Some Aikido thoughts from Roy Dean

Monkey Turned Wolf

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This assumption doesn't make sense. You can't expect other MA system to help your MA system to develop foundation.
Certain styles are actually an advanced version of other styles. So that basis in the first style is necessary for the second style. Think of the five animals system, then systems that focus on just one animal from that system.

Aikido is kind of like that, from this viewpoint.
 
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Gerry Seymour

Gerry Seymour

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I certainly respect Roy Dean's pedigree, but oftentimes I can't help but think that he uses Aikido as a marketing gimmick. Whenever I've seen him roll, its pretty clear that he isn't using Aikido and is almost entirely utilizing Bjj. He looks no different than your typical Bjj Black belt. Certainly a skilled martial artist, but not really adding much to modern Bjj, which is HIGHLY disappointing, because I had hopes that he would infuse his Bjj with some Aikido techniques and principles.
I do see a fair amount of Aikido influence when I look at his movement, but that might be confirmation bias, because I can spot some Aikido-like movement from many in BJJ. Because there are some similar principles at play.
 

Hanzou

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I do see a fair amount of Aikido influence when I look at his movement, but that might be confirmation bias, because I can spot some Aikido-like movement from many in BJJ. Because there are some similar principles at play.

Yeah, when I see stuff like this;


It just looks like BJJ to me. I do know that a lot of Aikido's principles also exist in BJJ and Judo, so maybe that's what you see? In any case, I did enjoy this video because its interesting to see how an Aikidoka would deal with a skilled Bjj exponent, and Dean definitely knows his stuff. If you've never seen this, I hope you enjoy it.
 
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Gerry Seymour

Gerry Seymour

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Yeah, when I see stuff like this;


It just looks like BJJ to me. I do know that a lot of Aikido's principles also exist in BJJ and Judo, so maybe that's what you see? In any case, I did enjoy this video because its interesting to see how an Aikidoka would deal with a skilled Bjj exponent, and Dean definitely knows his stuff. If you've never seen this, I hope you enjoy it.
Very cool to watch. I'm always amused by how much less effort the BJJ guys exert in this kind of thing. Buncha lazy bastards. :D
 

Hanzou

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Very cool to watch. I'm always amused by how much less effort the BJJ guys exert in this kind of thing. Buncha lazy bastards. :D

Any aspect of Dean's movement that you would classify as "Aikido"? I thought the wrist lock transition from the arm bar while on the bottom was pretty slick.
 

drop bear

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Any aspect of Dean's movement that you would classify as "Aikido"? I thought the wrist lock transition from the arm bar while on the bottom was pretty slick.

He even had the Russian two on one there for a but still took the wrestling option.

Admittedly the other guy was also letting a lot of wrist grabs slide.
 
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Gerry Seymour

Gerry Seymour

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Any aspect of Dean's movement that you would classify as "Aikido"? I thought the wrist lock transition from the arm bar while on the bottom was pretty slick.
The general method of movement in BJJ feels to me like a ground-based analog of Aikido's standing movement. Especially the relaxed, patient attitude of it. I've always thought that Aikido folks should be easy to teach BJJ, in some aspects. (Though I think many Aikido practitioners have too much focus on "soft", when a quick bit of force will make a single-leg work much better.)
 
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Gerry Seymour

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He even had the Russian two on one there for a but still took the wrestling option.

Admittedly the other guy was also letting a lot of wrist grabs slide.
In my experience, branches of Aikido that do a significant amount of ground work rarely have much wrist locking in their ground work. It tends to have more shoulder/elbow locking.
 

Kung Fu Wang

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Though I think many Aikido practitioners have too much focus on "soft", when a quick bit of force will make a single-leg work much better.
The throw can still be soft but the set up need to be harder. If you pull hard, when your opponent resists, you can borrow his resistance force and use single leg to take him down with very soft force.

You have to give before you can take.
 

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