Fighting Effectiveness

One of the questions that arises often is the whether Aikido can be used for self-defense. In other words, is Aikido effective in real fights?

The short answer to this question is yes, Aikido can be effective in a fight if you train for it to be. The founder of Aikido, Ueshiba, reportedly killed a number of bandits as the swordsman/bodyguard of Onisaburo Deguchi. Gozo Shioda went out looking for fights with Yakuza in Shinjuku in order to test the skills that he had learned from Ueshiba. More recently, Joe Thambu Shihan was a bouncer in nightclubs in Melbourne, Australia and used his Aikido in real fights (see interview on Videos tab). All three of these men are of small stature, and all have used their Aikido to fight larger men. On the other hand, all of them dedicated their entire lives full-time to the study of Aikido. Further, the training in the original Ueshiba Dojo was apparently brutal. Few people today dedicate their lives to learning a martial art, and few are willing to train as aggressively as they did.

The longer answer is more complex. First, it is important to recognize that Aikido is a martial art, not empty-handed combat training. Second, it is important to recognize that the outcome of an aggressive or violent situation depends on several factors, only one of which is technical skill in martial arts. These two issues are discussed in more detail below.

Combat versus Martial Arts

It's important to recognize that combat and martial arts are not the same thing.

The goal of combat is to disable or kill one's opponent as quickly as possible using whatever tools are available. Typically, this involves the use of weapons, which give a serious advantage to the person using them. Weapons can disable or kill instantaneously, and often from a distance. If we were training for unarmed combat, we would be far better served to repeatedly drill 3 to 5 violent techniques (gouging the eyes, striking to the throat, kicking to the groin, choke holds, neck breaks, etc.) to the point that we could execute those techniques reflexively under pressure. We would train to do so as aggressively as possible, perhaps even risking injury to our partner to do so.

In martial arts, the goal is to develop certain martial skills to perfection. We study posture, balance, movement, distance, and timing. While the techniques we study can be martially effective, and Yoshinkan style Aikido places substantial emphasis on the martial element, many of the exercises that we practice are not directly applicable to a fight. Because we spend so much time polishing and perfecting our technique, rather than focusing entirely on brute effectiveness, it takes years to develop the skills necessary to apply the techniques in the real world... and even then most of us haven't been in a fight since we were kids. Our shihan, Sensei Mustard, is a big, tough guy who has trained in Aikido for nearly 40 years, but has never hit anyone in anger. Martial arts are exactly what the name implies, an art form which studies martial skills.

The beauty of Aikido is that its techniques have been adapted to allow sufficiently skilled practitioners to apply full power to their techniques without causing injury to their partners. That beauty should not be mistaken for weakness. When applied at speed, Aikido's techniques can break arms, dislocate shoulders, and cause injury (particularly head and neck injury) from impact with the ground. They don't usually do those things because its practitioners are trained to avoid injury by moving with the technique and doing breakfalls to protect the head and body from hitting the ground.

However, the fact that one is skilled in Aikido, or any martial art, does not necessarily mean that one will prevail in against a violent opponent. That depends as much on the size, strength, and psychological makeup of the individual as it does on the individual's martial skill.

Other Factors Affecting Violent Situations

Martial skill is not the only factor which will affect the outcome of a violent or aggressive situation. Each of these factors will give one side or the other an advantage. Whoever has the most advantages is likely to win.

Preparation & Awareness

Awareness of your environment, the offensive and defensive tools at your disposal, other people you may need to protect, and the attitudes and intentions of those around you can be critical factors in determining the outcome of a fight. If you aren't aware that someone intends to be aggressive, or aren't prepared to deal with it, you are at a disadvantage from the start. Being aware can help you avoid violence or aggression altogether.

Aggression

Violent people don't need to have a high degree of skill to hurt people. They will find ways to hurt someone because they are mean and want to hurt people. The more violent and aggressive a person is, the greater an advantage he/she has in a fight. (Think Joe Pesci in Goodfellas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iELKMNjZx9o). If you aren't prepared to handle that aggression, you are at a serious disadvantage regardless of your level of skill.

The vast majority of people who study martial arts do so because they aren't violent, aggressive people. They are looking for a way to defend themselves against such people, and as a result, start out at a huge disadvantage when aggression starts. If you aren't willing to hurt, maim, or kill someone who's trying to do the same to you, you have little chance of winning.

Aggression can be taught, and ways to deal with violent, aggressive behavior can be taught, but few martial arts schools have the background or training to do so. The most effective aggression programs I've seen are rape prevention programs which include psychological training and full-contact strikes against an armored assailant.

Size & Strength

Bigger, stronger people have an advantage in a fight. Smaller people are at a disadvantage, and have to overcome their disadvantage through a combination of aggression and skill. Aikido can reduce the disadvantage of a smaller person because its principles are precisely based on utilizing the strength and balance of the attacker to gain advantage. However, it requires years of training to acquire the level of skill necessary to apply those principles, especially under pressure.

Martial Skill

Martial skill is primarily what is trained in the dojo. The greater one's martial skill, the more the advantages of aggression and strength are minimized. Again, however, most people don't spend the years of training necessary to develop the necessary level of skill to be able to apply it under pressure. Of those who have developed the necessary level of skill, most have never used their skills in a real situation, and only a relative few are aggressive enough by nature to be willing to hurt someone. Aikido focuses on controlling one's opponent, ideally without causing him injury. However, the less you are willing to cause injury, the greater your skill level has to be to have a realistic chance of winning.