yorkshirelad
Master Black Belt
This quote is for the most part true, but this can be said about MOST women. They don't IN GENERAL make as good a street fighter as a man. That doesn't mean they shouldn't train.Great vid. I like it. But come on Jeff, you cannot seriously expect anyone to believe this would be efficient on ~the street~ against real proper fighters?
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Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna
Most Aikido systems are based on the teachings of Ueshiba, so you should expect that philosophy trumps "street" effectiveness. I have, however seen some tough Aikido practitioners. For instance, if you are in So Cal, go to the Westminster Aikikai www.tenshinkai.com and speak to Phong Sensei. This guy is in his late 60's and has been in the US about 30 years. He and his brother were Ueshiba's reps for Vietnam back in the day.
During his time in Vietnam, he tried to escape the communist regime numerous times, each time he was captured, imprisoned and sent for "re-education". Eventually through guts alone he escaped to the US. This guy is tough and has been through trauma that the average US citizen will never have to go through. This guy might not be a tough streetfighter, but his training has given him the serenity to look hardship in the face and smile.
You might also try Dye Soke's Shuyokan dojo in Costa Mesa. www.shuyokan.com Dye Sensei is a former Costa Mesa cop, who has created a system using Yoshinkan Aikido as a base. He also has black belts in Shotokan karate and Judo. His system has a Goshin Jutsu componant that is probably inspired by Dye Sensei's law enforcement experience.
In Monterey there is Julio Toribio, he is the Soke of Seibukan JuJutsu. www.seibukan.com This art is has Aiki as a major influence and therefore resembles Aikido to a great extent. Toribio Sensei has Menkyo Kaiden in Hakkoryu JuJutsu which is based on Daito ryu and a Godan in Iwama ryu Aikido and was, for a while an uchi deshi of Saito sensei in Iwama. His Judan came from Hatsumi Soke and he has extensive knowledge in Iaido and Kenjutsu. Ronnin, this guy, like yourself was a US Army Ranger and is, along with Dye Sensei probably the best practitioner of Aiki I've seen, that includes most of the Japanese Shihan I've witnessed.
Aikido may not be as effective as Muay Thai, but then, I tend to look at the person first and then the art when it comes to being tough. I got into a lot of scrapes in my teens and 20's and considered myself rather handy, but I'm alot happier now that I am older and have a little more sense and don't get into confrontations that often. I've known many "street fighters" in my time and I can tell you that most were feared rather than respected and a few are even dead or in the nick.
I will take the quiet life and Aikido over a life filled with street fights anyday.
I love Muay Thai, but I also love Aikido.