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>These techniques are designed to disable your opponent while minimizing harm. >These techniques are painful if you don't cooperate Then how are you supposed

• itistoday2 11y ago
  Minimizing harm does not mean not causing pain. With the help of Uke, the idea is that through years of repetition you'll learn how to respond correctly in a way that disables Uke while minimizing harm. It's the difference between: do I punch you in the face and break your nose to disable you, versus, do I respond to an attack coming from you in a way that you find yourself suddenly on the floor, incapable of moving.
• Jtsummers 11y ago
  I can't speak to Aikido specifically, but a comment on this: > Then how are you supposed to minimize harm? Your real-life opponents are unlikely to know Aikido, so they won't know that they should cooperate. [emphasis added] In relation to this: >> These techniques are painful if you don't cooperate [emphasis added] Pain and harm are distinct things. Something is painful because signals are going from a point of the body (caused by pressure, heat, twisting, something) to nerves to your brain. Someone can cause you pain by twisting your arm, and it may be excruciating, but won't actually cause you (physical) harm so long as they don't cross a critical threshold. This is how many submission holds work, in fact. Ever had someone grab your arm and hold it behind your back? If they really go too far they may injure your elbow or shoulder, but they don't have to take it anywhere near that point to cause you enough pain to cry uncle.