling. .. I have students who after 3 or 4 months can deal with unscripted attacks spontaneously. . In ways the shihan I used to get taught by could not.
I love aikido and keep it as our base .but it has got to wake up as you are .. well done.
Bruce Lee really ever said that?
I don't remember hearing Bruce Lee say that in those exact words through video footage though he may have written it down as it's core to his philosophy that created Jeet Kun Do: style of no style, adapt and use only what works, discard what doesn't.
So transcending martial art styles to win the fight, or for Lee, honestly express oneself can mean embracing all of your values--survival of course, but also seeing, knowing, and valuing people as part of a broader human and living family. Bruce Lee did write a book on his own martial art principles--you might find it in there, and you can also find video clips online with him choosing to advance a view on humanity that looks beyond a question oriented toward race asked by an interviewer.
In Aikido, the words roughly translate into "way of harmonious energy" (Ai=harmony Ki=energy/life force Do=artful path for discovery), and one of the underpinning theses to its philosophy comes from realizing that ki is fundamental to all life and can be shared. The trick is to intuitively make the conscientious distinction from embracing or allowing the attacker's energy to resolve in a way that you have discretion over for making peaceable outcomes. And that's where the discussion in this video tends to focus.
You shoud restart your aikido. And do Iwama Ryu (the founder aikido). This style is real and works, aikikai gives the bad repitutaion of our art...... Wacth Saito Sensei videos search study, and you will realise what is aikido. Is not peace and love and the universe like everybody says but is just effortless fingthing when you have the choisse to hurt or not. Have a great day i am not ofending you, i am just trying to help you. My Sensei has a uchideshi program you could try it. He is Tristão Da Cunha 8 Dan in Iwama Ryu he learned from Saito Sensei himself.
I switched to Iwama Ryu in 2003 and was uchideshi for 2 years. It is not much more effective than Aikikai - though definitely more martial. In some ways it is worse because of the overemphasis on static kihon technique vs. jiyu waza and randori. Like all traditional Aikido, there is no aliveness - no pressure testing - and so, no evolution of form. I'd invite you not to believe me, but to test it for yourself as Rokas is suggesting... The map is not the territory ...
Nathanael Chawkin I belive you but the only thing that is different is that I am learning form a 8 Dan and there are only 2 in the world in Iwama Ryu. 60 % of the techniques don't work I know it. I test always with persons that don't do Aikido to see a honest reaction. When my technique failes i ask my sensei about what I did wrong or what henka should i do and 60% is my mistake 40% I need to do a henka or oyo waza. I apricciatte or opinion. And just a note I do muay Thai that combined you the type of aikido grappling is very good. The great problem of aikido is to apply the technique normaly you see aikido vs MMA. And the aikidoka is trying to grab the arms or something that s impossibel.
Glad to hear you have the aliveness of the Muay Thai striking and clinch-work to go with your Aikido, Nuno! An uncooperative, resisting opponent is the water we must learn to swim in if we are to find what truly works! It may be far less YOU than you think if the technique isn't working. I would build on Bruce Lee's quote to say that a year of boxing and wrestling is worth a shihan in any traditional art. To me, your Muay Thai cross-training experience alone makes you more of an authority on how to make Aikido work in a real fight than any Aikido shihan (unless they too have cross-trained). Just keep experimenting and your own truth will set you free
Nathanael Chawkin you are right a 1 year of box and wrestling is much more effective than being a shian. What's or opinion in goju ryu? Sorry to ask but you are smart and a stranger opinion is super honest.
The problem with most Karate and Taekwondo is that, at some point, they modified the rule-sets to remove punches to the head. Imagine if kickboxing removed strikes to the head!? Someone like Lyoto Machida is a great example of someone who has differentiated himself with his karate in MMA - but only after years of Muay Thai boxing and MMA sparring. It depends on your goals, but Muay Thai and western boxing will cover most of what you want to learn with striking in my estimation. From that base, you can play with anything with confidence. Just train safely and protect the king (your brain)!
boxing and wrestling aaahhhh no jujitsu and mua thia
Using aikido in a street fight is different than using aikido against professional fighters in a cage. Your average drunk @$$hole isn't a trained martial artist. I think it would be interesting to find out if aikido works against UNTRAINED opponents in a street fight scenario.
It is interesting though that for some reason we know some of the martial/fighting arts would work against an untrained opponent. Why do we still guess around though about Aikido in this scenario?
I'm glad you're doing this, but you really should start thinking about ditching Aikido completely and do something else, it's a lost cause.
I've already started training extra fighting arts, yet I am not ready to ditch Aikido :) Ditching it would be the easy way. Let's see what good can come out of it. If I won't do it, most likely no one soon will do it on a public level
Aikido as a base will get you killed ! ! !
The greatest base of all is Kung Fu with European Boxing ...
When I say Kung Fu , I mean the dynamics of movement in allowing movement past you , and absorbing power .
Chief is zen .
I don't mean zen buddhism - I mean zen as in the sub conscious mind .
No European Boxing - No Martial Art .
I will not post the holistic truth of what I am saying here .
While there is certainly value in cross-training to widen your experience as a martial artist, those of you who are cheering these cross-training mentality as a means to do "true" aikido should consider the fact that Gozo Shioda, Kenji Tomiki, Shoji Nishio etc with all their previous martial art experience (judo, kendo jujitsu karate etc) discovered that their previous knowledge and strength counted for nothing and they were completely useless against Ueshiba. Just as Ueshiba's previous martial art experience was useless against his most influential master, Takeda.
Tohei, Shioda was taken down instantly by Ueshiba (whom they thought was some fake when they first saw ueshiba throwing some students). So what good did their previous martial experience do for them?? they would never have studied with ueshiba if Ueshiba couldnt take them down. Why could Ueshiba (after traning with Takeda) handle these masters of martial arts with ease?
Someone commented below "extremely watered down" (imho , so true) but cross training is NOT the answer. The Japanese (aikikai hombu with their official Aikikai curriculum) have been playing people out for years. Unlike a bloodline, unique martial skills do not get passed down automatically from father to son, or grandson.
Cross-training in aikido should include going up against other styles of martial arts rather than trying to absorb the techniques of these other arts.
ccdev
Cross training is the answer.
@Alex really? i would never have guessed that "Cross training is the answer" if you didnt put it so succinctly. Like i said, not many realize (some because of their ego and how much time they have put in, refuse to see) that maybe, just maybe, aikikai hombu all these years may not have been teaching osensei's aikido but rather that of his son, kisshomaru's which is NOT aikido at all but merely jujitsu packaged in aikido format. the gravy train has been flowing from kisshomaru to moriteru to now, waka sensei mitsuteru. The Japanese at aikikai hombu are polite (at least their tatemae is) but not necessarily honest or open in their teachings. And that is IF they actually know the aiki stuff in the first place.
ccdev
That was my point. The aikikai wont listen so cross training is the answer. You know, 'rebel'?
If you understand the context of my writing. Lol!
man, sounds you really like aikido... If aikikai hombu won't listen or teach (that's assuming that they can and it's a big assumption) there are others who will and with a systematic training model. ledyard, gleason (both aikido based), sam chin, goldberg, arkuzawa, harden. cross training is just fitting in things from a technical perspective just so we can overcome the deficiencies of the current system (what system haha?!!).
ccdev
Of course i love Aikido. I am a 1st Dan Black Belt in Aikido, Judo and Daido Juku Karate. I am also a Purple Belt in BJJ.
u lack speed and strength ...
in everything u do...
u will fail every time.
First xD
:D Congrats! ;)