Aikido: Demise and Rebirth, by Tom Collings

Tom Collings Sensei began martial arts training with karate in the 1960s and started aikido in the early-1970s. After earning his aikido black belt in New York, he spent three years training at the Aikido Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, and in Iwama.

For 26 years, he worked for the NY State Corrections Department where his assignments included SOU – high risk parolee surveillance unit, fugitive parole violator search and apprehension, and parole officer for Level I — Violent Felony Offenders. Tom has also served as a police instructor, crisis intervention trainer, and night supervisor for a juvenile detention facility. He currently works with various security agencies in the New York area. He leads Aikido and Tai Chi training at the Long Island Asian Studies Center in Bellmore, New York.


The coronavirus has upended all our lives. It may be months before the disruption in our schedules ends. With declining enrollments at most aikido dojos already, some may never recover. Since most aikido students are now older adults, the difficulty re-establishing aikido training is made more difficult by the rapid loss of strength and flexibility of this age group. Change is not easy when you like what you are doing. It’s impossible for many who are invested emotionally and organizationally it what they have been doing. This break in business as usual can be a time to reconsider, question, and reconfigure what we do. To present and practice our art in a new way. When time comes to “gather the flock,” we do not have to simply resume what we were doing. We have the opportunity to try a new aikido. I offer the following ideas for your consideration.  

Aikido has been a part of my life for nearly fifty years.  Even in my sixties, I can’t imagine life without aikido training. The past few years I have enjoyed teaching small groups of advanced students on Long Island, New York.  In 2018 I was a guest instructor for the TAA Memorial Day seminar at Lake Tahoe. It was a great experience, but when I saw the group picture I was struck by how few young people there were.  

2018 Aikido Seminar in Lake Tahoe

I have noticed in my own area a dramatic decline in young adults practicing aikido in recent years. Aikido clubs are struggling and some have sadly disbanded.  If the trend continues, this amazing creation of Morihei Ueshiba will soon be relegated to the history books. To stem the decline, remaining the same is not an option.  

 “Today, however, young people are voting with their feet, sending a clear message. It is a wake up call, but most aikido sensei have either not been listening, or have not cared.”

To address the issue, my students and I are starting an aikido program at a local university.  With aikido’s decline in popularity and poor reputation among many martial artists, engaging young adults will be a challenge.  With several other martial arts clubs at the university, we need to differentiate, and clearly define the benefits and advantages of aikido. Our planning involves taking a hard look at how aikido is presented and practiced.  Am I willing to do this with an art I love? To consider changes to a lineage I admire and respect?

Aikido’s decline partly reflects cultural changes since the 1970’s, when aikido was an exciting new import from the “mystic” East.  The popularity of BJJ and MMA plays a role, as well as young peoples’ busy schedules. However, these are things we have no control over.  What we do have control over is how we present aikido: How is it practiced, and what the results of training are. We are  focusing on benefits and outcomes – like other service providers.

Ron Cicero’s excellent Aikido Journal article on aikido’s “branding” problem pointed out:

…”the downward trend in those Googling ‘aikido’ – the inevitable first step anyone under 30 takes before starting a new activity – shows an art speeding toward irrelevance…What is more alarming than the lack of searching, is what they find if they do.”

What do they find?  Are we willing to look through their eyes and be painfully honest?  This is what they see – A fun looking recreational activity, sort of paired yoga with tumbling.  Artfully choreographed dance.  Graceful movement, with acrobatic falls. But it does not look, feel, or sound like a martial art, and definitely not like self-defense. Is our lack of new enrollments such a mystery?

Is this description an unfairly harsh critique?  The usual “trashing” of aikido? Perhaps, but as an “insider”I agree with it.   I spent several years taking falls for famous aikido shihan throughout Japan.  They were wonderful years, and I am proud to be considered a “good uke.”  Today, however, young people are voting with their feet, sending a clear message. It is a wake up call, but most aikido sensei have either not been listening, or have not cared.

If a prospective student asks about self-defense, I used to respond “self-defense is not what aikido is really about,” in a dismissive tone, which questioned the student’s motives. As if wanting to be a protector and guardian was a less than an honorable motivation.  Then I would say “aikido takes many years to learn.”  Looking back, this attitude surely discouraged many young men and women from joining my dojo.

It is painful to acknowledge that young people today see in aikido a sanitized, purely theatrical portrayal of self-defense. Beautiful, but lacking in authenticity.  Working in mental health and law enforcement I have faced violence, and it is never beautiful.  Violence is ugly. Along with many young people, I now question the wisdom of portraying violence with “artistic beauty.”  Aikido teachers, myself included, have emphasized “effortless” technique, but this attitude trivializes real violence that a student may face. Real violence is frightening, serious business that is never effortless.  I no longer find such terminology or demonstrations impressive.

When we call aikido a “martial art” it implies students will acquire effective protection skills in a timely fashion. This rarely happens, and it is not the fault of the student.  This is the primary reason for aikido’s decline and poor reputation.  

In the 1960’s and 1970’s we were captivated by all things mystical, magical and Asian.  This is not the case with today’s young people.  Call them less inspired – or less naïve, but they want practical skills.  They expect to learn these skills in months, not years.  In the context of our busy, fast moving culture this expectation is understandable and not unreasonable.

To attract and engage today’s young adults we have to confront three questions:

  1. Does aikido contain practical self-defense skills?
  2. If so, can we impart these skills more efficiently?
  3. Can aikido Look – Sound – Feel more like a serious martial art, without losing its essence?

These questions have arisen again and again in my practice in recent years, like a Zen Koan.  They have informed my personal practice, my street encounters, and my approach as a police trainer.  What developed is a sort of two tier approach to aikido – practical for police and young adults, and recreational for older adults.  Police aikido is more compatible with the expectations of today’s young martial arts students, and is the approach we will present in our university class.  The two approaches described are generally as follows:

TIER I – Time limited and skills oriented –  With an unapologetic/unambiguous focus on: 

  1. Self-defense
  2. Violence management/ street safety awareness
  3. Simple practical techniques emphasizing evasion/escape
  4. Rapid acquisition of skills – with a 3 – 6 month target date for students acquiring effective self-defense skills
  5. Physically intensive  / with dynamic kiai and atemi practiced
  6. Oriented to energetic young adults.

TIER II – As presented in most modern aikido dojos – A relaxed classical approach:

  1. Broad in scope / oriented to life-long training
  2. Graceful, harmonious movement
  3. Intended for older adults or those with little interest in self-defense

I have friends attempting to attract more young people by borrowing from other systems such as BJJ, or promoting competitive aikido. Our approach is to stick with aikido, but to return to aikido’s roots.  Our Tier I class is very traditional aikido which restores many of the elements of O-Sensei’s aikido which had to be removed in post-war Japan by my teacher, Kisshomaru Ueshiba. The changes were a response to rules of the American occupation authorities.  He had to present aikido not as martial art, but as exercise and “kagura mai” meaning “ritual dance” (see A Life in Aikido, K. Ueshiba pp. 281 – 282).  This became the standard aikido of the Aikikai.  Without these changes aikido would have died with O-Sensei in Iwama, so we owe a great debt to Kisshomaru.  Today, however, O-Sensei’s more martial aikido – with his fierce kiai, sharp atemi, and assertive initiating movements is closer to the expectations of young people. 

“Aikido teachers, myself included, have emphasized “effortless” technique, but this attitude trivializes real violence that a student may face. Real violence is frightening, serious business that is never effortless.  I no longer find such terminology or demonstrations impressive.”

Morihei Ueshiba

It is what Stan Pranin advocated when he spoke of returning “martial integrity” to aikido.  Stan’s commentaries are in fact a blueprint for engaging university students.  He urged us to “reform” aikido practice – i.e. our love affair with acrobatic falls, at the expense of martial integrity.  Stan also used assertive initiating movements with resounding kiai and purposeful atemi to emphasize the importance of “re-taking the initiative” (See “Go no Sen – Path to Defeat”, by Stanley Pranin).  Stan’s practice and demonstrations were reminiscent of the”shinken-shobu” (training with ‘dead earnest’) O-Sensei expressed throughout most of his life.  It is a feeling of acute danger, intense awareness, and mindful movement which is very martial and yet puts a premium on partner safety.  This aikido has the look, sound and feel of “serious” martial arts which today’s young people want.

Stan Pranin teaching in Las Vegas

Stan was not advocating a “harder” aikido.  You never had a training partner more concerned with your safety than practicing with Stan.  Rather than abandoning principles of non-resistance and blending, he urged a return to a balanced understanding of O-Sensei’s Takemusu Aiki paradigm of Earth-Fire-Water.  It means restoring the “Fire” element, the assertive initiating movements, and the “thunder and lightning” (O-Sensei’s words) of Kiai/Atemi.  The spirit young people are looking for to meet real world threats as well as obstacles in their lives.

Our six month target date for students to acquire practical aiki self-defense skills can be met – if we are willing to distill the vast array of techniques down to a small core of essential techniques and concepts.  This has been successful in both police and FBI aikido classes.  The more limited curriculum allows for more realistic drills and “stress testing” to produce muscle memory that can withstand the adrenaline stress of a violent situation.

A simplified curriculum is the reason aikido has a positive reputation in the law enforcement community.  I can attest to how rapidly students can integrate a few simple aikido concepts and techniques when we distill our broad curriculum down to a small core of essentials. You may say this is “watering down” aikido, but students who can protect themselves would disagree.

Another valuable element of O-Sensei’s aikido which we restore to aikido practice is shugyo. Where I trained in Iwama, O-Sensei rose at 4 am to perform several hours of prayer, meditation, breath and sound practices.  With mindfulness now having a prominent place in the culture, and many young people reporting high levels of stress, several minutes of meditation in each class is another component of meeting their needs and providing tangible benefits.

The decline of aikido’s popularity reflects the inevitable changes in our culture.  Aikido teachers can adapt to these changes, or remain static, as aikido quietly fades away.  Refusing to modify our approach to meet these changes is both rigid and lazy. It would be a sad legacy for us to leave.  I am confident we can creatively adjust our approach, while preserving aikido’s essential principles. When we address the needs and expectations of the current generation, they will discover aikido’s tremendous value and benefits.  Now – Let’s get to work!

Tom Collings

62 comments

  • I’m very pleased to see this article come to light! Well thought out and articulated explanation of the current situation in the Aiki world.
    Looking forward to when we can practice together and make contact again. Stay strong and healthy!
    🙏🙏
    Andrew Pannullo LMT

  • Great article. This is the truth of why aikido is losing ground rather than “political” explanations of hierarchy, sexism and racism and it has been obvious for years. As a middle aged man, I love practicing aikido but it does take a long time to learn and is not great for self defence the way it is currently taught by many. I say this even though in my own dojo a more martial approach is encouraged. For this reason, I also attend Aiki Jutsu classes. That said, I find that aikido helps me greatly with my other practice. For example, I believe you get no better ukemi training than in aikido and I now move my whole body in techniques because of my aikido training. Aikido is also the type of training you can continue as you get older. Try doing that with judo, for example, and I say that as a judo dan grade. In short, I agree wholeheartedly with Mr Colling’s views and would say that the thing to do is concentrate on the strengths of aikido and sell these.

  • Tom, I completely agree with your observations and training perspective. As 0-Sensei evolved and redefined his aikido and practice along the continuum of his life we too are called to do the same; and I believe such a commitment is in keeping with the spirit and goal of Takemusu Aiki. To be a responsible instructor it is our task to bring those elements of Earth-Fire-Water into our daily practice otherwise the power and “magic” of aikido will be lost.

  • Thank you to both Tom and Jamie Sensei for their sobering thoughts on Aikido’s present and future. I agree with many of the ideas raised, but here is one important thing I did not see mentioned. Students came to O’Sensei not because of his philosophy or how beautiful Aikido looked. They came because of the effectiveness of his technique. In fact many of the early deshi were dan-ranked in other arts. Many could ‘handle themselves’ already. Specifically, either from a grappling perspective (Judo and Jiu Jitsu) or from the striking perspective (Karate etc.) As others before me mentioned, O’Sensei was strong! Moreover, if you look at some of the pictures of him stretching, he was also flexible. Many instructors today have no knowledge of grappling, poor striking skills and do not maintain good physical attributes. I don’t think we need to change Aikido, we need to remember what it used to be. An effective martial art lead by very skilled, able instructors. Students have to learn how to punch and be punched (recall O’Sensei’s comment about atemi). Students have to learn how to TRULY unbalance an attacker. If we keep these ideas, we may have a chance.
    Humbly submitted…
    Natan

    • I agree with Natan that we “don’t need to change aikido, we need to return to what is used to be.” But that means restoring resounding “Kiai” to our practice, which modern aikido teachers reject. It means returning more than a few seconds of shugyo – deep meditation and breathing exercises to daily practice (for strengthening mental/emotional stability). As Natan rightly states, the physical condition of most aikido teachers is marginal at best – alright for a middle aged student body, but not nearly the level of fitness young people expect of an instructor. As for “truly unbalancing an attacker,” you are right on! That is 99% of aiki (first moment of engagement) – but most modern aikido focuses on the throw/pin (ending).

      My view on punching and grappling differs somewhat, as I believe effective atemi happens in a nano-second as we enter, it is for a momentary distraction for mental/physical unbalancing – a little different dynamic than standing there and “punching.” I’ll leave my view of “grappling” for another time.

  • Some Tomiki-Ryu schools teach a thrust to the chin as their first technique, as a counter to a similar strike. In my experience, this technique has spontaneously appeared twice when I have been lunged at.

    At higher levels, randori is taught. It is best to pair high/low to limit intensity. The instinctive aiki transfers to judo and can give an advantage in competition.

  • – Maybe Aikido has now to remain for people looking for its tremendous benefits other than pure self defense.
    – We cannot expect a 50 year old professional training two hours a week,
    to compare her fighting ability to a young muscular man who trains four hours a day for MMA …
    – But Aikido CAN be effective through its softness if it is taught differently. Most schools teach the “ anatomy “ of techniques rather than “ Kuzushi “
    before anything else. No technique is effective unless balance is broken. Instinctively, throwing rather than unbalancing is what is stressed , which is wrong.
    – Please believe me when I tell you that I met a 17 year old boy who kept unbalancing me by simply brushing me to the side no matter how I attacked.
    What taught him this was Aikido itself .
    He probably understood something that
    many masters are still searching for.
    – My sensei gave the impression of teaching Kuzushi and Foundation, but he did not. I only learned techniques without their @ foundation “.

    Pierre

    • I think that Pierre makes extremely valid points. Other teachers are expressing how they view aikido from their own perspectives, which of course we must respect but I would question if they are correct. If you want to learn self defence then do that – it will involve a lot more than training on a mat – it will relate to social interaction, awareness of body language and the like, backed by some very basic simple moves that have the intention of disrupting the life and health of another human being. That too requires a form of mind training which is alien to aikido. Hidden power doesn’t mean it is not felt, it means the attacker can never understand where it came from. The mind set of aikido to see the attacker as a gift, a friend or someone in need, is not the same one as seeing someone as an enemy to be destroyed. True, aikido is a dying art but it is the art it is, dying or not. Self defence requires you to dehumanise your attacker in order to do the most damage without conscience. You can still be that person … but not on the path of aiki. In my opinion only of course.

  • Powerful Aikido is what Osensei always did and the world should have never turned it into a smooth dance. It is true that Kishomaru made it lighter in order to make it reachable but there were Osensei’s uchi deschi that didn’t agree with this and created their own schools. Eg. Tohei Sensei. There are also teachers that were inside Aikikai that didn’t follow this softness rule like Chiba Sensei. So, intense and ki abundant Aikido hasn’t dissappeared, maybe we have just followed the wrong interpreters of Aikido. Martial Aikido and spirituality are stronlgy related. Dynamic Aikido is only to bounce beautifuly. I see a great oportunity to return to a more martial Aikido with the younger students and taking the spiritual elements to fullfil the new expectations of society.

  • Excellent article! I love the phrase “restoring martial integrity” to Aikido. That’s exactly what is needed. In many dojos the only thing that is taught is how to blend with bad attacks (i.e. one where the attacker is over-committed and over-balances himself through over-commitment). Indeed, when uke is told, not even to simply be passive, but to “go with” the technique applied, it is difficult to even work out the dynamics which should be applied to successfully counter a real attack. I can hardly bear to watch any more of those multi-assailant demonstrations with bodies flying in all directions — that are so prevalent on YouTube. I’m sure that this total lack of realism is what is nowadays standing in the way of the appreciation of the (martial) brilliance of aikido.

  • This is a thoughtful article.

    I have nearly 40 years in aikido, but recently hung up my hakama for very complex reasons.

    If we consider the most core philosophical underpinnings of Aikido, we may well conclude that harmony with the universe must in fact mean that ‘the universe gets its way’. Things change, always, and Aikido in the form we all experienced, or in the form O-sensei began with, or in the form O-sensei was expressing at the end of his life, none of them may fit the world, anymore. If this is true (and it appears to be), then acceptance is the only mature and wise response. The universe WILL have its way.

    One person or another, or a dojo, or a place and time (I’ve been told there are some countries where aikido in some form is still quite vibrant) may find it useful and a joyous way to participate in creation, But it doesn’t appear to be the case in rural northern California.

    So while the dojo is now closed, and my hakama is folded in my closet, my practice has simply become a personal and internal one. I think that is also what O-sensei taught.

    • David – When people with your commitment and experience leave aikido, we all lose. Your story is becoming all too common. I sincerely hope you create a whole new aikido for yourself, that inspires the original passion. We need you, Peace

  • And there in the second last paragraph is the root of the real problem. “O’ Sensei rose at 4am to perform several hours of prayer, meditation, sound and breath practices.” This is what made him and his practice special. The dedication to bettering his whole being.
    You’ve concluded that a few minutes spent meditating would equate to developing mindfulness and meet the needs of students.
    How can a few minutes we spend compare to his hours spent daily.
    Aikido needs more mindful individuals rather than people who can fight effectively.
    Fighting is easy. Surrender is hard.
    Cooperation over competition.
    Meditative practice is the other side of the Aikido coin that has been completely neglected. As you pointed out the immense value it held in O’ Sensei’s life and own practice. This is completely absent in most dojo’s today. An afterthought.
    Learning to truly relax consciously is more valuable than any choke or strike could ever hope to be.
    Aikido has this potential.
    Practicing with respect and open hearts. The role of uke who freely give themselves to the mercy of nage. And nage responds with love and respect, not harshness.
    This is the spirit of Aikido practice.
    This is not weakness. This is real internal strength. The strength of restraint and moral ethics. Not destroying someone with greater efficiency.
    It takes tremendous awareness and dedication to perform Aikido movements with effortless power and grace.
    Aikido is beautiful! And that is a great thing.
    Japanese cultural arts are adored because of their restraint, beauty and focus.
    On the physical level.
    It’s up to the instructor or individual to improve their striking ability. Shomen, yokumen and tsuki are three excellent strikes that can be mastered to protect oneself if the need arose.
    Improvement can also be found with greater emphasis in developing relaxation, posture awareness and breathing. And especially adding or developing some type of yoga or qigong practice to gain greater strength and flexibility. Too many knee and back problems in the dojo. This should not be happening.
    People claim when “saving” Aikido as if we need to recapture it’s martial relevancy. As if O’ Sensei didn’t know better himself. He claimed his art as one of PEACE, not martial prowess. Was he wrong?
    Aikido is at a point of transformation.
    But it’s not the art that needs change.
    It’s the people practicing.
    Let it happen.
    Aikido will be just fine.

      • Marco, I believe you express the sentiments of many in the aikido community. You remind me of the great teacher Masamichi Noro, who O-Sensei dispatched to France in 1961. By 1979 he was no longer interesting in teaching aikido as martial art or protection, just beautiful harmonious ,movement. He met with my teacher Kisshomaru Ueshiba, and was given the Doshu’s blessing – as long as he did not call it aikido. He respectfully changed the name to “Kinomichi.” I think your approach, like Noro Sensei’s is wonderful. But like Noro, for clarity call it what it is: “moving yoga,” not “martial art.” And why not call it an “ashram” rather than dojo.

        • I can only express my own sentiments. I’ve seen Kinomichi. It’s interesting but not what I meant.
          If you take the elemental perspective as you did in your article.
          Take fire for instance. Fire is represented by the triangle. In the physical it’s direct, sharp, stable and penetrating. Think shomen, tsuki, yokumen, or an elbow strike. But this is only one perspective. Fire also can represent: intention, illumination, warmth and connection.
          Teachers should be more well rounded. Yes versed in Aikido’s martial application, but also in its meditative philosophical roots.
          If the philosophy is not taught than it usually becomes about martial efficacy. Both aspects are needed for balance.
          This has been to detriment of Aikido. It’s not the martial side that’s been lost. It’s the philosophical root.
          The martial aspect is has never gone anywhere. It’s not the type of art one practices that makes it martial. It’s the intention of the practitioner. It’s the type of fire you’ve got burning inside. Some need stoking, others need quelling. Others are balanced.
          It’s a teachers responsibility to understand this.

      • Bingo. Its not, and as Gary (and Tom in this excellent article) stated- that IS the problem

  • Outstanding article, Tom! You may a number of great observations and you are very much on point.

    There are many who have observed the same things and feel as you do. Some of us enough to overhaul our curriculum and teaching methods to achieve a more practical approach.

    You bring up many things which are uncomfortable truths, but truth should never be shunned or rejected – it should be embraced.

    “It is better to be slapped with the truth than kissed with a lie.”
    – Russian proverb

    Thank you for sharing truth. The aikido world needs more of it, and I for one welcome it with open arms.

  • It’s good to see an article that not only laments the general failing enthusiasm with Aikido, but floats a proposed attack on how to approach solving the issue. I couldn’t agree more with the points made by Collings Sensei. I will tell you that as I evolved as an Aikidoka, I followed (pretty much) the path Collings Sensei laid out. Initially, I was always asking “why” and “where is the practical application in this?” Even as I progressed on my journey, I never lost the need to understand the practicality of what I was doing. Surely, I can’t be alone in this mindset. I was fortunate to train at an independent dojo that wasn’t rigidly ensconced in “it MUST be done this way.” My teachers came from a very diverse background (to include the Aikikai and Ki Society as well as other martial arts). They were willing to accommodate me as an individual and understand what I personally needed in order to wrap my head around all of it so as to be able to progress.

    I was fortunate in that I had Sensei’s who were able to articulate the “martiality” of a given technique and how it may translate outside the dojo. I had enough “street smarts” to know what was gonna work out there and what wasn’t. Not everyone’s in that boat. Most folks have never been hit in the head or had to prevent someone from doing just that. The “gracefulness” and fine execution are important in demonstrating a degree of mastery inside the dojo and of course, we don’t want injuries to our training partners, so I get why we do some of what we do in the dojo. The majority of what we do in the dojo, however, has little use in a street altercation. Street/bar fights are ugly, unchoreographed, sloppy affairs where minutiae in technique execution does little in the way of effecting the outcome. That guy at the bar isn’t gonna move like the guy in the dojo. What I learned in the dojo that most helped me outside the dojo was relaxation and calmness in the face of heavy adversity. Fear and adrenaline are, many times, NOT your friend!”

    I am a very practical person by nature and firmly believe that if there is no practical use or desired goal for what I’m doing, why do it? Of course, some things are just plain fun and that was certainly a motivating factor for continuance in my instance. The friends I made in the dojo also played a part. If self defense had been my ultimate goal, well… there are better ways to skin that cat.

    Moreover, I’m a retired GI. I learn backwards. Give me the BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) and then let’s figure out how to get there. I agree with Collings Sensei’s approach. Let’s learn some practical things NOW and we’ll move into the esoterics as you demonstrate stronger interest and greater proficiency . We hope to have an Aikido devotee for life. Let’s let them sprout roots and grow in a logical manner rather than telling them “this will make much more sense many years from now when you’re a Shodan.

  • Aikido practice has been suspended at the university where I teach. That said, I agree that our younger students have been looking for practical self defense skills and that your two tiered approach to aikido has merit. Do you intend to share this time limited, skills oriented curriculum?

  • Je suis d’accord. J’ai débuté le Judo en 1969 et l’Aïkido en 1982. Lorsque j’ai commencé à croire en l’Aïkido ce sont les techniques qui m’intéressait. Après quelques années je ne croyais plus en l’Aïkido martial. Pour moi il n’y avait aucune réalité dans les résultats obtenu par une technique. Les gens pratiquaient avec complaisance et lorsqu’un Uke résistait ou que le haut gradée manquait sa technique on nous disait que nous attaquions mal. En 1985 je suis revenu au Judo mais j’ai continué la pratique de l’Aïkido. En 1989 j’ai rencontré Chiba senseï. Cette rencontre m’a convaincu que l’Aïkido pouvait être pratiqué de manière efficace. L’avantage que Chiba senseï avait est qu’il avait pratiqué le Judo et la karaté. Sa manière de pensé était supérieur. Pour moi Chiba senseï a été le meilleur à transmettre l’Aïkido.

    Malheureusement la majorité de ses élèves n’ont pas compris. Pour eux satisfaire leur ego était plus valorisant. Lorsque vous pratiquez une discipline qui se dit martiale vous devez être vous même dans un esprit martial. Le pratiquant de quelques disciplines que ce soient, s’il est martial il est efficace mais jusqu’à quel point doit-on être efficace? Lorsque nous connaissons les résultats d’une technique appliquée avec efficacité, qui est gagnant et qui est perdant?

    Mon idée personnelle est que la pratique d’une discipline pour se faire plaisir sans souffrir est nulle. Pour être un art martial, l’aïkido doit-être pratiqué avec efficacité et non pas avec une illusion d’efficacité. Si vous ne subissez pas ce que vous faites à votre partenaire vous ne saurez jamais le mal que vous lui faites.

    Depuis l’année 1995 jusqu’à aujourd’hui je pratique un Aïkido de plus en plus efficace. Le problème que l’on avait était la complaisance des Uke. Les gens se font attaquer, se défendent et il n’y a aucune résistance. C’est irréel. Dans la vrai vie, l’attaquant ne se laisse pas manipuler.
    Alors dans l’Aïkido que je préconise est l’efficacité et la réaction instinctive. La technique initiale ne va pas dans le bon sens, un enchaînement doit arriver. L’erreur de nos professeur aujourd’hui est l’obstination à vouloir réussir la technique initiale obligatoirement. Cela devient une compétition et normalement l’élève devra se plier devant l’autorité et l’orgueil du professeur.
    Mon Aïkido n’est pas parfait mais il est sincère. Moi et mes élèves nous nous respectons et nous apprenons ensemble cette discipline martiale.
    Peut importe quelle discipline nous pratiquons ce n’est pas la discipline qui est martiale mais la manière dont chacun de nous la pratiquons et la vivons.

  • Excellent article focusing on martial lost perspective of actual mainstream aikido. As a practitioner of Takemusu Aikido (the Iwama Style, as was named a long time ago) I can hardly emphasise the importance of returning to a more realistic practice. So, I totally agree with Tom Collings on this matter and I endorse you all to return to the basics of this wonderful and efective art.

  • Those of us who started Aikido young and in the Seagal movie era came in just expecting it to be martial. The romance with eastern things was still around in the late 80’s and early 90’s, but no where near as dominant as during the 60’s and 70’s, and not what inspired my friends and I to step into the local dojo. We were quickly shown how movement against grabs transitioned to that against strikes, how movement against shomen and yokomen aligned with ‘standard’ punches. Of course 30 years later there’s an understanding of many other aspects, physical and philosophical. But attracting young people to this art doesn’t have to revisit O’Sensei’s training regimen, bring in stuff from other arts, or turn it into a combative. It just needs to have the space and maturity to explore the ‘what if’ scenarios in amongst the structured traditional training that everyone questions when they look at starting martial arts. Aikido should also be able to mingle amongst other martial arts (I’ve seen it successfully done), share, cross train and appreciate a mutual respect.

    I like the tiered approach mentioned here. Condensed, simple, effective and energetic to get people going at the start, with broader, varied teaching later is an interesting idea.

  • Very good article. Aikido should always have the potential for practical application. Assuming an opponent who doesn’t really know what they are doing (a reasonable bet; probably around 5% of people, very roughly, train in something or other), aikido should give you an advantage, all other things being equal. All other things are typically not equal of course. I am a guy with 25 years of aikido and weigh about 63kg right now. I am going to struggle with someone much more than about 10kg heavier if they are really determined. As an assistant instructor, when I teach a class I always spend some time using the guys who are bigger and heavier than me as uke so people can see that I can really move them. But over around 100kg, I struggle, full stop. If uke really isn’t co-operating, atemi is going to be my only solution there. So for me aikido has bred mindfulness about realism and violence. I have fewer illusions than I might otherwise have about my capabilities. That said, I always try and show openings for atemi in the technique; there are usually at least two. I emphasize students need to learn to strike properly (I have done some boxing training which transformed my punching power and body movement in ways that were very helpful for aikido) or their techniques may well not work. All my teachers, and I have been lucky to have some very senior ones, had aikido that I was very confident would ‘work’ as they could flatten me easily. They have also always tried to instil these kinds of attitudes, so ‘modern’ aikido is in a sense outside my experience. I couldn’t agree more that you should start giving people useful skills that show them where to move to, how to move, and how to unbalance someone, from day 1. At the same time, aikido, unless you are very creative and dedicated, is never going to be a complete martial art. I have trained in three different countries around the world and things like kicking technique and kick defenses, ground-fighting, and proper striking have never been taught in a sustained way. The little I know about these things, I have had to learn elsewhere. The point that O-Sensei developed aikido as a ‘finishing school’ for people who already knew how to fight is a very good one, I think. Most people now come into aikido without that knowledge. The ones I ‘ve met who do have it have universally appreciated it as giving them a fresh perspective. But learning how to use your center (translation: your feet, legs, and hips) properly really does take a while if you have no prior experience. Most people who say aikido doesn’t work have probably seen people doing it badly by trying to use upper body strength, or tried to do some techniques themselves using upper body strength and failed to make it work. Aikido is very deceptive; it’s not what it looks like and the power is not where you think it is (at least as untrained person; though what makes it fascinating is that it keeps shifting as you chase it, as well). In this respect I actually find yoga useful as a way of teaching proper aikido power. The theme of always dividing your force in two directions is common to both. When you can do ikkyo mostly with your feet, then you are getting somewhere. Anyway, sensei, good luck with rebuilding things once all this is over and thanks again for an interesting piece.

  • Dear Tom,

    Great article , especially convincing with your experience in Correctional Departments etc., also you write about Aikido in a Positive & Constructive way. Salute!

    I am delighted to hear more people are advocating starting a Practical Aikido or Aikido for Self-Defense class. I will certainly forward your article to my Shihan in Japan and see how he will react to this trend. (He is a Professional, trained in Hombu as a Deshi.) I hope he will consider starting a Self-Defense class….. but I am sure he has many other considerations.

    I am considering starting a Self-Defense Aikido Class in my Dojo ….. but despite having trained in Chinese martial art and Silat/Kali, I lack real practical experience.

    It would be most helpful if someone with your background can share your Videos (happy to subscribe to your videos) . My aim is to investigate the appropriate (i.e. effective in a real situation ) aikido entrance (initial contact) to jabs, hooks , kicks & knives.

    As Bruce Lee or maybe Ip Man once said something like this – ” Any martial art style can be changed & evolve…. but it can only be changed or modified with utmost care & knowledge”. Otherwise we just end up with bastardized versions of Aikido

    Looking forward to more information on applying aikido to real situations.

    Thank you

    David

    • David – Appreciate your thoughtful comments. It will be interesting to see your Shihan’s reaction, although the place aikido holds in Japan is quite different from that of the U.S. Classical martial art is the bedrock of Japanese culture. In Japan protective skills are a lower priority. From my experience in Japan change is always suspect, and rarely embraced. O-Sensei was rare exception.

      As far as sharing how corrections/law enforcement work has influenced my aikido training – I shared some of that in my book Searching For O-Sensei.
      As far as videos – I must be the only teacher on the planet who has not made dvd or youtube videos. Perhaps I will if you or others want details about the curriculum I described.

  • A great article. It lays out exactly why I left Aikido. I’m a lifelong martial artist (about 35 years), and after years of training I couldn’t apply Aikido in any practical way against someone with even a little bit of training who was resisting. My questions were tossed off with condescension by multiple teachers. I had the clear sense that it was taboo to train as though Aikido had practical value. I finally decided there was no martial purpose and moved on to traditional Japanese jujutsu, where I found much more pragmatic principles. I was sad to leave, and I met some great people, but life is short and I wanted to train in an art that was both beautiful and useful. Good luck in this endeavor. I would love to see Aikido reborn in a positive light.

    • “Questions tossed off with condescension” sounds painfully familiar to me Ben.
      When questioning and curiosity is “taboo” we are training in a wax museum, where things are dead and lifeless. Condescension shows I am an “expert” – one who has lost his shoshin – beginners mind, with no possibility of growth or progress.

  • A great article! However, unless the change of approach emphasises the methods of applying Aiki (to unbalance Uke) we would have failed to advertise our Unique Selling Point. Reference:- Aiki.Simdif.Com

  • Thank you for your useful and encouraging ideas!
    Robert Kravetz
    Aikido in Fredericksburg (Virginia)

  • This is dead on, Tom, but I am afraid many will not listen. What I see is that too many would unwittingly prefer the death of Aikido to the change that is needed to promote it properly and correctly.

    We have our Senseis to please, and we have to follow the directions of our organization, and it is imperative that we do everything in accordance with our Shihan’s wishes….as he knew O’sensei. And let us not forget compliance with Tokyo…because we want to be promoted, right? Who wants to be the upstart that turns all that on its head and thus become a pariah in a community we love?

    But for the love of the art….and a respect for the art…we must. Those that say you are calling for us to change Aikido in order to sell it do not understand. The teaching and promotion model we use in the art is not the art itself. Our art is LOST in the present model and only a transition to a better teaching model will actually accentuate the benefits of Aikido all the more.

    It is not the art that must change, it is us and our teachers that must change. And if our teachers want nothing of it because such a change will be a tacit confession that may threaten their perceived station in the community, forget them.

    You are correct that we must start with a bujutsu model before introducing students to the budo. Many come in and start training looking for self defense, but we feed them a budo model instead. I am convinced that an initial focus on a comprehensive modern bujutsu first is foundational. Only when students first learn how to hurt someone can they truly go on to learn how to choose not to…if they so please. All budo without bujutsu is a fraud.

    Aikido is a wonderful, effective, and powerful martial art. Right now we are drowning it in a tub full of lukewarm clutter and ego. We should all do our part in turning the ship around, even if it means kindly stepping on some toes.

    • Jim – You articulate these ideas with a clarity and directness that I envy. Aikido organizations purport to preserve the art, and the quality of teaching. Guiding us along the path. In truth, those at the top and their underlings are usually concerned with preserving their status and/or financial security. Rank-examinations-curriculum are used more for economic gain and organizational control, than for learning.

      When I reached the rank of 6th Dan, I believed that my changing and modifying training approaches and practices for the better was because I now had the high level knowledge to do it. That was BS. The truth is I could have – and should have done it much sooner, but it would have threatened my relationship with big daddy and my organizational status. I am not proud of that. I hope others grow up faster than I did, and do what is right for their students sooner. When you are a teacher your ONLY allegiance should be to your students, who are placing their trust in you, and to no one else.

      • Hey Tom! I received the package and I have started to dig in. I am enjoying what I am reading and I sincerely appreciate the gift! Wishing you the best!

      • I’m so thankful someone understands this. In addition, any time a highly ranked teacher conforms to organization control or focuses on status or economic gain you are sacrificing someone. It’s too simple to say that’s the price of the universe or it’s meant to be, or ignoring it because you may not see the direct effect. Sacrificing someone has much bigger negative consequences on the whole than any new rank acquisition or additional financial security. I’ve observed many times senior students and senior teachers allowing the abuse of power for personal gain. These types of occurrences should not happen. If you can only be highly ranked or enable bad behavior to positively impact the system, there’s a flaw in the system. If senior students are more rewarded for their conformity or compliance to their seniors than their ability to teach and retain students, then the system is flawed. Or perhaps it’s good that aikido membership is decreasing so that no one is sacrificed, and used in these ways.

  • Very well put. I am in my early 30s and started Aikido in my late 20s. I am the youngest student in my dojo in the adult program. And there is no one really in my age group that I have seen come and stay at my dojo for the six years or so that I’ve been there. And we are a supposed reputable dojo and an HQ. Very sad and no one seems to do anything about it. What the hell. It seems that no one is able to talk about the truth for the decline in Aikido. And you pinned the tail in the donkey with this. The reasons you outlined in this article are the reasons I left Aikido as a black belt for BJJ as a white belt. I was obsessed with Aikido, but slowly I found myself losing interest. And one day, I started questioning its practicality on the streets. I also lost interest because older folks just don’t take ukemi and there are no younger folks that are able to take ukemi anyway. I also started questioning its actual utility as a martial art, not just the art. That’s when I started seeing holes in my training and questioning whether I could actually defend myself. This, and the fact that I just lost that sense of vitality and invigoration that I once had. When I started BJJ, I found that and more.

  • I trained in aikido for almost 20 years until an injury sidelined me. I had thought A lot about this as I trained. My conclusion was/is

    (a) a lot of aikido is trained without martial intent, but more to form. Form is important but translating that to a real violent attack is different. It won’t go like it does in practice , they won’t fall nice and pretty and it you don’t execute with enough intent, you may not be effective. (b) MMA/Gracie jujitsu has laid bare the weakness of any one martial art. If you want your training to really be geared to real effective self defense you have to have cross trained skills.

    Oddly enough aikido teaches some aspects of striking but like any good Japanese art you have to figure it out.

    Take ikkyo and taisabaki. Together they teach you moving to the safe angle and the opening for a strike. Just like boxers learn. But no one told me that. I had to figure it out.

    But that mindset won’t work in today’s world. People don’t want to figure it out after X years of training. Is that attitude good or bad? I don’t know; it just is. And if your sensei hasn’t figured it out then you may go through your aikido training thinking you are some great martial artist ( martial in the sense of fighting successfully) until you get your hat handed to you in a real altercation.

    If you are going to preserve aikido as a MARTIAL art then you have to recover the martial intent and restore it’s effectiveness. Or drop the word martial and just go for the beauty and discipline of the forms. You could even take it toward Tai Chi ( even though tai chi has a martial aspect hidden within it) but it can’t keep going as it is claiming it is a bad ass martial and defensive art if it is not taught that way.

  • Thank you, Tom, for a very thoughtful article. It adds to the ongoing conversation about the difficulties in attracting new members to the martial art that we all love.

    I agree that there are some young people who are looking for an effective method of self-defence and prefer an art like MMA because, when you come right down to it, it is based on brute force, something which young people understand intuitively. Yes, of course, there is technique, but it still focuses on punching, kicking, lifting, etc. — a young man’s game.

    But I suspect that there are many more people who are turned off by such violence and would never take part in such an activity. And these are often the people who need self-defence more than anyone: women in the #MeToo age, persons identifying as LGBTQ+ and persons who, for some reason or other, are bullied by their stronger classmates or workmates.

    For these people, the problem is not that Aikido is not martial enough but that it is perceived as being just like MMA: competitive, macho, based on strength and focused on “winning” — instead of being a conflict resolution mechanism, O Sensei’s “martial art for peace”.

    We live in an age where the culture is telling us that we need to be more independent and self-reliant. That we can’t depend on anyone helping us in times of difficulty. Our popular culture is all about the expert MMA martial artist taking revenge for injustices performed against him or her. There is no sign of the forces of order (that is, of society generally) except as latecomers who appear only after the hero has single-handedly overcome the forces of evil.

    Young men since time immemorial have seen themselves as the protectors of the vulnerable, as knights errant, gunslingers or other heroes, and now perceive that it is up to them to impose order on a lawless society. And based on the movies and video games, MMA seems like the best vehicle for going on that path. But, of course, they have fallen for a fantasy because the world is not as dystopian as they think and real conflict is not highly choreographed like the fight scenes in those movies and video games.

    The problem with “selling” Aikido is that its techniques are highly sophisticated and therefore their effectiveness is more difficult to convey to the uninitiated than the blunt-force techniques of MAA. And Aikido requires the maturity to recognize that there is not a silver bullet solution to violence, that the more powerful the techniques, the longer it will take to master them.

    I don’t think we need to change Aikido too much. It is to my mind the most effective way to defend oneself. Let’s not worry too much about the few teachers and dojos who don’t teach it effectively. I think most of us teach it the right way, keeping budo very much foremost in our minds and adapting our teaching to the capabilities of our students.

    What we need to do is to change the messaging to suit the times, as Josh Gold did admirably in Aikido: A Message and Mission for Our Times in this space back in November. And we need to harness the power of popular culture (including social media) better than we have done so far. I think the problem is not that people have considered and discounted of Aikido, it’s that they don’t even know that Aikido exists.

    It would be great to have movies that faithfully convey the power and ethic of Aikido, but that may be too much to ask…

    • Mike you express clearly the prevailing attitude of most aikido teachers.
      I agree with many of the points you make, I just reach a different conclusion. Both our solutions to the current dilemma have merit and may bare fruit.
      Hope to get up there and train with you guys one day – got to reconnect with my Canadian roots!

    • Interesting points!

      From a woman’s perspective -one of those women who needs to continue to learn how to defend herself without being violated by people in teacher roles – I see the issue differently. Aikido in principle is very appealing. However if some organizations are allowing people in teacher roles to continue to abuse their power and abuse the trust of students and injure them, then its continuing to tarnish the aikido world and equating it to an organizational design issue and a “whoever submits themselves the most to men (or those in power)” “wins“ situation. This is incredibly disheartening both for women who are looking to be empowered and feel safe within their own bodies, minds,…- their whole being without being violated within a martial art and whose principles align with O’sensei’s vision as well. Now I know there are several interpretations of his vision. Which one gives you a feeling of integrity within your heart and whole being – not someone else’s?

  • This is the way taken by late Shioda Kancho Sensei with Yoshinkan and all derivatives of it.

  • The ability to act both effectively and gently in the face of violence is an earned skill. It requires that one experience, understand and become familiar with ferocity.

  • Interesting discussion in this article and with the comments below. After five years training in postwar aikido after some years doing chinese wushu and tai chi I formed the opinion that the curriculum was useless for self-defence – especially against skilled fighters. I am not alone in this opinion. I was then and am still much taken with O’Sensei’s spiritual journey. My answer to that implied dilemma was to study at the Yoseikan for 20 years, which is basically the aiki budo curriculum circa 1925-26. [Study the root, not just the flower] As far as I can tell, the post war curriculum simply eliminates most of aiki budo, transmitting very little of the original daito ryu content.
    The other paradox is that O’Sensei’s skill cannot entirely be explained by the material we have had transmitted to us, either pre-war or post-war. I am not alone in that observation as well [e.g. Hidden in Plain Sight, Ellis Amdur]. My teacher repeatedly quoted Mochizuki Sensei saying that O’Sensei could do things others could not. No explanation was ever offered to me – but I, like a number of others, have wondered exactly what dynamic was in play there. In one seminar at his Las Vegas dojo, Stanley Pranin handed out a biography of Onisaburo Deguchi which made me aware of just how mystical and spiritual that Shinto practice was. I am convinced, and again not alone in this, that O’Sensei was deeply involved with “internal arts” however named. If you have ever been on the mat with someone who truly can do it, it will be a very memorable experience. At one of the Aiki Expos, Kuroda Sensei inexplicably and very generously spent a fair amount of time with me demonstrating this in practical application. I am convinced that this element of practice has not been transmitted. My current journey is to integrate internal energy awareness into the external system I have been taught – four years in, at 70 years, I am not thinking I will follow O’Sensei very far up the mountain, but I will go as far as I can.
    These lines of reasoning are suggesting that perhaps the real dilemma facing aikido is its being disconnected with these roots.

  • We have a YouTube channel called Aikidoflow. We are trying to change the face of Aikido, but have had some negative feedback from some traditional Aikido associations. It is nice to know that some people have the same opinion as we do.

    • I’m not currently an Aikido practitioner but I very much enjoy your Aikido flow videos. They have caused me to take a second look at Aikido as my possible next martial art to study. Thank you! I hope you continue to produce them.

  • “Everyone Has a Plan Until They Get Punched in the Face” – Mike Tyson.

    And thats it. All you need to know. Until Aikido gets pressure tested in the dojo, let alone when you may need it most, Aikido will always get it’s detractors. It’s the socialism of martial arts. Great in theory, but in practise?

    Who here can truly say that gentleness, ki, one point or harmonising with the universe just when it kicks off in a bar is going to be your default reaction?
    How will you ever find this out unless things get more real ( both in the attacks and defence) in the dojo?

  • I’m a 24 year old with only 7 years of Aikido experience and I think this is the underlying problem that we have not yet officially acknowledged let alone addressed. When I was few months in, I was looking up aikido online I came across an article by an experienced sensey on what you get by practicing aikido. Do you know what was the peak physical advantage aikido supposedly offered in that article? “You’ll learn how to fall on the ground and avoid injury.” That was it! So I should invest years and years of my life in Aikido only to learn how to fall? I understand that early Aikido teachers had to de-emphasize the martial and confrontational aspects of the art for Aikido to survive in the post war era and maybe it was the reason O-Sensey moved away to Iwama so he could practice his budo but today that necessity is no longer there. But Tokyo still seems intent on branding the art in the way it was originally not and that attitude flows downward to most current teachers. I believe we need to re-introduce O-sensei’s ways and maybe even look into his younger years maybe even into his Daito-ryu days. Kiai, Aiki Ken, Aiki Jo, Tai sabaki, seizing the initiative, Atemi and less circular and more traingle shaped direct movements are the elements that have faded in today’s mainstream Aikido and re-introducing them might be the way to rekindle the spark! By the way I’m very interested to take a look at your Tier I curriculum you mentioned. Thanks.

  • My comments might be closer to Regan James and Mike Clair in the thread below but I might be different from their views as well. I am not sure at all that I could be classified as a classical aikidoka. I was born into an aikido family and studied four systems: Yoshinkan, KKK, Aikikai, Tendokan. I myself, after teaching these for ten years full-time, went on to research other styles, mainly teachers associated with Yamaguchi. Now, I don’t really accept this view that aikido is declining. I did research on Google Stats as well and the trend I found was just the opposite. So, for me, this article is a kind of non-article about a non-problem seeking a non-solution. But for all that, I do think the idea of teaching an aikido-derived self-defense course is fine. I don’t agree with the idea that we need to give to the market what the market wants. Aikido is a discipline, a craft, an art, something great actually. It cannot be reduced to the dictates of the passing crowd. The bumper years when Segal was pumping out his films are over. Those students are no longer joining. We should let out a collective sigh of relief that they are finally gone and we can get on with aikido as aikido, and not some cheap imitation of a C-grade actor’s hobby. Just don’t give me this idea that aikido is weak and in need of prostheses..

  • Great points made by Tom and others. My background is 30+ years of aikido plus a decade of Systema (including 3 years in Moscow under Michael Ryabko). I was very fortunate that my aikido teachers (the late Bill Sosa and his son Ricardo Sosa) included practical, street value, police-type aikido (including choke escapes, ground work and gun disarms) and cross-training in their teaching.

    Solutions are similar to Tom’s and Azu’s, but I have a few additions, borrowing from Systema and the late Bob Koga, as well as from SAMA (which as a psychiatrist in the ER, am required to qualify in annually in a 3-hour course).

    1. Get rid of uniforms. Train in street clothes.
    2. No ranks. You’re either a student or a teacher. Give students who complete a basic course a certificate of completion/mastery annually. Teachers would require a high level of training, along with dealing with safety, ADA issues, and having basic first aid and CPR licenses.
    3. Eliminate mats. This makes it real, as I learned in Systema. Most aikido ukes are unable to roll on the ground, outside, or on a hard surface.
    4. Incorporate more situational awareness drills, such as training with one’s eyes closed. Train at night or in the woods on occasion if possible. City parks are great for training. It also attracts interested onlookers, who can then be welcomed.
    5. Train with a variety of weapons, including short sticks, bats, golf clubs, chains, etc. I taught a class once using a rolled-up Nat Geo as a weapon. One student said, I’ll never look at any magazine or item of furniture the same way!

    I think that practical, sensible martial artists such as those on Josh’s forum will adapt and grow. And that is a good thing.

    Ken

  • Hi Tom, completely agree..!
    We need to modify our approach to Aikido and preserve the integrity of the Art, keeping its traditionand the tremendous value and benefits, as you write, if not, Aikido quietly fades away.
    Thanks for writing about this.
    JG.

  • As a younger person practicing aikido alongside Brazilian jiu-jitsu and kendo and who practiced muay thai for years I can say this article rings true to how I feel about aikido. Making a practical form of aikido is very possible, for many years my main training partner was a like-minded person and we trained with realistic force, it is easy to achieve this without compromising aikido. I feel that it is necessary to adopt competition or at the very least frequent and more serious jiyu-waza in aikido for this benefit as it is a good way to learn how to apply technique under pressure and also to help highlight which techniques are most useful and who is doing a technique most effectively instead of just assuming the higher grade is always correct.

  • As someone who hasn’t taken a single Aikido class, but has looked into it, I’d like to verify Tom’s thoughts. Aikido is supposed to be a martial art. That implies or states it’s useful as a form of self protection. But with just a little looking around at videos from various dojos and teachers, it’s clearly not often the case. Often to a laughable degree.

    While part of what has attracted me to Aikido is it’s peaceful, flow with the attack perspective, I also want a form of self-defense. I’ve been physically attacked before. Not often, but in a couple of situations that were scary. Of course I expect a martial art I study to help me. And it’s clearly the way it’s often taught won’t do that.

    I can say that with strong confidence. Because while I haven’t done Aikido, I was a professional ballroom dance teacher. Aikido is taught similar to how performance and competitive ballroom dance is taught. And there are many people who can do a great ballroom dance performance but can’t social dance worth a dime. They’re not used to adapting to their partner and to less than ideal circumstances.

    As a dance teacher, I would enact all sorts of scenarios with students. Can they dance and talk at the same time? Can they handle a tiny dance floor? Can they dance with someone who’s off-time? With a bad dancer? With a more advanced dancer? Someone taller? Someone shorter? Fast music? Slow music?

    Also, our goal was to teach people enough that they could dance at an actual dance as fast as possible. If you don’t get people grounded in practical skills they can start using soon, they lose motivation and stop. But if they see good results, feel progress, and feel comfortable in the learning environment, they’ll often continue for years.

    Just my 2.77 cents.

      • Hello Tom,
        I don’t know if you are still out there, or if you are interested in resurrecting old threads but here are a few thoughts and questions if you are open. I have studied several arts to Dan grade but my love is Aikido. I have been teaching for a number of years and I am of a similar view to you, if we do not revive aikido it will die.
        My first arts were striking, some shotokan, too straight, kyukushinkai, slightly mad, then Chinese boxing which I stuck with for quite a few year. Then later TaiChi, bagua,ILiq Chuan……
        And now 33 years of aikido. It fits me, at 71, but it would not have at the ages of 15-35. I wanted to test myself,both physically and mentally, I wanted to find my limits and I wasn’t afraid of getting hurt, that happened to other people, not me!
        Now I’m older, tired and maybe a little wiser and I love aikido but it’s just not realistic for a martial art.
        Then again are any choreographed arts? Kihon leads to kata leads to kumite. Real fighting? Nah. Good training, yes, good sport yes but never real. BJJ comes closer, at least the lack of established roles of uke and tori allow for some freestyle adaptation.
        So what do we do? Throw in some strikes from karate, some throws from judo some ground technique from BJJ and then we have, “drum roll””, MMA.
        It can’t be that and yet didn’t O Sensei cross train and steal from every art he came across. He predated Bruce’s dictum of “take what is useful and discard the rest” Wouldn’t doing O Sensei’s aikido mean doing just that?
        After almost 50 years in the arts I still don’t know how to teach a genuine martial art without fighting. Without the emotional stress, the adrenaline dump, the tunnel vision, the shock and WTF of being hit in the face or the back of the head.
        I tell my students that physical self defense is usually only necessary because of several failures of awareness and de escalation, and I truly believe that 95% of the time.How about the other 5%? If we want to continue to represent aikido and a martial art and retain its principles, and be able to realistically pressure test it with minimal injuries, then we need new training models. Maybe we need to glove up and put on head gear, maybe we need to go out and get humbled by people who don’t buy into the myth?
        I know from what little experience of cross training I have that it has enhance my aikido but I should have known then what I know now and I’m trying to figure out how to teach it that way.
        Respect,
        Alex

        • Hello Alex,
          Yes still here. A few of us still follow these threads. You have a great Budo background and much to teach.
          My path to making Aiki a more practical protect discipline has not been to add elements of sport fighting, although I respect those who do. Rather than adding to Aiki my way is subtracting:
          The first half of most aikido techniques involve evasion. The second half involves engaging uke to throw or pin.l – that’s the difficult part. We have found that simply replacing the second part with escape is simple and effective with almost all full speed/full power attacks.
          Aiki evasion & escape is less artistic or martial looking but far more successful under the stress of a barrage of fast full force weapons and empty hand attacks. We frequently do full speed/power stress testing using rubber tanto, padded wooden clubs and bats, wearing
          protective head gear. Unlike attempting techniques which rarely succeeds under these realistic conditions, students with even a few months training
          repeatedly succeed executing evasion & escape – entering aggressively with circular motion (non resistance) and “disappearing from uke’s view.
          Another example of keeping our traditional Aiki practice but making it practical is tai no henko- the basic blending exercise. Simple changing the grab from wrist to upper body grab gives this exercise practicality – amazingly simple but effective for any grab w/striking attack. It’s just another example of how slight modification on our classical practice can bring Aiki to life as an extraordinarily effect protection system.

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