| One of the most astounding facts in the combative | | | | If an attack is offered, say a lapel grab, with the arms |
| world is that Aikido does not work well in combat. The | | | | straight out, one must explore that attack with the |
| reason this is astounding is because it is derived, for | | | | arms crooked. Further, the attack must be explored |
| the most part, from Daito Ryu Aiki Jujitsu, which is one | | | | with the motion of the attack to left or right, or in |
| of the most combat ready arts in existence. | | | | conjunction with the movement of feet in any |
| Interestingly, it doesn't take much to transform Aikido | | | | directions. Thus, the defender learns to not just go with |
| into a formidable street ready art. | | | | the direction of the technique, but to make the flow |
| To understand why the 'Gentle Way' is not good for | | | | work no matter which way the technique is flowing. |
| the street one must understand the founder's purpose. | | | | The procedure I am describing here is nothing more |
| Morihei Uyeshiba, who designed the art, designed it | | | | than exploring all the potentials of motion, and not just |
| around his enlightenment. This is to say that he | | | | the politely described entry techniques of a zen |
| designed it for people to love their neighbor. | | | | shaped art. This is the procedure we used in rough |
| Of course Morihei had the ability to destroy that | | | | and tumble karate schools, and we managed to stay |
| neighbor, so he lost nothing in loving him. The modern | | | | polite, and yet became aware to anything and |
| Aikidoka, however, studying an art distilled for 'world | | | | everything that could happen in a real fight. |
| peace,' does not have that ability, and so the art | | | | I have meant many Aikidokas over the years, and the |
| becomes unworkable. Thus, one has to explore the | | | | better ones have always subscribed to some |
| art, explore it specifically for movements that do not | | | | deviation of this method. Many a night I stayed late, |
| enter and present themselves as 'get along' | | | | after class, after the polite students had departed, and |
| techniques. | | | | explored the nuances and deviations necessary to |
| In classical aiki classes the attack is exactly prescribed, | | | | survival on the street. And for any Aikido practitioners |
| and they are designed to feed the flow of the | | | | out there who object to my opinions on this matter, I |
| defender, and therefore the 'spirituality' of the defender. | | | | suggest they look into the Hell Dojo of Ushigome, and |
| What one should do is, after delivering a flowing attack | | | | other practices of O Sensei. |
| designed to fit the defender, is apply an attack in a | | | | In reality, with the right attitude, Aikido can be one of |
| more real manner, that is not designed to fit into the | | | | the most combat ready arts in the world. It does take |
| flow. Thus, the defender must solve the problem of | | | | an enlightened mind, however, to embrace violence, as |
| being attacked the way he would be attacked on the | | | | well as peace. These, however, are the principles we |
| street. | | | | embrace when we embrace Matrix Aikido. |