How to Use Aikido for Self Defense

Aikido is a Japanese martial art in which you use an opponent's strength to knock him off balance, while exerting little effort of your own. Aikido focuses on developing agility and flexibility over strength and is an ideal form of self defense against a much larger assailant.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Aikido sensei

1. Find a suitable dojo (training facility) to learn how to use aikido for self defense. With aikido, more emphasis is placed upon the relationship between the student and the instructor, and many of the more spiritual concepts cannot be taught effectively through instructional books or videos.

2. Choose aikido as a self defense technique if you are small or have not developed sufficient muscle mass to participate in "harder" martial arts, such as karate or judo. Aikido teaches students to use the force and strength of their opponents against them, and it often requires little effort on the part of the defender.

3. Use aikido as a form of self defense if you are a peaceful person and do not wish to injure your opponent permanently. Many of the techniques used in aikido serve to disarm your opponent and knock him off balance, with very little punching or kicking. Aikido also uses joint-locking and throwing techniques in which you conform to the force of your opponent.

4. Learn aikido as a self defense technique used to disarm assailants bearing weapons, such as knives or sticks. A large portion of aikido is devoted to the jo (short staff), bokken (wooden sword) and tanto (knife), with students learning how to retain these weapons while simultaneously taking them away from the assailant.

5. Take aikido lessons to learn how to defend yourself against multiple opponents. Aikido specializes in randori, which teaches students to use instinct and improvisation to defeat more than one opponent at a time.

6. Focus on the spiritual aspects of aikido when you use it as a self defense technique. Aikido, more so than most other martial arts, strives to maintain peace and discourage the infliction of pain or injury. Aikido also stresses ki (life force) and having it flow through your body as a way to protect yourself from injury.

Tips & Warnings

• In aikido, extraordinary effort should be expended in showing respect to your sensei (teacher). All instructions should be followed immediately and without question in order to receive all of the benefits of aikido training.

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[funkeymonkey]

on 1/10/2009 I choose aikido because I am a large person, and I am strong for my age. I really don't like the idea of breaking bones, muscle destruction etc. that you find in other martial arts. I am now capable of defending myself, and only maybe giving my attacker a grazed elbow if the ground is rough where he slides into it