I want to take this class

[username8517]

This is called Tai Sabaki, or something of the like, in Karate circles, right?

Correct.

That's the whole design of the class and that test though. You don't advance unless you can handle a gang in a street fight.

That just sounds wrong.

Basically what your saying is that none of the students ever promote unless they go to Joe's Bar on a Friday night, get into an actual fight with a real gang, and end up winning. A little far fetched if you ask me.

And what determines the various ranks then--the number of people in the gang?

[bushido_man96]

This is called Tai Sabaki, or something of the like, in Karate circles, right?

My command of the Japanese language is pretty much nil, so I can't say. We use English for the most part in class. We call it body shifting, or "Change of Body"...we use it a lot, and stress it as highly important.

Thanks, that sounds abouut right, from what I have read and picked up here and there. I am not very high on the foreign language usage either, so I ask often, just to clarify. "Body Shifting" works for me!

[bushido_man96]

IMHO. It looks like hollywood film with pre arranged moves. It is dangerous , because some of his students could think they can handle gang in a Street fight...

That's the whole design of the class and that test though. You don't advance unless you can handle a gang in a street fight.

It is kind of strange, because I don't think the gang in the testing was really acting like a gang would in a bar, or on the street. It is good to get some kind of a pressure test like that, though. However, if I was getting attacked by a gang like that, I would be throwing some punches along with trying whatever else the teacher wanted me to.

This is called Tai Sabaki, or something of the like, in Karate circles, right?

Correct.

Thanks, bearich. I thought I remembered that somewhere before.

[ps1]

To better clarify my first post:

Aikido has alot to offer. Excellent command of your body, body shifting (tai sabaki), footwork, distancing, and it has a calm and scerene philosophy.

However, I feel it's weakness is in the total compliance of the opponents. There are a few times where the tori completely misses the uki and the guy goes down anyway. That just doesn't make sense to me.

[bushido_man96]

Our college here actually has an Aikido club now, with around 22 students active in it right now, according to one member. I asked about his class set-up: 30 minutes of breathing, followed by 30 minutes of stretching, then 1 hour of working technique. At the early stages they work on falling a lot, then into technique.

It sounds ok, but I am not into the 30 minutes of breathing. I'd take 30 more minutes of application any day.

[gamedweeb]

My two cents on it:

Some of the Aikido I've seen, I can't help but think "wait a minute..." It looks fake at some points.

Interestingly enough I've started reading "In Search of the Warrior Spirit" by: Richard Strozzi-Heckler. I'm not very far into it yet, but the way he describes what happens during an Aikido defense. It's very though provoking, he describes it as embracing almost loving the attack. Reading about his critiques of the Green Berets he's teaching this stuff to is very interesting. He talks about blending with the attack, and not countering force with force.

In my short time in the Martial Arts, I've found very similar principles. A simple parry or a slap block for example. You can blend with what is incoming and guide it to where you want it to go with almost zero energy.

It does look as if the students are being a bit compliant, but then again one of the interesting things about Aikido techniques is that the opponent actually ends up throwing themselves because of their intention to not let their attack be countered. I imagine it to be something like practicing throws. If you are the one being thrown, you can resist and you'll probably end up being hurt in the process or you can relax and flow with the technique.

As far as the "gang" demonstration goes, there's a drill we do in the studio where I train. A group of people (usually two or three), try to surround a defender. The object is for the defender keep one attacker in front of the other. Thus only having to deal with one at a time. What they were doing looked very similar to me.

All in all I'd have to try it before I bought into it 100% But with what I've read, seen, and know from personal experience I'm more inclined to believe it than not believe it.

[dete]

don't get me wrong, I like his movies even the straight to video ones,

even his energy drink Lightning Bolt

and I PRAISE him for his positive messages on being friendly with other cultures & ethnic diversity.

but you gotta see, that he is a tyrant. thats no way to teach.

gotta watch out for culty behavior.

[Throwdown0850]

okay...... it is very much not fake. I do agree that Aikido is a very soft art and there is not strikes but, thats why its called Aikido in the first place.. it take years to make it effective, probable because you have to have like a 0.1300 reaction time to counter real punches in the street. but like karate, TKD and all the others, a punch is a punch and a kick is a kick. thats why it is easier to use in a fight.

[NightOwl]

don't get me wrong, I like his movies even the straight to video ones,

even his energy drink Lightning Bolt

and I PRAISE him for his positive messages on being friendly with other cultures & ethnic diversity.

but you gotta see, that he is a tyrant. thats no way to teach.

gotta watch out for culty behavior.

You forgot to mention that he is an incarnation of Buddha (according to him)