Advanced Aikido Techniques: Dai Ashi Part 2

Video Transcript

"Sometimes the only thing you can do is run, and I don't have a problem with that. Just don't be right where they're at. If you can run around to the outside of them to get control of the situation, that's great. What I like to do, is like I said, hold the line, and as they come cut through, one way or the other. You can do Tekatana tenkan, or you do what I call and just cut the arm like I was saying earlier. Don't stand right where you're at. If you're going to do this, cut through and move, here. Now, the second problem with that, is that if they cut past you and move that far past. Again, here they come, boom. Well now I have to do Dai Ashi all over again. I don't want to have to do that, I want to stay connected with them. Here they come, they attack, boom, stay connected. Then, you're into your Randoris. OK. If you try to stay on the line, and deal with one attacker when they come at you full speed, you're going to see what it feels like to get slammed to the ground. You can't punch, you can't kick, and I've had people say, I would stand there and I would do this, or that, or the other thing. I'll tell you what. I'll give you a baseball bat, and if you get three attackers in protective gear on, and they rush you, you may take one person out, but the other two people will be on you. If you're a puncher, if you're a kicker, if you're a ground fighter. If you go to the ground with three people attacking you, you're going to be in a lot of trouble. Again, Randori isn't the ultimate of Aikido. It's just another exercise to teach you more about becoming a better human being. It's not easy, it's a difficult thing, and it's a very, very painful thing. And you can't do full speed Randori, or full speed Dai Ashi very often. We practice it maybe, once, maybe twice a month. But more like once a month when we do that. It's just too many risks for injuries and that type of thing. And all the things that you practice full speed, you should be practicing in slow speed first."