aikido a grappling art?

[White Warlock]

Yep, glad i found it just now. Some other good sites out there btw.

[Goju_boi]

yep

[Daedalus]

So you should avoid getting grabbed and control the attacker before it's 'too late'

But the reality is you may get grabbed and thrown down to the ground by a larger person before you ever know a fight is on...especially if were talking about attacks and self defense situations.

Yes you should avoid getting grabbed but if it does arise a good Aikidoka should be able to handle themselves.

So there are gaurd sweeps, mount/backmout, etc escpapes and reversals in Aikido?

No TJS there are no guard sweeps. As far as I know traditional Aikido schools do not even utilize the guard position AT ALL.

[Enviroman]

My school showed us how to sprawl and avoid takedowns...and we even looked at utilizing some of the joint locks on the ground. It wasn't too detailed but we did spend time on it.

[Daedalus]

My school showed us how to sprawl and avoid takedowns...and we even looked at utilizing some of the joint locks on the ground. It wasn't too detailed but we did spend time on it.

Which means when the time comes you won't be able to perform it on someone else in a real fight. When people say they've spent "some" time on groundfighting means they pretty much went through the motions. Even though I was shown how to do an armbar from the guard the first day I started training in Brazillian Jiu Jitsu, do you think for a second after even drilling it the whole day I could have caught someone in it the next day in class? NO WAY!!! It took weeks of BJJ training to be able to use that armbar correctly on someone who was fighting back.

Yeah my school "teaches us how to sprawl and avoid taledowns" but that doesn't mean no one ever takes me down during sparring.

[Goju_boi]

in karate we also learned a little thing or two on what to do if you are on the ground,which i think might help.Also I don't think the chances of me getting into street fight with a grappler will be too common.So I'm ok with what I learned

[Enviroman]

My school showed us how to sprawl and avoid takedowns...and we even looked at utilizing some of the joint locks on the ground. It wasn't too detailed but we did spend time on it.

Which means when the time comes you won't be able to perform it on someone else in a real fight. When people say they've spent "some" time on groundfighting means they pretty much went through the motions. Even though I was shown how to do an armbar from the guard the first day I started training in Brazillian Jiu Jitsu, do you think for a second after even drilling it the whole day I could have caught someone in it the next day in class? NO WAY!!! It took weeks of BJJ training to be able to use that armbar correctly on someone who was fighting back.

Yeah my school "teaches us how to sprawl and avoid taledowns" but that doesn't mean no one ever takes me down during sparring.

You need to clarify what you mean by a "real fight." I presume, as you seem to have quite a caustic demeanor and you practice BJJ, that you are referring to a MMA fight or something similar. Obviously, Aikido isn't a ground fighting art, so turning it into one would sort of deviate from its purpose. But that doesn't mean that practicing various defenses against those sort of attacks is in vain. But I'm sure that you'll reply with something along the lines of "when you're hit with a takedown you're dead!!!" *shrug* We already know that BJJ is the bestest, most ultimate fighting art that ever graced (no pun intended) God's green earth.

[White Warlock]

Alright...

Aikido has powerful strengths, as does bjj. Skilled practitioners play to their strengths, not their weaknesses. I applied aikido principles almost exclusively when i worked in a mental health center for a little under 4 years. Why? Because it worked and because it applied to the circumstances. We were not allowed to 'hurt' the patients (or land on top of them... any finishing holds had to be from the side or from the bottom) even though they had 'the law' giving them full protection from prosecution for battery or murder. Insanity plea, certified by the facility's own doctors.

So, what i'm saying is, aikido does work, and quite well, under the appropriate circumstances. As does bjj. The major determinates are: rules of engagement, conditioning/training of practitioner, conditioning/training of adversary(ies), setting, dependencies, cross-training (for exposure).

I agree with Environman that one doesn't necessarily have to 'master' a technique in order to learn how to properly defend against it, or recognize it early on, and thus counter it. However, i agree with Daedulus that any defiency in knowledge can be exploited.

[Enviroman]

I agree with Environman that one doesn't necessarily have to 'master' a technique in order to learn how to properly defend against it, or recognize it early on, and thus counter it. However, i agree with Daedulus that any defiency in knowledge can be exploited.

Absolutely. I agree with Daedulus in part, but I feel he has the "BJJ is the best and only real MA" attitude. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Goju_boi]

I feel he has that attitude as well