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>i don't think something that has zero real world practicability or application falls under the banner of a "martial art". Tell that to aikido...

cm2012 12y ago
Aikido has a handful of moves that are really useful in real life - but its true that most of them are too artsy to work in practice, especially on an opponent bigger than you.
- bluedino 12y ago
  They work - it's just that your average practitioner hasn't mastered them yet.
  - ropman76 12y ago
    True. As someone who just started aikido last year there are some moves that I would not attempt in a dangerous situation do to lack of mastery. However I have done ikkyo so many times from various starts that it could be used very effectively in a tense situation. Hopefully I never have to find out :)
  - cm2012 12y ago
    Yeah, my dad is a black belt in Aikido, and actually used it to make the training program that all New York State court officers go through. Definitely some good techniques in there for fast control.
  - rodgerd 12y ago
    Utopias can never fail, they can only be failed.
renox 12y ago
Thanks for the laugh. I recall thinking when watching an aikido lesson: okay the teacher (who had 20+ years of aikido and of other martial arts) could use his aikido knowledge in a fight, the other(1) definitely not! And it could even be dangerous if they believed that they could use their aikido knowledge to fight, not that this is unique to aikido.. 1: even those of who were black belt
- jdmichal 12y ago
  The concept of a black belt has been horribly twisted. It really just means some level of mastery of the basic techniques. It's meant to be a beginning, not an end. It's like saying someone can take a class and earn some networking certificate, and from that point on they are an undeniable expert in networking. Of course that's ridiculous; that certificate is meant to certify a basic level of knowledge that is enhanced through experience, not complete mastery.
  - krapp 12y ago
    I heard that originally, you put on a white belt, and you just bled and sweated on it and got pounded into the dirt with it until it turned black with the accumulated filth of experience. Then you were a black belt. I don't know if it's true, but it's a nice image.
    - jdmichal 12y ago
      Considering that the concept of a colored belt system arose sometime around the 1880's [0], a nice image is likely all it is. [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_belt_%28martial_arts%29#Origin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_belt_%28martial_arts%29#O...
Silhouette 12y ago
Aikido has plenty of technique that has practical applicability in a real fight. The basic principles about balance and momentum are widely applicable, and the principle of using joint locks against a stronger or better armoured opponent is tactically sound as well. The downsides of aikido as a practical style are the same as many of the more intricate/interesting martial arts: they are far from including a complete set of skills for real fights, and it takes much longer to be proficient enough with their intricate techniques to actually use them than it does to get competent in train-by-actually-doing-it styles like boxing, judo, wrestling, etc. Aikido does have the added disadvantage that being entirely defensive in nature, you only learn to defend against the level of attack you train with. Unsurprisingly, people who train in an entirely defensive style don't attack well without outside influence, which can lead to unfortunate delusions like being able to "catch a punch" that would last approximately one session training with anyone skilled in any decent striking style.
- Silhouette 12y ago
  I'm genuinely curious now. Who downvotes a post like that instead of replying, and why? An aikidoka who doesn't like the idea that their art has significant downsides compared to others when it comes to real fights? Or maybe an aikido critic who doesn't like the idea that some of the skills it teaches are practically applicable in a real fight?

cm2012 12y ago

Aikido has a handful of moves that are really useful in real life - but its true that most of them are too artsy to work in practice, especially on an opponent bigger than you.

bluedino 12y ago
They work - it's just that your average practitioner hasn't mastered them yet.
- ropman76 12y ago
  True. As someone who just started aikido last year there are some moves that I would not attempt in a dangerous situation do to lack of mastery. However I have done ikkyo so many times from various starts that it could be used very effectively in a tense situation. Hopefully I never have to find out :)
- cm2012 12y ago
  Yeah, my dad is a black belt in Aikido, and actually used it to make the training program that all New York State court officers go through. Definitely some good techniques in there for fast control.
- rodgerd 12y ago
  Utopias can never fail, they can only be failed.

renox 12y ago

Thanks for the laugh. I recall thinking when watching an aikido lesson: okay the teacher (who had 20+ years of aikido and of other martial arts) could use his aikido knowledge in a fight, the other(1) definitely not! And it could even be dangerous if they believed that they could use their aikido knowledge to fight, not that this is unique to aikido.. 1: even those of who were black belt

jdmichal 12y ago
The concept of a black belt has been horribly twisted. It really just means some level of mastery of the basic techniques. It's meant to be a beginning, not an end. It's like saying someone can take a class and earn some networking certificate, and from that point on they are an undeniable expert in networking. Of course that's ridiculous; that certificate is meant to certify a basic level of knowledge that is enhanced through experience, not complete mastery.
- krapp 12y ago
  I heard that originally, you put on a white belt, and you just bled and sweated on it and got pounded into the dirt with it until it turned black with the accumulated filth of experience. Then you were a black belt. I don't know if it's true, but it's a nice image.
  - jdmichal 12y ago
    Considering that the concept of a colored belt system arose sometime around the 1880's [0], a nice image is likely all it is. [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_belt_%28martial_arts%29#Origin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_belt_%28martial_arts%29#O...

Silhouette 12y ago

Aikido has plenty of technique that has practical applicability in a real fight. The basic principles about balance and momentum are widely applicable, and the principle of using joint locks against a stronger or better armoured opponent is tactically sound as well. The downsides of aikido as a practical style are the same as many of the more intricate/interesting martial arts: they are far from including a complete set of skills for real fights, and it takes much longer to be proficient enough with their intricate techniques to actually use them than it does to get competent in train-by-actually-doing-it styles like boxing, judo, wrestling, etc. Aikido does have the added disadvantage that being entirely defensive in nature, you only learn to defend against the level of attack you train with. Unsurprisingly, people who train in an entirely defensive style don't attack well without outside influence, which can lead to unfortunate delusions like being able to "catch a punch" that would last approximately one session training with anyone skilled in any decent striking style.

Silhouette 12y ago
I'm genuinely curious now. Who downvotes a post like that instead of replying, and why? An aikidoka who doesn't like the idea that their art has significant downsides compared to others when it comes to real fights? Or maybe an aikido critic who doesn't like the idea that some of the skills it teaches are practically applicable in a real fight?