We live in a dynamic world. Sometimes changes happen for the better, but often for the worse. When then President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, declared World War One to be “The war to end all wars,” he was unaware that future history would call that great conflict the first world war. Little could he realize that Hitler would emerge as fascist dictator not much later, and that national socialist Germany would initiate an even more brutal offensive.
Martial arts popularity is also ever-changing and unpredictable to a large degree. If an incredible movie about one of the tried and true budo were to be made, many youngsters and adults alike would seek training in dojo of this art. This happened to an extent with the excellent movie, “Karate Kid.”
Although some consider Steven Segal Sensei to be a glory hound and full of ego, we cannot know this unless we hypothetically were to spend sufficient time in the presence of the man himself, not judging him by his cinematic hard-ass characters. Even though he opens “Above the Law,” one of his first movies, with images of O’Sensei, the word Aikido is not spoken in his films. Many who have realized that Segal’s art is Aikido have been intrigued, and have consequently joined dojos and discovered the wealth of this art’s teachings.
At this time, the Ultimate Fighting Championship and its minor leagues have become increasingly popular, the “look of today” as Enigma mastermind Michael Cretu sings on his album, Voyageur. There are indeed elements of discipline and a type of spirit in the Mixed Martial Arts in which most UFC fighters train. However, its goal is to pound opponents into total submission. Granted the best fighters get paid well, and usually demonstrate sportsmanship, but these fights utilize animal instincts, the pursuit of destruction and the ego trip of wearing a shiny belt.
In these times, we must assess what really matters. Staying away from dark alleys at night or other high-risk environments, many people live their entire lives without need for destroying an attacker. Aikido’s self-defense aspect blends with learning how to stay away from fights in the first place: to maintain harmony in adverse situations before they even become intense psychological or physical conflicts. Although it might take more time and less muscle, learning Aikido is vastly superior to straight fighting ways because it can be used all day, every day. If that zero or once in a lifetime unprovoked physical attack occurs, Aikido prepares its students sufficiently. More importantly, Aikido eases the fear-mind, while MMA training usually intensifies it. The martial arts and disciplines of old, or anciently-rooted, relatively recent ones such as Aikido, have abilities to better people for more enjoyable lives, while mixed martial arts may result in just the opposite.
Thank you for saying it so well. I concur entirely. Prevention is better than going looking for trouble. There is nothing “martial” about two single fighters wrestling hard. Martial is preparation for war. Wrestlers could not contribute meaningfully to war and would die quickly. War is multifaceted and multiskilled, more than just getting dressed in lycra and rolling about albeit painfully and dangerously in an otherwise safe and controlled environment.. Wrestling is a good skill to learn and a very limited tool everywhere else. War is not the end but a means. Superior “war” prevents war. That’s true skill. Lesser skill indulges in war. Whether wrestling or false flag agendas, expensive lose-lose consequences follow the choice to engage war which ultimately is a futile pursuit. Therefore the best war is the war that prevents war. The war over one’s own dark side. Aikido is such a Way of self clarification. When there are no participants there can be no war. Clear thinking people prevent war because they engage the alternatives to get better results. A reasonably enlightened humanity, knowing the real consequences would shun aggression. Aikido works towards such enlightenment.
By the way, I love the inspiring, succinct, well articulated blogs that have been appearing of late and they inspire me to try to achieve the skill to make my point briefly. But alas, I fear I’m still a beginner in writing as well.
Hi Nev, I appreciate your detailed remarks. I think many people who have never trained in Aikido would agree with the essay and your comments. Keeping such a “clear-thinking” mentality after reading such words necessitates a catalyst. The most capable catalyst I have experienced is Aikido, and increasing time spent training directly correlates with off-the-mat time spent with a clear mind. I have found it helpful to check myself when the dark side emerges, but even the war within in and of itself taking place tells me there is certainly room for refinement.
Drew, I think you’ve touched in a nutshell on the cornerstone of what O’Sensei was trying to get across; and which often seems at risk of becoming lost in all the kafuffle that sometimes accompanies the idea of aikido, as opposed to the practice of Aikido as Way of Life.
This entry, IMO, is everything that is wrong with Aikido today.
Do not worry! It is all part of an evolutionary process which will also come to pass. Remember, Kung Fu, Bruce Lee, Ninjas, Full Contact Karate, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Etcetera, Etcetera….Eventually people will come back to their origins.
Hello Drew. Thank you for your clear analysis of the differences between the goals of mma-training and (for instance) Aikido-training. I agree with you.
Unfortunatley, I have only been practising Aikido for a few years now and only occasionly under direct students of Osensei, so my statement does not have a lot of weight.
A career as an mma-fighter can never be the goal of a true Aikidoka. However, if you study Osensei’s biography there are various events mentioned when he, at a demonstration, sensed a spectator to be skeptical. As a result, he invited him to attack and instantly pinned him to the ground.
At another occasion Osensei was challenged by a Kendo champion and of course defeated him.
So as you can see, he was not refusing fights in order to demonstrate the power of Aikido. What I am really getting at is, if Osensei would be inventing Aikido nowadays, wouldn’t he possibly use the UFC to demonstrate once and for all the effectivness of Aikido in way no one can ever doubt?
Look at the reputation of Aikido today, pick any Aikido-clip on youtube and read the comments. There are always these UFC guys claiming Aikido is only about dancing. I know they are wrong, but they don’t. Wasn’t it Osensei’s goal to spread Aikido as true Budo? Imagine the benefit if only one Aikidoka would be succesful in mma-fighting. How many more young and dynamic practitioners would there be!
So why not apply Aikido in cage-fights?
Sven, Stand-up striking mixed with ground-fighting is better suited for a sport like the UFC. I don’t know much about the competition of Tomiki Aikido, but you bring up a valid point nonetheless. I think it would be fascinating to see someone skilled primarily in Aiki-waza, while of course not any mainstream Aikido, step into the octagon and duel with an MMA fighter. I suppose anything’s possible. I would enjoy that more if I were more into watching the UFC to begin with.
Drew
People confuse reality fighting with what may happen in a fight or with what they may do in a fight. Im going to make a comment but please dont bash me for this but it’s just my opinion coming from a MMA background and being an ex pro mma fighter.
Many traditional martial artist talk about what they would do or what they think might happen in a fight. I think this is unrealistic to think that way because knowone ever know how theyre body or mind will react in a fight. The reality based fighters (mma) know what works because they have been in the fights and know what works and what doesnt. Long story short is dont compare reality to fiction.