| Aikido: The Way of Peace and Harmony
By Edgar S. Rubio, Philippines
In my own experience, it is fun to be in martial arts, especially Aikido. While the idea of studying martial arts involves almost all of these purposes: Self-defense, fitness and for gaining self-confidence, others go in only for single purpose-to learn self-defense.
It is true that this is the primary aim of martial arts gym or dojo. They offer training programs on defense tactics; they attract potential students with their "extra-ordinary style" of martial arts. They can claim that their techniques are best and are proven.
In a way this can be factual, but once a student has entered in martial arts, if he has put his heart on it, and he devotes some of his time on it, he can find that there is more in there than just learning some physical tactics. Once he has found the roots of what he is doing, he continuously explores the real meaning of what he really is doing. That is the heart of martial arts. The "do" in martial arts is the way of life.
An individual who wishes to enroll in a martial art must intellectually select the right stuff for him. There are many kinds of art, almost hundreds, and each of them offering different style for different people. Depending on the purpose, we can always find the right art for our own personality.
If we need only self-defense, we can always resort to some gadgets, and we don’t need a gym for this. We can invest for a good tear gas or pepper sprays. We can always use it against attackers and it is always legal. No need for sweating in gyms or dojos. But through this manner, we cannot get the confidence that always reside in our mind when we get out of our house, especially if we happen to forget to bring along with us those gadgets.
If we plan to get in into martial arts for the purpose of getting "tough", then we can always find some tough-training arts which are lethal and destructive. In striking arts, I suggest the art of Muay Thai. The techniques are real. The strikes and blows are devastating.
The lesson plan is simple and direct. You will not waste your time in studying and perfecting kata which you will find will not be useful at the end of your training. Once you start training, you will find yourself hitting pads and heavy bags. It is that direct. But the question is: what should be the right age if one wishes to study this art? My answer is maybe if you are still young and agile enough. You can start to be involved in this art as long as you still have the youthful vigor to reach the heavy demands of this.
In other words, if you are just planning to learn this art and you are not anymore in your top shape, or you are already old enough to stretch your limbs, then better not start dealing with this stuff. We might get knocked-out in a full-contact sparring sessions which is a usual routine in this practice.
Through these days with the recognition of no-holds-barred events just like the UFC, we can sometime think, as we can see in these tournaments the dominance of grappling art over striking, that it is rewarding to study grappling art or ground fighting techniques.
In my own experience, I went curious to these grappling arts, and as a long-time fan of the legendary Royce Gracie, I found myself rolling in the mat of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. I studied the art for a couple of months. It was great. I enjoyed the practice in the first place. But it was only for that good. I realized that I am not planning to build a career in a no-holds-barred contest. So I eventually stopped practicing the art. As my curiosity with the art was realized, my interest faded. I also realized that I cannot always grapple or fight to the ground with an attacker(s).
I presumed I cannot work on by back on the ground while I was wearing my white office uniform. That could be a mess! I am also afraid I could meet an attacker who could pinch and smash my eyeball while I am holding him to the pavement. My precious balls can be bitten if I’ll work on the triangle choke against a crazy street brawler! Although the grappling techniques are effective, I think they can only work in the ring or octagon. In the streets, I don’t know how.
Those were some few reasons why I stick to Aikido, my first art. I can gracefully say that I can do Aiki for the rest of my life. It is about harmony and peace, not power and aggression. We can always subdue an opponent without really fighting. We can always solve a problem without any troubles. We can always win a fight before a fight comes. That is the essence of Aikido.
GLOSSARY:
Aikido is non-violent form of martial art and a discipline of mind and body awareness and integration. Aikido defense consist mostly of joint locks and throws and are based on going with the force of the attack to control aggression. It uses flow and inner energy, not effort and muscular hardness.
Many people are already familiar with Aikido, as a non-violent Japanese martial art that allows self-defense without serious injury to the attacker. Not many however, know that the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, intended for Aikido to be primarily a means of personal transformation and by means create peace and harmony among people.
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