Way of the Warrior - Aikido & Kendo, The Sporting Way [1/4]

[pknox005]

Thanks for posting this. Linked it to my page.

[FeebLeofSpeech]

LOL Now you want to talk about books?! And one he didnt have anything to do with?? Deluded indeed.

[acquiesce100]

Why doesn't BBC make this available on DVD?????

[spikegreen100]

武道とスポーツは違うと思います。 I think budo is not sports, sports is not budo...

Their attitude are totally different...

海外の方で理解があるようでうれしいです。 Some oversea people well understand of the difference for the budo and sports, that nice! (Sorry for my English skill is not good)

[lumbriquinhaSS]

Sport?

[andwhatfire]

sport or not, i can appreciate this actual sparring more than the theatrical demonstrations

[MrDaviddipan]

Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport Kendo is not a sport

[StormbringerStudios]

@MrDaviddipan Technically, some styles of Kendo (like the style Tomiki Aikdio) are sports. While the term "sport" can mean many things, I'm going to say, if it's focus us competition, then it is a sport.

[Davedipan]

@StormbringerStudios Kendo do not focus in a competition, the part of Kendo focus in a competition is called Kendo Shiai, but it's only a small part of Kendo. Kendo is NOT a sport.

[StormbringerStudios]

@Davedipan Oh, okay. Thanks for clarifying. I have no experience in Kendo, so it's nice to hear from someone who (probably) does.

[Doc0A]

@Akab6 There is a story that Avalokiteshvara took at look on the world and saw that suffering did not yet end so he doubted his oath for a moment and fell into pieces, Buddha Amithaba saw that and decided to make him a thousand armed and thousand eyed.

[AsturiasGuitar]

Well, what I view as positive about the Tomiki school of Aikido is that with this type of sparring, it trains the practitioners to fight with resistence, and trains the instinct to evade the knife, which is ultimately the best way to survive a real knife attack

[RolandStGermain]

That Buddha is Amida or amitabha.

[lollakaskoht]

Why is the foods looks more important, than the taste?

[RolandStGermain]

@lollakaskoht Aesthetics.

[timturnnips]

this is a great documentary, many thanks for uploading this, im so glad this has not disappeared into oblivion!

[mjufpn]

Aikido techniques are now taught in special forces and amries all over the world for hand to hand combat and quick disarming the opponent with knife or gun......

[SNKTHX2000]

Anyone who talks shit about aikido not working against other martial arts or in real life needs to see this. Aikido isn't just formal movements and stylised throws, there are many practical (and even deadly) techniques.

[mjufpn]

The same thing was going on when Tae Kwon Do showed up...I started training and everyone who didnt have clue started saying that its all about kicking. To their surprise I told them that it includes various chop and grabing techniques that we practiced daily, but the olympic version of TKD looked very booring to all the people who dont know the sport.

[anthonywardell1981]

Same type of documentary as the Katori kenjutsu. With Aikido, there's alot going on than meets the eye. I'm not to much of a fan of the sporty stuff, though it has it's purpose; stress testing is essential to feel the how you may put your waza in to practice.. The older stuff is very interesting. Good little gem this documentary

[spacemanlive]

I like how the U.S. stepped in and said you cant practice

[TempestDust]

Aikido must be the ultimate form of self defence using only your body.... unless you're a devoted master shaolin monk with a body of iron, having trained for 50 years or so.. And the Japanese kitchen is so delicious, both for its looks, taste and nutrition. No wonder Japanese people have the longest life expectancy in the world.

[mjufpn]

and gut cancer for eating raw fish XD

[ernursedave]

I'm an aikidoka. I think about do also Kendo togheter with aikido (but in different moments and dojo). My question is: there is a point of contact in the concept of aikido and kendo? In other words, wich is the link (if we have one) between these to arts of Budo?

[WitfulThought]

Aye, my interest in Aikido is purely edefensive, I don't want to use Martial Arts for agresstion, only to prevent it and defend myself against it. Aikido is good for defending against multiple attackers.

[Wolfsbane909]

yes very

[whospiltmybeer]

@WitfulThought

if you train aikido for like 20 years.

[WitfulThought]

I'm am extremely interested in learning Aikido, sadly I live in a back water town miles from anywhere and I don't exactly trust Youtube to teach me all the correct moves.

[Wolfsbane909]

Alot of videos teach proper Aikido, the important thing to remember is to be relaxed, Aikido is about grace, technique and weight distrubution, circular movements. Learn to "safe fall" and "roll" at the beginner levels then in advance it gets more mental using "soft eyes" to disarm aganist multiple attackers from various angels. Then theres weapons training with knives, katanas, Bos..etc. Aikido is not about violence nor brute strength. If an attacker wants to charge at you simply move outta way

[MDIS]

Yoseikan and Tomiki , in a way to my years of experience , both are excellent martial arts.

But in terms of personal opinion , they are becoming more like their ancestors which is Aiki-Jujitsu , Jujitsu and Yawara jutsu.

Both have become too competitive which is evident in many jujitsu based schools - be it traditional or modern styles.

The older systems of japan are still alive but with fewer students it will soon be extinct unless you export it out.

[kensei1984]

Well it DID come from Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu, which has a lot of that.

[newam5qi]

shout out to the crew hearing that poke in the eye sound. I roll with the naginata (where i keep my cutting shit). Check out the karate guy here he is a nice man too. And the stick guy and sword guy.

Missing oyu wish you were here.

[dynagirl63]

I agree with dimitrismad. these are not true karateka.

[KYPCKDIVER]

the bath part I would skip...

i would go to kendo stinky that day i guess.

geisha girls would be much better,or solo.

:o)

[dimitrismad]

the japanese master Kogura should try to demonstrate the effectiveness of his technics on Higgaona an not on his own students

[kj01a]

wow they got EVERYTHING wrong about aikido and there is three more parts to this, bummer

[RazerKil]

i agree i practice Aikido for a year now.

And this really different.

[danieleriskay]

Perhaps they got nothing wrong about Aikido. Perhaps it is you who have simply been misled about Aikido.

[kj01a]

posssible but unlikely

[Akab6]

Look a lot of people complain about how this documentary misrepresents Aikido. However if you listen to the narrator he CLEARLY states that this is only one of two major paths in Aikido (and seeing as how it only follows one dojo, it is probably only one small path of the larger path) and it is implied that the documentary will only be focusing on one of these paths.

[Meadras]

So what you're saying is that you know more about Aikido and Kendo than the men who are mostly responsible for the invention of the modern Japanese sports? I'm sure going to believe you over world-reknowned fighting master - Who is partly responsible for the modern existence of Japanese Aikido and Kendo

[erigbzh]

Tha aïkido shown in the film is pretty poor on a technical point of view... This fat former special agent (or whatever) is REALLY pathetic!

[wallyworld8]

yah, less aikido more roadwork imo

[caucazoidandroid]

I love the comments about Japanese food. You can tell this was made before the sushi craze of the 90s and beyond...

[qix1t]

05:32 - 'the shop he visited is well known to British martial artists' - anyone have a clue which shop the narrator is referring to?

Any help much appreciated :)

-Q

[emdog2564]

WOW!! did they every get the aikido aspect wrong

[PCownsconsoles]

Kendo is an amazing sport to watch but if you pit kendo agaisnt kenjutsu every time kendo will lose because its not designed for killing. Master otaki sensei master of the katori shinto ryu would well defeat any kendo master hes pitted agaisnt because he knows the weak spots of japanese armor as well as katas made to slash once and end the enemy. HE would run at his enemy like they do in kendo. But kendo is still nice to watch.

[abetiludlisi]

omg aikido is not a sport are they crazy ?? It's a way of life , just like all other martial arts but it is NOT a sport !!!!

[xamb]

I totally agree, Aikido is a spiritual practice, not a sport.

[orgaized4battle]

anything that has matches and awards points in contest is a sport regardless of it being a way of life or not.

[kensei1984]

Wrong. Yoseikan aikido does award points for attacks and defenses in the 1st Kyu grading and above. This is to keep a objective perspective onto how the student is doing. Both though at the end must have scores no further apart than 5%. If they are too far apart, then they both fail, because the idea of free sparring is to bring out the best in your and your partner. yet, Traditional Yoseikan Aikido is not a sport.

[786hanif]

why did this get 6 hands down? seems a reasonable.

[joaolavaque]

JUST WATCH AT 08:18 !!!

[JepoJoeL]

relly brutal :P

[shikakubu]

tomiki is big in britain so its only natural a british aikido documentary would be run by the tomiki people.

[mibuan]

aikido is a budo, not a sport

[Eayne]

aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport aikido is not a sport

[rollingbrick]

Do u even do Aikido? If u do; u r 27, do Aikido & stand w/hands over ears, shouting, "La la la la la la! I ca-an't hear u! La la la la la la!"!!! If u r Aikidoka, u represent all Aikidoka, sensei, shihan, & Aikido. O'Sensei permitted Tomiki-Sensei 2 call it Aikido. So, u define Aikido? O'Sensei doesn't?

[Eayne]

i dont consider my above statement putting it in a box i consider it a defense against definition because sports have rules and boundaries and are unrealistic... thats my opinion as ignorant as it may or may not be... i guess we will haf to disagree and ill accept your thoughts and hopefully you will accept mine (example: do not refer to aikido as "the sporting way") no offense is ment to practitioners of combat sports i just dont consider combat sports to be synomanous with martial arts

[rollingbrick]

Our views same Aikido not sport. Just poking fun @ image created by ur post. Personally have problem w/some MAs being sports - no problem w/Kendo 4 xample. 2 me, sport has limitations for safety. But if can't hit some areas, will not b 2nd nature in real defense. Result=dead Aikidoka. Must have all in arsenal.

[rollingbrick]

Having said this, I have trained @ Aikikai seminars with Tomiki ppl & they do Aikido just like everyone else - I didn't notice any diff. Non-Tomiki ppl need realize Tomiki is not sport, but has facet of training that is. While I have personal opinion, have no evidence 2 support it.

[Eayne]

i have made no comment about tomiki aikidoka's skill or lack of skill... i simply and repeatedly stated that aikido is not a sport

[rollingbrick]

I didn't say you did.

[Eayne]

i apologize.. i mis read

[Eayne]

i was referring to this documentary calling aikido a sport i was not at all making any statements about tomiki ppl sides...

[waranghira]

lol

telling what a thing isnt is not defining it.

[Apowarrior]

Yea,aikido is not a sport,just marcial art,a life stile...:P

[hartos72]

@Eayne An open mind is a powerful thing.

Sport Aikido is a label used to seperate aikido clubs in Japan. Universities will have a sport aikido club which practices Randori and are affiliated with the Japan Aikido Association the other club will be affiliated with another group. It is also an element of our style which we enjoy and celebrate.

Until you have seen the total of what we practice please consider the possibilities.

[FeebLeofSpeech]

@hartos72 “Therefore to compete in techniques, winning and losing, is not true budo. True budo knows no defeat. ‘Never defeated’ means ‘never fighting.’”

-Morihei Ueshiba

[acquiesce100]

@FeebLeofSpeech but O'sensei said there were no techniques in Aikido

[FeebLeofSpeech]

@acquiesce100 O-Sensei said there is no set form....he taught techniques....O-Sensei did not allow competition in training because some techniques were considered too dangerous and because he believed that competition did not develop good character in students...

[acquiesce100]

@FeebLeofSpeech - sorry your response does not make sense in response to what I was saying

[FeebLeofSpeech]

@acquiesce100 sorry, it does not have to....it negates it entirely

[acquiesce100]

@FeebLeofSpeech - You talk as though you know him personally. Can I see evidence of your statements please? I think you have read too many books written by his close students. Osensei said in one interview there are "no techniques" in Aikido. In another book he says there are " thousands" of techniques in Aikido. It's all mystical BS which has got out of hand.

[FeebLeofSpeech]

@acquiesce100 In O-Sensei's Aikido these two areas were just sides of the same coin. They could not be separated. When O-Sensei demonstrated waza he was showing physical manifestation of certain energetic aspects of the universe. His Aikido was a martial embodiment of the concept that goes all the way back to the Upanishads that what is out there (the Universe) is duplicated in here (the Body).

[FeebLeofSpeech]

@acquiesce100 So, O-Sensei's training was about reorganizing his body to reflect the principles that are manifest on the universe. To do this it required that he reorganize his mind the same way because one can't organize the body properly when the mind is doing something else. It has to go together.

[acquiesce100]

@FeebLeofSpeech "He taught techniques" but he said there are "No techniques" in Aikido.

[acquiesce100]

@FeebLeofSpeech - I think you have read too much philosophy and its all pure conjecture.

[FeebLeofSpeech]

@acquiesce100 "Techniques which are visible to the eye are useless. Your body and the kami (deity) become one through the accumulation of training. It is for this very reason that you stop your opponent's movements with rapid techniques which are invisible to the eye without allowing him to touch your body and without leaving any openings." - Morihei Ueshiba

[acquiesce100]

@FeebLeofSpeech - So he is saying "you stop your opponents movements with rapid techniques" but in another interview he says there are "NO TECHNIQUES" in Aikido. It's all BS. Tell you what, go and try it in the UFC and lets see what happens. It's all smoke and mirrors designed to prey on the gullible. You have never met O'sensei. You are just playing with words and you have read too many books.

[acquiesce100]

@FeebLeofSpeech - Load of tosh mate. He contradicts himself. Go and try this nonsense in a UFC match and watch it come to nothing in seconds. I advise you to stop reading all this hocus pocus bs. I've practiced Aikido since 1996 and all this talk is a load of garbage. Put your O'sensei books down. He says there are no competitions and winning and losing makes no difference blah, blah, blah, yet he was happy for Tohei to engage in a mini competition

[FeebLeofSpeech]

@acquiesce100 So basically you are saying, O'sensei, the founder of Aikdio, does not understand what he is saying about Aikido. Good luck with that.

You have not met O'sensei. You are just playing with words and have read to few books.

[acquiesce100]

@FeebLeofSpeech - Lol. Do you want to talk about the book "abundant peace" which is his biography? You have to wonder when they start saying he could flip a train over on its tracks by shouting "boom". DELUDED. Mind you, it is almost cult like.

[FeebLeofSpeech]

@acquiesce100 Also, small joint manipulation is illegal in UFC. Because the smoke and mirrors can hurt or break bones.

[FearThisChannel]

@Eayne They shall keep their hands of what is left over of aikido. I will do my very best to preserve the art as it was meant by Ueshiba O Sensei. I won't let them fuck up aikido the way they fucked up judo already.

[marteopius]

@Eayne yes aikido is not a sport...it is a way of living under the principle of peace and harmony...heaven and earth...

[quezcatol]

@Eayne is aikido a sport?

[Devoti]

i don't think one should focus too much on the Tomiki style of aikido because it goes against the founders ideals. there is no competition because there is no attack, and if there's no attack, then there's no defense. but if you make it to a sport you lose the philosophy.

[BHT195]

Its the same with karate here. Except that the problems of karate turning into a sport (ie: point scoring)is that there is now no power, no technique. It has become so watered down thats its embarrasing. Even still, I chose a dojo that still harnesses the age old ideal of "kill or be killed" or as my friend Richard once put it "Better to be judged by 9 than carried by 6" if you understand what I mean :)

[hartos72]

@Devoti I think you have a very narrrow view.

Ueshiba did in fact support Tomiki in his development. He taught at Hombu up until O Sensies passing, It was not until after O Sensei passed that his son began the proliferation of anti this and anti that towards some of his fathers better known students. The philosophy is definately not lost, it is central to how we practice, equally we learn how to defend against any technique and we have a lot of fun.

An open mind will gather far more.

[HomunculusProject]

@Devoti Making it a competitive sport was more of a organizational matter, I believe. Doing actual randori or other partner forms, where uke attacks appropriately and doesn't blend FOR you a little, is something other schools could learn from Tomiki Aikido.

But maybe that is just the Hirokazu Kobayashi talking through me. ;)

[Welther47]

@Devoti No, you got it all wrong.

Aikijujutsu is the true way. It's not a sport like Aikido is and Iaido (kenjutsu here). But because of Japaness historie it is nearly lost. Even kendo isn't the same today. And that's a full-contact sport. And you don't lose the philosophy by making is a sport. You Don't. otherwise it woundn't be there to begin with.

[Devoti]

@Welther47 Aikikai Aikido which is the style Ueshiba Morihei founded is not a sport because you don't compete, you need competition for it to be a sport.The way to true MA is of course in true battle and risking your life. But the philosophy of no competition can't be if you have competition. I think you're contradicting yourself when you say Aikijujutsu is nearly lost because of history, but philosophy of Aikido can't be lost, or else it would never have existed. However my comment was 3yrs ago

[Welther47]

@Devoti I would love to discuse it at full length, if i weren't in writing. I still don't think anything is lost because of competition. It will make it evolve. And not give a false confindence. To live life in that spirit you don't ever need to sit a foot in a dojo. Only read about it.

[rwd1968]

Re: the Avalokiteshvara - the teachings often say that the 1000 armed Avalokiteshvara reaches out with whatever it is that the devotee needs to help them along the path. Not often weapons but it could be the case...

[Kazush1]

I learn something every day!

Aikido sparring...I never knew...

[redtortoise76]

09:20 I so did not need to see that XD

[suloakseli]

In the begining that is a statue of the thousand armed bodhisattva of compassion Avalokiteshvara. She is not holding weapons. They are symbols of spreading the Dharma and symbols of her compassion. Or meaby I am wrong?

Next statue is the Buddha himself. Shakyamuni Buddha.

[Akab6]

It may very well be Avalokiteshvara! But I personally have never seen a personification of that bodhisattva with multiple arms. As far as what she is holding, some of the them are definitely weapons (like arrows, and axes) but you're right they may have symbolic meaning towards the teaching and spreading of the Dharma. Like the wheels may represent the realm of Samsara since it is usually depicted as some sort of wheel with Mara clutching it.

Yes I do belive that is Shakyamuni Buddha! :)

[Devoti]

This is Alokiteshvara, or Kannon as the bodhisatva is named i japanese. i suggest checking out sanju sangen do on the net, it is truly amazing. been there twice myself.

[carlossotoalcaraz]

@ suloakseli es la representación japones del Señor Siva de la India, observa el tipo de armas.

[00RV00]

I wonder what would happen if a karateka would deliver a kizami-tsuki to an aikidoka...All the attaks that are done by karatekas in aikido demonstraitions are always taking full a step foward with the back leg, what would an aikidoka do if somebody delivers an attack by going foward with the front leg first?

[kensei1984]

Nagashi or flowing. Regardless he would still go in and off the center line into grappling range.

[sherman4970]

Nice technique work by Jim Elkin.Very much like my instructor in many many ways and goes to show that the traditional way is still the very best!!!!!

[boscojosh]

this video is not the aiki way

[Akab6]

They explain that there are different thoughts concerning Aikido, and that they are just presenting one of those schools of thought.

[SenseiStrange]

Yes my Aiki path is different also, but everyone can choose their own way. There is no one Aiki way. There are are as many ways as people who practice.

[kensei1984]

Yes it is. The way also says that we should improve ourselves through our martial arts careers as well as helping others do so. Competitive spirits help with that. If you do not push yourself and limit yourself only to kata, then you are being lazy, arrogant, and egocentric. Competing or sparring like this is fully the "do" aspect of aikido, something many traditionalists are missing. The only drawback with Tomiki style is that they always have a winner and a loser.

[Wolfsbane909]

I knew an 1st degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, he refused to spar because he felt that it was not for the "do" of the art but rather just another pissing contest. His Kata was flawless he could've easily won aganist all the white-belt challengers but he refused to spar. Aikido is not about competition.

[kensei1984]

Also they have prizes for the winners of competitions. This is wrong. This is not budo. if you go in there and help improve yourself as well as your partner, then you have both won. This is the true budo.

[Wolfsbane909]

Its the modern way, with the televised MMA events like UFC people mostly just want to learn so they can harm others, because they've seen people do it on TV so they want to hurt people without regard or conscience. Just look at all the guys that wear all the MMA T-shirts, ask them what art they study and why they study it and u will know what i mean..

[isatay]

this video showswhat I don't like about aikido; it shows a sparring match between the aikido master and an opponenet wşth black belt who attacks by using kicks and fists and use this as an evidence of superiority of aikido over karate. but that opponent is not a black belt karate practitioner. he is just an aikido student of that master who helps his sensei in a demonstration. is this fair to karate?

[2Shye]

was the musket fair to the katana ?

if you practice any martial arts forms your not doing it to prove which is superior.

Neither will be effective against a person standing 10 paces away with a gun.

even the greatest of samurai were only superior in a dualing situation with set rules.

[isatay]

I think you misunderstood. it is not me who try to prove his superiority; that aikido master in the video is(even the narrator in the video is telling that)I also believe what you said above. but if that aikido master wants to prove his technique's superiority anyway, he should be sparring with a real karate master who will be his equal, not with one of his aikido students who has no karate training.I believe this is most disrespectful to karate.

[2Shye]

I agree but I do not think that sparring would determine which technique is more effective. they each are superior in different circumstances.

[mibuan]

traditional Aikido isn't competitive. Tomiki isn't the main school of Aikido

[kensei1984]

But one of the main schools established before world war II, whether we like it or not.

Traditional Aikido IS competitive. We get on the mat and compete with a common opponent, and that is ego.

[illumined1]

Aikido should never be used to spar with, or even necessarily to defend oneself. Aikido cannot fight itself because it is not about fighting.

[kensei1984]

Yes it should. Sparring is a way to bring out your skills in a pressure situation. If you are not doing that then you are being selfish or egotistical, cause you are not interested in improving yourself, only satisfied with throwing others in your way to look "cool". Everytime you step on the mat you fight, and your opponent is always ego. If you think you have no ego, then it has already conquered you.

[NamelessMkVII]

This documentary gives false claims to aikido ...

[Akab6]

How so? I don't know much about aikido.

[kensei1984]

Listen closely. It's only one aspect.

[jasonloseefu]

Why this Akido master is so fat?

[Akab6]

I assume you mean the Brit? Although there is no doubt hes a heavy set guy, weight is not a reflection of knowledge, understanding or teaching ability. I will be uploading a t'ai chi video soon and the master in that is big as well! But he kicks absolute butt.

[2Shye]

did you see the 4 inch statues ? they had pot bellies too... Aikido is an art form which uses the opponents momentum and ki/chi energy against them.. as one becomes more proficient/efficient one exerts less of their own energy.. and so even though he is a master he does not need to look like Arnie in order to practice his art and to teach.

[kensei1984]

Cause he let himself go. Thats the sad thing about most masters, they don't look after themselves.