Is Aikido effective in a real street fight?

How does it compare to other styles of martial arts?

Is Aikido effective in a real street fight?
for any Martial art to be effective in a real fight situation, you have to be very, very good and the fighting style has to be second nature and automatic. If it is not, and you spend a split second thinking about it, that second will be when your opponent clumps you in the head and you will loose!
Reply:a
Reply:yes. just break some bones!
Reply:It depends on how quick you are. Aikido is very effective if you have good reflexes. I've taken Aikido and Tae Kwon Do. I once saw a state champion wrestler take down a 6th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He was able to do this due to his agility and speed. The martial arts were no match for this.





Aikido is taught mainly as a defense. You use the other person's aggression against them.





However, if used purely for defense, Tae Kwon Do is also very effective. And since it places more emphasis on attack than does Aikido, if there is an opening you'll be ready to seize it.





Overall, however, if you don't have quick reflexes, I'd try to stay out of street fights.
Reply:I have used the techniques in both street confrontations and in underground pit fighting and found them to be highly effective. As far as their effectiveness as compared to other martial arts, it is a matter circumstance. There are stiuations where an Aikido would be the most effective technique, and there are situation where techniques from another style would work far better.





After 33 years one of the most important things that I have learned about practical usages of fighting techniques thatevery situation is unique and techniques that work in some situation , won't work in others, or would just simply be unsuitable for the level of danger in that situation. No single style is best for everything. Best to use techniques from multiple styles. Will give a wider range of possible responsis and make it kore likely to have techniques in your arsenal that an opponent hasn't encountered.
Reply:Aikido is defensive and has no technique for which to attack your enemy.


If you wanna bring in Aikido for a street fight(looking for trouble), then you'll have to be in defensive for all the time...But that's aint the way to be using martial arts!


If you wanna get OUT of a street fight(self-defense), Aikido will be effective.





If trained very well, Aikido seems to be quite a "dangerous" skill to possess...But that's like...20 years?
Reply:yeah........
Reply:If you were to train aikido to the point where you can use it in a "real fight" or combat situation I'm sure it can be effective. Problem is that most aikido is trained with little or no resistance and little meaningfull sparring in an "open" context where people can do anything. I haven't seen anyone use aikido in this manner, although I'm sure there are schools out there that may be more than just "compliant" training.
Reply:Most forms of aikido do not have attacks, although throws and locks (which become breaks) can definately hurt. I don't know if it is the style or the practioner and how they practice.


If you train realistically you will be able to react realistically.


There are several forms of Aikido. The founder of the art was very good at using it in any condition.
Reply:Last two answer is correct.





Personally I would avoid Aikido though. Aikido is more of a "hit or miss" art because you basically have to try grab person's hand as they hit you which is very very difficult even after years and years of training. Also lot of Aikido classes that I have seen put most focus on grab person wrist, like anyone will stand still so you can grab their wrist in a real fight.





So I would find something else if I was you.
Reply:Aikido is effective, but it isn't the style, it is the practitioner that makes it effective in any given situation. If you aren't well trained in any style then you aren't likely to be really effective on the street. A little old lady who's good with a cane could beat a poorly trained or very inexperienced martial artist.
Reply:The question isn't "is aikido effective in a real street fight", the question is "is aikido effective at all", and the answer is no.





And wrestling IS a martial art you fools!
Reply:I'm sure it could be. Like alot of other martial arts if you know how to do it it could be effective.
Reply:Short answer: Yes.





But...





Street fight or street confrontation. Not same. Very different.





Street fight implies that you are fighting as well. If you are fighting, it isn't Aikido, it's just bad jiu jitsu. Bad jiu jitsu is probably worse than no jiu jitsu.





If you are simply defending yourself and stay out of your fighting mind it would be hard to find anything *more* effective than Aikido. In a truly Aikido mindset you don't react, you respond.





And you can be creative. The accidental "techniques" that are a result of adapting to the situation combined with comprehensive movement training are often the most impressive.





No technique ever goes as planned. So if you are attached to a particular way of doing things, you are going to get hammered. But if you stay out of the "fight" and just take things as they come your training will handle the situation for you. This is true, really, of any martial art.





The single hardest aspect of Aikido training is learning to stay out of your fighting mind. Not responding to aggression with aggression is *not* second-nature to most of us and it takes a great deal of training and meditation to develop this skill.





That being said: when people say Aikido is not effective it makes me wonder how all the people who I've known personally who've used Aikido to defend themselves managed to do so. Magic?
Reply:I feel comparably, it is more fully encompassing, and touches upon all other important aspects of other arts, in a focused way, as there are only so many ways to break, lock, restrain, etc. Aikido has anything one needs, as for martial arts in its very purpose, and is also enlightening. I do below copy again another post I wrote to someone else in this query regarding the magic of Aikido, I hope you enjoy the videos. Aikido. The founder of this art also wrote "The Art Of Peace" Ueshiba........Which is at the opposite end of the spectrum of the "The Art Of War" written by Sun Tzu...which is required reading of all Japanese business students. The concept of peace is shown in the founder Ueshibas art-form of Aikido. Alot of the EVASIVE techniques used in Seagals movies are Aikido derived(Also his fluency in the combination of chin na with Aikido is to be admired)-although Aikido has its own forms of submission somewhat similar to Chin na at advanced stages of its teachings . I like the whole concept of Aikido as it evokes a thought of "opposing forces" that can only be described as, well, "bringin' it to yourself", but its usually better to just walk away.....because as you watch some of Aikido's demonstrations (they have a few on the net) at least they used to-and I was also lucky enough to know someone who introduced me to it while I lived in Chicago-and the demonstrations were magical (This is Aikidos USA headquarters-Chicago is), you will find it to be very flowing and harmonious as to the attackers will as to the amount of damage he receives. Sort of like the epitome of Karma-but karma that comes much more quickly to fruition. Check it out. Peace.





I just checked-go to Yahoo videos and enter Aikido demonstrations. There are some there. Very cool





http://video.yahoo.com/video/search?p=Ai...





NINEDEMON-Noone in a streetfight "gives" you anything, noone gives you a temple to strike, etc.- but as in larp sao (sticky hands in Chinese)"exercises", the grabbing of the wrist elevates the "awareness" of the touch of the oncoming attack and allows your feelings to guide you to this area-which also in this exercise-allows the practitioner to understand the human bodys kinesiology (the way it works, bends, responds to movement)





MICHAEL RIEHLE-





Short answer: Yes.





But...(contradiction to first intention and answer-a sign of hesitation)





Street fight or street confrontation. Not same. Very different. (Water is wet-useless statement-one who wastes chi on nothing-or has no control)





Street fight implies that you are fighting as well. (It doesn't IMPLY it, the word fight goes to show fact by its meaning-confusion of focus) If you are fighting, it isn't Aikido, it's just bad jiu jitsu. ( Aikido is not bad jiu jitsu-Aikido is Aikido, and jiu jitsu is jiu jitsu-any martial art can become combative-Websters Dictionary: Martial:Of, or relating to, or like war) Bad jiu jitsu is probably worse than no jiu jitsu. (A toddler always walks better than an infant)





If you are simply defending yourself and stay out of your fighting mind it would be hard to find anything *more* effective than Aikido. (Aikido strives for peace-you are correct) In a truly Aikido mindset you don't react, you respond. (Webster's Dictionary: react:To respond to stimulus)


(Webster's Dictionary: respond:To reply 2. To act because of the prompting of something:react. 3. To react positively.-what you said contradicts itself-this shows probable poor follow through in execution-contradictive thought process)


And you can be creative. The accidental "techniques" that are a result of adapting to the situation combined with comprehensive movement training are often the most impressive. (This is what I refer to as the larp sao exercises-or awareness exercises referred to for someone else here-flowing like water-chi)





No technique ever goes as planned. (NO technique? defeatist hypnosis works too I guess, but always or never are not harmonious to enlightentment-yin and yang-this statement shows poor teaching skills-but adaptation to ones surroundings is good). So if you are attached to a particular way of doing things, you are going to get hammered.(This is a broad statement, and defeatist-I can say if you are attached to becoming part of the flow of a path that works for you-hone it-and always learn from it-as the Book Of Changes says this is the way-as we get better both by bettering our weaknesses, but so much more better by honing our strengths, which usually make our weaknesses wean off of themselves-this is a taoist concept) But if you stay out of the "fight" and just take things as they come your training will handle the situation for you. This is true, really, of any martial art. (Now THERE is the "magic"-some martial arts are not borne to become one of staying out of the fight-especially the arts that are more considered sports-and this magic-which so does show the yin and the yang-and disharmony of so many things that you said, is the true "magic" of Aikido-the attacker fighting against themselves-the divinity of its own fruition)





The single hardest aspect of Aikido training is learning to stay out of your fighting mind. Not responding to aggression with aggression is *not* second-nature to most of us and it takes a great deal of training and meditation to develop this skill.





That being said: when people say Aikido is not effective it makes me wonder how all the people who I've known personally who've used Aikido to defend themselves managed to do so. Magic?





Source(s):





30+ years of involvement in MA training, most of it in Aikido. Encounters both good and bad.





Wow, that's alot of years to have expressed your concept of the art as you did.





MAGIC: Websters Dictionary: The art that purports to control natural events or forces through, of, or pertaining to, a divine agent.





You come across as a very condescending person, and even though I try to stay humble-I felt it okay to explain my concept of Aikido in a word-like fashion, using your words as its force, I hope you don't mind the example-master. By the way, those who speak of their tao........................................ if after 30 years of studying Aikido, you do not understand the concept of "?"magic" I personally have explained above, maybe your history of your art will lead you to some of Ueshibas (The founders) concept of it%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;


If Sokaku Takeda can be said to have provided the technical basis for the later development of aikido, it was Onisaburo Deguchi, leader of the Omoto sect, who offered the key spiritual insights that struck a responsive chord in the religiously oriented Morihei. This second installment in a series of essays on Morihei Ueshiba by Aiki News Editor-in-Chief Stanley Pranin focuses on the relationship between the aikido founder and Onisaburo, which had a major bearing on the spiritual thinking of Morihei and the ethical framework of aikido.








Nice picture, by the way
Reply:Aikido is as effective as the practitioner.





The one thing I will say (so as not to inflame the discussion) is that Aikido is one of those styles that teaches you an awareness of ALL of your opponents. It is drawn from sword culture, where there are situations in which you must face MANY combatants on the field. Aikido will train you to handle more than one opponent from more than one direction.