Is Aikido Lacking Tangible Attacks?

Well, the fact that I am starting the subject with this question, you may guess that I may actually agree with the question asked. The answer is both Yes and No.

Allow me to elaborate to start with Yes, Aikido lacks tangible attack when we see Uke (attacker) is not giving 100% commitment to any attack, Uke preempts his/her attack focusing on what is about to happen with the next step i.e. Nage throw, or pinning technique. Uke is, without realising, anxious about the next step and simply omits delivering a strong attack in the first place.

As a result, this has a devastating effect on convincing people that Aikido is effective on the whole when they just witness such action. Anyone who sees this for the first time as a novice or even as an expert in Martial Arts, will possibly agree that there is no way it would work in reality.

They say that Uke is complying too much or Uke delivered a poor attack that makes Tori look like he could only manage the situation because the attack was weak in the first place. Some may even argue that if the attack was strong, Tori would still struggle to get past the first attack to do any technique…

So, I would concur with their views when Uke is doing just that delivering a poor attack or simply giving Tori their arm(s) so that the technique can be done and often we see Uke fully complying instead of resisting the technique without counter attacking Tori, especially when Uke’s balance is unaffected.

But having said this, I remain convinced that Aikido is actually not lacking any tangible attacks at all if Uke is attacking correctly. As a matter of fact, Uke can control Tori right from the start when he grips well for instance.

So by forming a strong attack from start with Uke, you build confidence as an attacker that you can initiate and as Tori, you have to apply the correct technique to subdue your partner with whatever attack is initiated whether it be a hold or a strike. Tori on the other hand has to do the technique correctly with the right timing and using hips to affect Uke’s balance from start to finish. The last one, is key to making Aikido powerful in my view.

When we practice in this manner, I say that Aikido is very strong indeed from Uke and from Tori side.

But we need to also step back and accept that we are all learners and it will be inevitable to make mistakes along the way during practice and repetitions, class after class, year after year.

In my view, the importance is to retain this strong principle of attacking well and of doing the technique correctly with hips and to check if Uke’s balance is affected or not.

In my reasoning, it would be a waste of time to successfully take Uke’s balance from the beginning and allow Uke regaining his balance half way through. The first part of the technique you would have done, would have been in vain the moment Uke gets back on ‘his/her feet’. So to me, the technique must be done when Uke cannot retaliate from start to finish.

Years ago, a friend of mine who was Shotokan Karate Instructor, taught me a very important lesson that I have digested each of his words and applied them in Aikido: “you can be the best fighter in the whole world punching extremely fast, but if your balance is taken, you cannot fight back. Why? Because our brain is not allowing ourselves to fight back when we lose our balance.”

Now if you do Aikido keeping the balance under control with your partner from start to finish, you will have the most powerful technique. I am convinced about that aspect.

One of the keys is to fully concentrate on the ‘NOW’ moment without thinking of the Future (what will happen next) or the past (did I move correctly, are my feet in the correct position etc).

The right approach would be for Uke to fully attack and for Tori to move in a the right moment when Uke cannot alter the direction of the attack as his/her commitment is engaged. This is very difficult to do and requires years of practice for both Uke and Tori to achieve this level of ability and technicality.

What we should not see is Uke failing to attack and they give their hand(s) to Tori to easily execute techniques. If it is a Tsuki, the Tsuki should be executed with good hips power and with good posture with body, the same with Shomen Uchi or Yokomen Uchi, Uke should do this with good hips power being relax and without sending ‘telegram’ ie making this obvious a mile away that this is going to be the attack ahead.

In the real world, no attacker would behave like this. The attacker would only commit to certain attack knowing he/she has a chance to succeed with it.

Another common issue, is that Tori seems to be only committed to one specific attack and move in full confidence that Uke will fully comply with this expected attack. If Uke has not yet committed to any attack and you move in too early, Uke can change the attack in the last moment so Tori could be in a vulnerable position for a split second and it may too late...

In my opinion, this should not be happening. Tori should be positioned in a specific Kamae that will invite Uke to specific attack. With Iwama Aikido, we are taught to apply different Kamae positions that may influence Uke to attack specifically rather than blindly go for any attacks – for instance, if we stand in Hitoemi Kamae position, we tempt Uke to strike Yokomen Uchi, or grab Kata Dori or strike Mawashi Geri (round kick). Our Hitoemi is giving limited options to Uke with the available attacks Uke can do due to positioning of the body, that would make it difficult for Ryote Kata Dori, Men Uchi, Tsuki.

When we understand the various Kamae and options offered to Uke, we then realise that it is Tori that creates a ‘bait’ so to speak, with Tori leading the way from start.

Therefore, It would be incorrect to think that Tori is only reacting according to Uke initiating the attack. The attack is happening because Tori has given ‘an opening’ tempting Uke to grasp this opportunity. So for this reason, I would add that Aikido is far more on the offensive side than being a self-defense Art. So Tori is ‘ahead of’ Uke in his mind. That is important to understand.

Being Uke, need to make sure that we give Tori a good and real attack as much as possible so Tori can can work on the Mae, body posture, footwork, body movement, Awase, feel from Hara when moving and connecting with Uke and apply the technique as it is meant to be with strong Kokyu but body being relax, mind being ‘empty’ and alert to the Now moment.

Sounds easy but it is not and it takes years and years of practice, repeating these movements. What is important also is not to fall into the robotisation mode, where we do the techniques physically but without any inner feelings. Inner feelings must begin before the physical movements and we must do the technique as if Uke can succeed, so for Tori to make Uke think he can succeed, but Tori to blend in at the right timing to subdue Uke and to be ready for the next attacker instantly…

The positioning for Tori should always be to feel surrounded with multiple attackers and therefore to move away from a potential threat and to avoid doing ‘one on one’ Aikido. To do this, Tori must have a steady and calm mind surrendering the past and future to the NOW moment only and to accept ‘life and death’ situation, so to speak…

Now if you have read all these points, you will see that Aikido has all the attributes to offer strong tangible attacks from Uke side but also to offer solid techniques from Tori side to subdue his Uke but also to be able to manage at once multiple attackers.

Aikido techniques are marvellous at developing our inner strength and physical strength but there must be a process to absorb what is demonstrated, to copy what the instructor is showing, and to repeat and make the mistakes so that you know what to do to avoid being in this situation (we have to go through this process).

Therefore, you can appreciate why Aikido takes a long while before we notice huge transformation and it is a lifetime study but one that is truly worth it!