Realistic attacks in training

Posted by: wristtwister

Realistic attacks in training - 03/07/06 11:32 PM

While I've done martial arts for over 40 years, I've spent the last 20 in a lot of Aikido training. My partner, who trained with Soganuma Sensei, helped me a lot with something that one of his senseis had used in Japan... it was the phrase "hit me... if you can".

Being well ingrained with jujitsu training, I was accustomed to having good attacks to work with for those techniques, but it took a few times for it to sink in that the dynamics of Aikido depend on the attack as much as the defense. As we trained using bokkens, the strength of the attack began to show me exceptional openings in which to use my technique, and it was quite an easy transition to go from sword technique to empty hand aikido.

As the years have passed, I've seen a lot of aikidoka founder in their training because their partners really "gave them nothing to work with" by "deadpan attacks". Aikido is all about energy and movement, so if you want to be good at it, adopt the "hit me... if you can" attitude. It will do wonders for your techniques.

Posted by: eyrie

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 03/08/06 07:47 AM

Good point. But do you ever get strange looks from students when you say that? Or comments like "I don't want to hit you" - perhaps for fear that you might hit them back or for not wanting to hurt you.

How do you approach that perspective?
Posted by: Chanters

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 03/08/06 07:57 AM

Being female, I get that alot with male beginners. they do an airy strike which either stops short of me or brushes past me. I ask them to try and hit my properly but they say, that they don't want to hurt me. My response to that is if you hurt me, it's my own fault for not moving out of the way!

It's frustrating when people don't commit to their attacks and this often results in the technique not working. But hey, they're only beginners, and the more advanced students really so try and smack you!
Posted by: wristtwister

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 03/08/06 11:06 AM

It's kind of like having to run somebody down and then beat them up.

The last thing you need is to have an uke simply wave an attack at you... which makes me usually stand still until they're finished and then attack them (under control, of course). "If you don't attack me, I'll attack you"... is the followup statement. A few of those, and you'll start getting the job done.

Posted by: csinca

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 03/08/06 11:25 AM

Great topic.

I've been known to tell uke to pretend they were taking a martial art and to hit me. Sometimes they'd say "but this is a martial art" and I'd say "Good, then hit me".

But usually I would refuse to move until uke gave me a good attack. I'd just stand there and let them miss me or pull lup short or whatever they were doing. In most cases the next attack would be on target but soft and I'd have uke hit me over and over, harder each time until they started really trying to hit me.

Of course the curve seems to be different with guys in their early 20s. They'd usually come in very committed by the third attack!

I've also been know to tell uke that they might as well hit me because when I'm uke I'll be hitting them.

An extension of this topic is what do you do when uke is trying to hit you with full intention and there is still nothing to the attack? Most people don't know how to strike with power and balance and when they try, your technique can be way off and it will still work.

For a while I taught the first half of a class every week on basic striking. What kind of striking/atemi practice do you guys incorporate?

Chris
Posted by: MattJ

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 03/08/06 11:29 AM

Quote:

I've been known to tell uke to pretend they were taking a martial art and to hit me. Sometimes they'd say "but this is a martial art" and I'd say "Good, then hit me".




Classic!
Posted by: wristtwister

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 03/08/06 06:10 PM

Quote:

But usually I would refuse to move until uke gave me a good attack.




I usually tell them, "Let me know when you're ready..." or "my head's over here, not out there" when they "whiff" one of those two feet in front of me.

One of the main reasons to do bokken training is to learn the proper distancing between you and your opponents, and it's translated into "empty hand practice". If you "whiff" with the bokken, you might get cracked on the head or wrist by your partner, so it makes you pay attention.

One of the funny things I do in class is tell everyone that "I only have one instruction... twist the wrist" (hence, my moniker), but you'd be surprised how hard that instruction is to follow. The students will bend, push, pull, press, and do everything except twist when doing techniques, so telling them to hit me isn't much different from that.

At one time, I had a class called "listening". It was designed to teach students to learn to listen to the instructions they were given, rather than just doing whatever popped into their heads. The brunt of it was that every time somebody did something other than what I said, they got thrown by the entire class. Believe it or not, it didn't take long for them to start listening. If not, by the time they figured it out, they had good ukemi from being slammed on the floor repeatedly. Either way, they came out winners.

Posted by: csinca

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 03/08/06 07:08 PM

Somehow the meaning of the word "down" seems to change once people step onto the mat

A few years ago I was at the chiropractor for a little shoulder problem I was having and she had my arm extended straight up over my head. She held my arm and told me to push down. What she really meant was push forward and she was a bit surprised when I dropped my hand straight down - just like she told me to.

Chris
Posted by: ButterflyPalm

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 03/08/06 09:34 PM

It would be uesful for non-Aikido people, like me, to have an idea what "attack" means in Aikido training?
Posted by: wristtwister

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 03/08/06 11:47 PM

Usually strikes are made to the top of the head (shomen) or side of the head (yokomen) and to the wrist (kote) the same as in swordfighting. Thrusting techniques (such as punches or sword thrusts) are also practiced.

Techniques are practiced against lapel and wrist grips, punches, kicks, and techniques are done both standing and kneeling or with the attacker standing and respondent kneeling.

We practice with and against weapons, bokken and jo, and have a special technique designed to disarm someone with a knife (gokyo). We also practice doing the throws and pins with the weapons.

The rest is magic...

Posted by: xuzen_628

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 03/09/06 12:42 AM

Quote:

It would be uesful for non-Aikido people, like me, to have an idea what "attack" means in Aikido training?




Shomen uchi street application example = ice pick grip knife stab

Yokomen uchi street application example = baseball bat or motorcycle crash helmet swing to your head

Gyaku yokomen uchi street application example = similar swing but from the reverse direction

Mune/ shomen tsuki street application example = knife thrust to the stomach or face

And the typical wrist grabs mainly as a form to stop opponent from drawing their weapon.

Hope this helps.

Xwf
Posted by: dud

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 05/11/06 04:37 PM

Quote:

Quote:

It would be uesful for non-Aikido people, like me, to have an idea what "attack" means in Aikido training?




Shomen uchi street application example = ice pick grip knife stab

Yokomen uchi street application example = baseball bat or motorcycle crash helmet swing to your head

Gyaku yokomen uchi street application example = similar swing but from the reverse direction

Mune/ shomen tsuki street application example = knife thrust to the stomach or face

And the typical wrist grabs mainly as a form to stop opponent from drawing their weapon.

Hope this helps.

Xwf




I find this thread very good!

But look that Sensei wrist spent 20 previous years making Martial Arts before starting Aikido. I wonder why the Aikidoist with a reality based mindset like him almost always have a background in other arts. Pure Aikidoists FROM TODAY live mostly under a shell of ilusion.

About the angles of attacs, I donīt think these attacks that xwf explain and we usually practice, represent EVERYTHING that they can throw us on the street. What about feignting and changing angles or trajectories in the space I think about a good knife fighter with a complicated slashing pattern of Kali. Or a good boxer, for example, who will feign and move a lot, and will land the artillary only at the right time.

Can this be avoided by a Mushotoku? Sure. A 'inamovable spirit' Aikidoist will react in right time and he will aply the right technique to the boxer or the Kali knife fighter on right time. But do we train against this kind of uncompromised attacks on our Dojos?

Question opened.
Regards
Dud
Posted by: wristtwister

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 05/11/06 07:03 PM

Dud,
I don't just train with anybody. I had wanted to study aikido for most of the 20 years when I first started MA, but I finally met my "training partner" who was trained by one of Ueshiba Sensei's ukes.

I say that because it's hard to train against fighting techniques if the people you're using for ukes don't know how to fight. Both he and I use a "hit me if you can" training statement to our students, and I expect them to be trying to hit me when they attack. Most of the "newer" aikido schools I've seen, the attacks look like waving at your friends rather than fighting, and they pay little attention to the angles of attack and defense until they're already black belt level and having to go re-learn what they know to keep from getting killed in randori.

My friend and tutor in Aikido was Toyoda Sensei, who was uchi deshi with Tohei Sensei. He and I practiced "the old style" of aikido, that was rift with jujutsu technique and not so much "blending". I give him much of the credit for my "spiraling energy" techniques on which my jujutsu system if based.

Who you study with has a lot to do with what kind of technique you have. I've always sought out people who were traditional, close to the source, and with excellent skills. If you're looking for a road map to excellent training, that's it...

It doesn't take long to weed out the sheisters when you do things that way either. BS may sell to the public, but if you're well grounded in your technique, you can wipe the BSers off the mats pretty quickly. Realism makes better martial arts, even with the occasional injuries.

Posted by: SpeedyGonzales

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 05/11/06 07:37 PM

I could never, ever catch my sensei; the man is 60 years old and I could never in any way keep up with him, so I have no problem using my full out fastest punches on him.

On the other hand, I actually hit a few of the members higher ranking than me, and I have some boxing background. Before and after class we do some drills together and the senior members I usually train with are really tough so neither of us minds if either of us gets hit, but when it comes to during class, I don't feel it would be approriate to have a student be able to hit a higher ranking member or to (sorry to say this) hit a female.

What I usually do it "tense up" the attack, and you know that if the punch doesn't start loose it slows it down tremendously. That way I don't unreasonably hit the slower students but at the same time I can still give them power to work with.
Posted by: Ronin1966

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 05/11/06 07:46 PM

Hello Wristwister:

<<"hit me... if you can".

We can start carefully and increase our "committment" level. All of us need caution, care starting out at "full tilt". Too hard and all you get back is the primitive response rather than the correct technique & execution. Because we want to learn and ingrain techniques we must start slowly and progress accordingly. Done otherwise and things risk becoming dangerous too fast...

Merely my opinion, I could surely be mistaken,
Jeff
Posted by: wristtwister

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 05/11/06 08:41 PM

Ronin,
not everybody has the skills to train that way, but you don't get better by going until it's easy. Nobody's skills pick up by training at the level they are... everything has to be extended so it's a challenge.

When I first started training this way, it was like Dagwood Bumstead trying to catch the bus, but as I learned to move correctly, and understand the "line of attack", things became easier and the attacks "slowed down"... not because the attacks slowed down, but because my response improved.

If all you ever block is a "slow punch", that's all you'll ever be able to block. Martial arts are all about intent...

Posted by: dud

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 05/12/06 10:14 AM

Quote:

If all you ever block is a "slow punch", that's all you'll ever be able to block. Martial arts are all about intent...




First, I congratulate Sensei Wrist for the wonderful oportunity that he so eagerly seeked and finally got, to train with this wonderful Master. Though I want to remark that few persons Today have had this so marvellous chance, so Aikidoists from our generation are swimming in the pool of a very contaminated water, mainly due to the absence of good Masters like the Sensei of Mr. Wrist.

Second, I think that this sentence that he states and I quoted is the answer to all our crisis in Aikido Dojos Today. I second the opinion tat Aikido can be dangerous if practiced in full speed and strenght on a Dojo. But too Karate, and Muay Thai and other martial arts are! If persons want to practice a martial art and come to n Aikido Dojo, they are taking a risk, ay? They want to learn Self Defense and to learn this one must take risks (falls, hits, etc.). So, why should we let the high speed and adrenal training only for high levels, instead of teaching new Aikidoist to DEFEND themselves with Aikido? I am not talking of killing eachother in a Dojo, but to start a rough CONTROLLED practice SINCE the begining.

It is incredible how many persons, even in Aikido lines, doubt of the effectiveness of Aikido as Self Defense method. Sure they must, if they train for 'Dancing a martial - like choreography'. But this is a problem with teachingīs methodology NOT with the art itself!

If other arts debase Aikido so much as Self defense method is our own flaw. Yes, we take refuge in the Philosophy of the art, to avoid the demands of a COMPLETE training. Philosophy? Yes, AIkido has a non fighting Philosphy that can cure this world. But is a GOOD Self Defense method too. Is a very complete art. And the merit lies in that Aikido can add to itīs noble philosophy, so great as Gandhiīs, the effectiveness of real Budo. Not every other system can make such a claim of wholeness. But is more easy to transform a Dojo in a soft Ballet for any kind of persons who donīt want to train hard, in bad physical shape, without pain resistance, etc., give them some dancing classes and a lot of pacifist teaching, and after inspiring them a false confidence for the street, we give them a belt. This we call it Aikido. BS! Teach them SINCE THE BEGINING the full speed attack, the full force defense (always controlling the environment, I repeat).. apply all this to modern street atacks, make this art ALIVE and save their lives on the street!!!!!

With such a training Aikidoist wonīt need to go anywhere looking for Self Defense effectivenes. Within Aikido we have all the potential to develop this confidence based on facts. Is just a matter of deciding ourselves to strive for it. A good Aikidoist can beat the hell out of anyone, turning his own energy against himself, without becoming a violent person. This is the magic and secret of Aikido. A watered Aikido that donīt teach to face violence effectively, is wasting in vane this treasure that is our art.

I think that bad training is a cancer, because it can inspire a false confidence on a person that will lead her to destruction! And false confidence is always bad, but when dealing with life / death matters, like a Self Defense situation, false confidence is a MORTAL SIN for me.

Friend for all
Dud
Posted by: SpeedyGonzales

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 05/12/06 08:54 PM

Quote:

If all you ever block is a "slow punch", that's all you'll ever be able to block. Martial arts are all about intent...




I don't know who "Sensei Wrist" is, but with all due respect I believe this is a hlaf-truth.

In boxing we all know has some of the fastest punches and a wide variety of punches. But when we do mit work and learn new combos, expecially the first time the student learns to bob wweave, slip and counter, we emphasize starting slow. The first order is learning a technique, then after that we progress speed until it becomes instinct and natural. Without starting slow proper technique can't be learned, and thus the student will never be able to properly react to anything.

As aikido techniques are generally more complex than boxing techniques, it's understandable that the students spend more time on the slow/learning stage before going full out. There has to be a progression.

As Takuan Soho said, it is like two wheels on a barrel. Without one wheel, you will basically just be going in circles and not progress. One must both practice will full out fast, hard, and genuine punches AND learn the technique, and learning the technique takes a slower and more understanding, non-resistant and "easier" uke before it can deal with "hard" uke.

Of course once a technique is sufficiently learned randori should be done rigorously thousands of times to reeach teh stage of what daito ryu calls "aiki no jutsu" But even Daito Ryu has two stages before that - jujutsu and aikijujutsu. Progress takes time.
Posted by: wristtwister

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 05/12/06 10:19 PM

Quote:

As aikido techniques are generally more complex than boxing techniques, it's understandable that the students spend more time on the slow/learning stage before going full out. There has to be a progression.





Hopefully, nobody thinks that we don't slow down enough to show students how to do the technique and teach them successfully, but we expect and train with a full speed attack and response. I disagree that aikido techniques are either slower or more complex than boxing, they're just different. I will agree, however, that the study is more complex in many ways. Where boxing is "force delivery" and movement as the sum of its technique, aikido uses force delivery as a part of its technique, and blending movements to execute them... but of course, that's probably another half-truth...

Posted by: Isatheprophet2000

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 11/06/06 09:48 AM

Hi

You cannot blame the beginner for that, but funny enough beginners in karate are told not to go too fast in hitting, because they have no control, they end you belting people.

I had been training on bags only for a long time,. when I went to the dojo I lost the ablity to pull. I was not hitting remotely full power more like 5% but it was still hurting people.

I did it to my son who is only seven I caught him on the chest, luckly it was just a glance but I could of hurt him bad.

My problem in aikido is using to much strength instead of techinques, that of course its a beginners nature, and one cannot be blamed for that.

best wishes
Posted by: Isatheprophet2000

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 11/06/06 09:54 AM

Dud


No absolutely no, you cannot expect beginners to take it rough from the word, go, absolutely not. Its not only immoral to beat people up but its not fair to use your techniques on a person who has just walked in.

For I am being doing it now for 3 months and I tell you this some people are getting a bit rough. I think to my self is this done on purpose and do they need a dig, tension start to rise.

I hate it when the beat them up crowd says its not real if you cannot get in full power. It shows a lack of understanding of control and they are in need of a massive ego boost if they want prove themselves and hurt people. Any thug can hit and hurt people.

For me I am gettin to the stage where if I can get hit in the dojo they get it back. simple as that.

or I find another club.

I am not there to be beaten up, I am there to learn an art or martial art at my own pace and no one elses.

best wishes
Posted by: djemboy2

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 11/09/06 02:14 PM

just an idea, why not have uke wear gloves, then a proper punch can be thrown without damage(or at least not to much damage)
Posted by: wristtwister

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 11/23/06 10:15 AM

Quote:

You cannot blame the beginner for that, but funny enough beginners in karate are told not to go too fast in hitting, because they have no control, they end you belting people.





As someone who started out in karate years ago, before the pads and "wussy" techniques, I disagree wholeheartedly... Our instructor taught us how to control our punches and body movements, and the beginners were expected to control their movements just like the upper belts... it's a matter of having "lower expectations" from the students, rather than "less ability".

We punched at a concrete block wall until we figured out how long our arms were, and then had to "move into the wall" at varying speeds and distances to learn how to punch and control our punches. After you punched it a couple of times, you remembered how long your arms are, and started "controlling the punches" with much more skill than the dojo monkeys of today that think "control" is an instruction rather than a learned skill.

More dojos today are trained "monkey see... monkey do" than back in the "old days", when people actually got hit during training in "deadly skills"... but of course, we didn't kiai 32 times during every kata either...

It was a totally different framework of training...

Posted by: iaibear

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 11/23/06 10:47 AM

<< More dojos today are trained "monkey see... monkey do" >>

Good one. I've come to think of it as "aha!", "follow the leader" or "reinventing the wheel". :-P
Posted by: belvedere

Re: Realistic attacks in training - 11/29/06 11:06 PM

It's true. Since Aikido is not about "the attack", most aikidoka (except for the upper sempai) never really learn how to deliver a "life-like" attack in spirit and force. But I submit,k if you're looking to defend against "life-like" attacks, you shouldn't be practicing Aikido. That's not to say that you can't train like that in Aikido, but that's a level of paractice far above even brown belt, in my humble opinion.