What is Akido?

[ClampXVII]

Um yeah dumb question, I searched it but the sites sugar coat it as a TMA. So I'm asking the experts here who aren't going to bullshit me. What is Akido? Why is its purpose and is it useful? Obviously I compete in Muay Thai, so TMA is a foregin subject tom me. Please educate me. I'm taking a college couse of it, so I'm not going in expecting much BTW.

 

[Deleted member 2295]

its a japanese martial art started in around the late 1800's by a guy named morihei uyeshiba. it implements a lot of throws. i think the basic idea is to use your opponents enery and force against him. very little (if any) kicks, punches, knees, elbows. it claims to useful against multiple attackers. its not-competative. go watch a few old steven seagal movies and you'll get the idea.

 

[TapOutGrapler]

alright, so these guys wear these dresses,alright? There called gi's. They give you power. Once you don the gi you become invincible. You can flip people over and run like a girl...just like steven segal!!

 

[alexgncw]

i watched an akido class before and to be honest wasn't too impressed ... for starteres there is no sparring at all and 3/4 of what i saw i really doubt would work against a resisting opponent with even a spec of martial arts training (i def can't see it working in mma)

this is something you'd really need like 10 years experience in for it to be effective

 

[Waxwingslain]

It's aikido, not akido.

I'd imagine you're better off putting those ten years into your muay thai.

Having said that there are some hot chicks in my local aikido class.

 

[John O'Brien]

Aikido is the art of making people fall while making it look like you threw them.

 

[Kantian_relativist]

Aikido is the art of making people fall while making it look like you threw them.

So true. Also, aikido has the secondary purpose of convincing John Q. Public that fat, middle-aged white men who take themselves way too seriously are badasses.

 

[ClampXVII]

LOL at some of the replys!! I'm hoping theres hot chicks in it, it's college after all. I don't really care about the effectivness as long as I'm earning transferable units, plus it doesn't cut into any of my other training time.

 

[Terrier]

I used to do Aikido (never got all that far in it mind you) and switched to BJJ aikido is basically all joint manipulation and some throws with the idea that you use an attackers force againsed them using lots of circular movements.

The times when you see people flipping around when the guy demonstrating is NOTHING to do with Chi and whatever else people all to ready to bash the art will tell you

 

[VagabondMusashi]

Aikido might not be the most realistic martial art ever but it has some PRICELESS joint manipulations from standup which are the solution to 90% of the possible fight situations in real life. The fight ends when the other guy pushes your chest. No need for blood or knocked out teeth or the police.

 

[alexgncw]

i'd really think about investing that time into bjj, tjj, sambo or wrestling instead if you are serious about getting your ground/sub game up ... as i said an akido master can hold his own but if you're just looking to do this for a year or so i don't think you'd be able to apply it in a real situation they just teach way too much stuff that would not work if your opponent gave you any kind of resistance (sorta reminds me of all those jump spinning tornado kicks i learned when i was 10 years old in karate it might look cool but when you have a guy rushing at you swinging for the fences it just won't work)

 

[Ude_Garami]

Aikido does have some useful stuff but takes much longer to learn than grappling. It also is really only effective at the very initial stage of a confrontation when you still have some element of suprise, like someone pushing your chest as someone mentioned above.

I think it is an important element of self-defense, but just like other arts it is only one part of the whole picture.

 

[Balto]

So true. Also, aikido has the secondary purpose of convincing John Q. Public that fat, middle-aged white men who take themselves way too seriously are badasses.

Haha there are definitely some fat, middle-aged white men who take themselves way too seriously that are badasses. I know because I train submission grappling with some of them.

 

[tiny_pup]

Regarding Aikido there is a enjoyable book called "Angry white pyjamas" by a guy called Robert Twigger.
It's autobiographical about when the author went to train with the japanese riot police.

Not that it has much info about what Aikido is on a technical level, but it's fun.

 

[Waxwingslain]

I read that book and quite liked it.

Twigger seemed pretty down on Japan in it. Could have been the fact he was getting beaten up every day and living in a roach infested hole.

 

[Dewey Buntler]

only one person gave you
a good answer.

If you have a good teacher you can learn alot

If you have a half wit hippy teacher I would drop the class.

See there is a martial art that derived from aikijujutsu
and then there is this new age hippy crap.
There exists a wide gap between aikidoka.

 

[aaron_mag]

Haha there are definitely some fat, middle-aged white men who take themselves way too seriously that are badasses. I know because I train submission grappling with some of them.

You bet! What else are we expected to do in a midlife crisis? It is either get are asses kicked by young punks or buy a sportscar and start dating women half our age.

Don't mock us. You'll be there too one day...

 

[Dedicado]

To add to some of these posts: Aikido, the way of spiritual unity, is a philosphical art, which is why it is the least martial of all the martial arts. It stresses giving in instead of resisting and directing/manipulating instead of forcing. It is primarily of use for its meditative approach to training. It is a relaxing art that demands little in the way of power or fitness, but focuses on grace, balance, co-operation and focus. It requires a lot of skill in break falls and it works the wrist alot. There is a good article about Aikido in Black Belt magazine's last (august) issue.

p.s. Girls love Aikido. Enjoy, but stick with the Muay Thai.

 

[Mark Allen]

Dedicado said it best. Mainly used in self defense. It has great technique for many of the most common of attacks. In the ring it wont work, but in the real world it is awesome. oh and by the way, nothing wrong with taking those joint manipulations to your grappling game. Some will cry foul, mostly the BJJ group, but who cares?

 

[Deleted member 3729]

Those joint maipulations can be handy can be handy when you want to restrain someone and calm them rather escalate the situation. This approach is something you don't see enough of in Martial Arts. Training methods leave a lot to be desired though.

The wikipedia article is also quite extensive with some good links. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido

"Angry White Pyjamas" is a good read btw.