tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957834.post114159383564227059..comments2023-11-27T02:17:22.859-06:00Comments on The LawDog Files: An old aikido post.LawDoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05232684877582591461noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957834.post-85405631267990001732010-02-17T13:21:03.658-06:002010-02-17T13:21:03.658-06:00I have spent the better part of twenty years learn...I have spent the better part of twenty years learning Japanese Juujutsu and Filipino stick and knife fighting (Eskrima). This background causes me to be rather skeptical of styles like Aikidou which seem to emphasize "pretty" over "effective." I can not say that I have had the honor of being kicked out of a school but I am sure it will happen sooner or later.<br />Thank you for such a fantastic post, it is refreshing to know that I am not alone in my dislike of Aikidou.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18177626817082662896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957834.post-1159325620055917522006-09-26T21:53:00.000-05:002006-09-26T21:53:00.000-05:00My black belt ceremony is in a few days. I study ...My black belt ceremony is in a few days. I study classical Judo. It can be very effective. It can also produce what are sometimes called "Dojo Ballerinas." <BR/><BR/>Folks who are martial artists who have big heads are SUCH a pain in the fundament.<BR/><BR/>My Judo Sensei, who has been in a lot of REAL fights in his life, was once confronted by a Tae Kwon Do student who, apparently conviced of the superiority of his art, challenged my Sensei to a contest. (This was before my Sensei took up Judo; he was a karate student himself.) They took up the stance and the Tae Kwon Do guru fired off a very fast kick, so fast that it connected with my Sensei's face before he could dodge or block. My Sensei is built rather like an M-1 tank. His head rocked slightly to the side, and the Great Master Tae Kwon Do Guru fell flat on his back. My sensei looked down at him and said, "I guess I win."<BR/><BR/>--LERLogEyed Romanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13889437392169618869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957834.post-1147172334697432832006-05-09T05:58:00.000-05:002006-05-09T05:58:00.000-05:00In school (a long time ago...), we had a really go...In school (a long time ago...), we had a really good Judo teacher (at least he didn't wheaze) who decided to branch out a little bit. He asked for volunteers to help demonstrate the old "disarm the mugger before he can pull the trigger" trick. Couple of us were on the pistol team, and stood up to hold the "gun" (spring-loaded plastic pistol that shot suction-cup tipped darts, like we played with when we were little). <BR/><BR/>He told us (one at a time) to stand at arm's length from him, shoot when we saw him start his move. Action is supposed to beat reaction. Problem was that we were in our late teens, and he was in his '50's, so we were wired a little tighter than he was. <BR/><BR/>As soon as he twitched, "Pop!" Suction-cup dart to the chest, WAY before he got near touching me. Same thing happened with my pistol team-mate. Hmm... What he was trying then wasn't much different from what I've been taught recently in a CQT Class at a "Big Name School." Good techniques, but demonstrably NOT a good idea for a 50 y.o. to go up against a 20 y.o., unless there's no choice. <BR/><BR/>Also, pausing while the shooter gets "all set" is a bad idea. We both knew what was going to happen, and it's better to be "off sides."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957834.post-1142348118512936512006-03-14T08:55:00.000-06:002006-03-14T08:55:00.000-06:00The Chinese have an apt, descriptive expression fo...The Chinese have an apt, descriptive expression for such folk as your wheezing <I>sensei</I>, which roughly translated, means:<BR/><BR/><I>flower fist, brocade leg</I><BR/><BR/>Great weblog! Would you mind terribly if this Left Coast reject links to it?Bernard Brandthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00159541603126407072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957834.post-1142310852630570922006-03-13T22:34:00.000-06:002006-03-13T22:34:00.000-06:00Alot of senseis seem to have these problems these ...Alot of senseis seem to have these problems these days, especially aikido instructors who have taken the O-Sensei's prohibitions too far.<BR/><BR/>Unless they deal with- and spar with- other fighters, many aikido students can only fight other aikido students, because both are bound by instruction that forbids fast attacks.<BR/><BR/>Is there some 'ideal art'? No, but you can learn a little from all of them.Properly applied joint locks and pressure points can give you an edge, but you shouldn't depend on them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957834.post-1141796317021438002006-03-07T23:38:00.000-06:002006-03-07T23:38:00.000-06:00About eighteen years ago, my buddy dragged me to o...About eighteen years ago, my buddy dragged me to open-house night at Mister Yu's Tae Quan Do dojo- now long since gone, Mister Yu having gone to his reward. There's the obligatory jumping around, breaking defenseless boards, et cetera... then Mister Yu comes up to the front of the room and explains in his soft, accented voice that he will now demonstrate that Tae Quan Do is useful for defending yourself against attack; even against attack with a gun or a knife. Mister Yu then asks for a volunteer from the audience to assist him by playing the role of an attacker. When no-one immediately volunteers, Mister Yu picks out an audience member and asks him to come down. The man Mister Yu picks as his 'attacker' is definitely typecast: six feet plus of biker; beard, belly and all. Mister Yu hands the biker a cap pistol and explains that he will now demonstrate how to defend yourself against a mugger who wants to steal your wallet at gunpoint. <BR/>(we've all seen that Chuck Norris movie, right? We all know how this is supposed to go, right?)<BR/>Well, as Mister Yu turns away to begin "walking down the alley", BANG! Mr. Biker "caps" him in the back. <BR/>Mister Yu turns around, and explains to Mr. Biker that he was supposed to wait until Mister Yu had walked down the "alley" and walked back towards him, and ROB him at GUNPOINT. So Mr. Biker waits until Mister Yu has gone some distance away and turns back around, then BANGBANGBANG! plugs him three times at ten feet. <BR/>By now Mister Yu is beside himself. He comes back to the biker and says,"What are you doing?"<BR/>"Robbing you with a gun, like you said." <BR/>"Nonono! You are supposed to WAIT until I am CLOSE to you, then THREATEN me with the gun!"<BR/>Mr. Biker shakes his head at Mister Yu. "Why in hell would I let you get that close? You might have a knife or know karate or something."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957834.post-1141658874411044982006-03-06T09:27:00.000-06:002006-03-06T09:27:00.000-06:00Sounds like you've encountered the "All knowing Se...Sounds like you've encountered the "All knowing Sensei". The problem with many martail arts is that they're represented by people. And people have egos and attitudes that color your perception of the art itself.<BR/><BR/>I've been to a few Aikido lessons. Never did that head banging thing. was NEVER asked to attack at full speed, was never mistreated. I have been to a martail arts facility that tried to "prove" how good their art was. Not too impressive and I definitely didn't want to come back.<BR/><BR/>The Aikido club I visited had several Senseis who were volunteers. Each had a slightly different outlook and aproach to the implementation of the technique.<BR/><BR/>We had an ex-special forces guy, a grandma, a yoga instructor, and a college professor. The moves were the same but the thought behind them and the practical application to combat, health, and life were different. <BR/><BR/>When I started, one of them asked me what I wanted to get out od Aikido. That was the first time I'd been asked what my reasoning and goals were in the Dojo. It changed my outlook a bit and I focused a bit more. <BR/><BR/>I figure that Aikido has some outlooks and some moves that could add well to the LawDog arsenal. When you only have a hammer, everyhing looks like a nail. I'm a proponent of the varied toolbox.<BR/><BR/>Most of the techniques are really just leverage, muscular memory, and body movement. There's nothing really any more secret than that. <BR/><BR/>Don't write off the art, you got a bozo for a teacher.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com