Aikido is one of the most intriguing martial arts that exist in today’s world. When you look at it, you don’t really understand what it teaches, especially if you’re watching it from the lens of a fighter, whether you do Judo, MMA, Kickboxing, or Boxing. To understand whether it’s a grappling or striking-based martial art, we have to step outside our box and look at it from a different perspective.
Aikido teaches both grappling and striking (atemi.) Most of its attacks are performed utilizing the flow of the attacker, which is used to perform takedowns, throws, and various punching and even kicking techniques. Overall, it’s safe to say that it’s more of a grappling martial art than it is striking.
Many would argue that Aikido is nothing else but a fraud. It’s quite easy to say that when you’re not eager to dive into the real details of the case and find the truth. When you dive deeper, which is what I did, you find a world you didn’t expect to find.
Now I came into writing this article with a biased perspective. I was already convinced that there was absolutely no way Aikido can be slightly effective, whether it was with grappling or striking.
But I found a new world I didn’t expect to find. This article will present the beauty of martial art that’s all about survival; I welcome you to the magnificent world of Aikido.
Is Aikido a Grappling Art?
Before we answer this question, I want to mention a key point. Aikido isn’t what you’d expect from a modern fighting style. Instead, it brings a new point of view to fighting, which is important to know and understand. So is it based on striking or grappling?
Aikido is a grappling martial art, although it also includes various striking techniques, both punching and kicking. It includes takedowns, submissions, joint locks, and various throws, which are all grappling movements. In Aikido, you’ll utilize the opponent’s movements to perform such techniques.
Now, you also have many striking movements, which are referred to as atemi (the Japanese term for striking.) Depending on the Aikido gym you’ll attend, you’ll learn to use the opponent’s movements to catch him off-guard and strike.
You’ll learn how to kick (in many schools), which is a set of techniques you don’t want to miss out on. Most people I’ve talked to have said that they don’t think that Aikido teaches kicking. However, contrary to what most people think, it does include various kicking movements, which will cause massive damage.
If we return to the grappling aspect of this martial art, you’ll be able to submit the opponent by either taking him down to the ground and finishing the fight from there, or forcing him to tap out using any submission you’ll learn, which will mostly be locks and chokes.
Do You Strike in Aikido?
Striking is one of the most important sets of techniques you can learn for self-defense. Whether you’re in a self-defense situation or a street fight, knowing to throw a punch and a kick to cause massive damage to your opponent and eventually knock him out, is critical. Let’s examine whether such movements are taught in Aikido and whether it teaches them effectively.
Aikido teaches many striking techniques, including both punching and kicking. Such techniques are referred to as atemi in Japanese Martial Arts, such as Karate. Kicking and punching are critical components of becoming a complete martial artist, as they’re fantastic tools for causing a lot of damage.
| Striking | Grappling |
|---|---|
| Aikido Aigamae-ate | Aikido Irimi Nage |
| Aikido Ushiro-ate | Aikido Kubishime |
| Aikido Shomen-ate | Aikido Tenchi Nage |
| Aikido Gedan-ate | Aikido Ude Kime Nage |
I can’t really imagine a martial artist not knowing to punch or kick. You have two legs and two arms and you want to use them. Not using your body would be foolish if you really think about it.
That’s why Aikido teaches such techniques. But again, it teaches them in a unique way, which you aren’t likely to see anywhere else.
The following video is a fantastic example of an Aikido master using such techniques to disable his opponent while causing extreme amounts of damage. Typically, because it’s a survival martial art, you’ll be aiming to hit your opponent in weak points in his body, perhaps his throat, groin, and knee.
What Type of Sport Is Aikido?
In general, martial arts teach us to fight. Therefore, we can typically test our skills by facing someone else who learns the same one, and, if we’re better, we’ll come out on top by either forcing him to submit or causing a lot of damage. Let’s see whether this applies to the wonderful martial art of surviving.
Aikido is a Japanese martial art that teaches grappling and striking. It’s all about surviving, rather than being on the offense. Therefore, if you find the best solution is to flee the dangerous scenario you find yourself in, then you’ll do just that.
Should I Learn Aikido?
For the last section of this article, I want to answer a common question I hear regarding Aikido. Many of you might be hesitant to start learning it, as it doesn’t really attract the audience of people who want to learn real practical fighting techniques. When we understand that, we can start to break it down to see whether it can be suitable for such an audience.
You should learn Aikido because it’ll teach you how to fight fiercely while granting you various benefits, such as better physical health, reduced stress, lower aggression and violence levels, and a more powerful character. You’ll learn various effective techniques, including grappling and striking.
It’s also suitable for street fights, contrary to most peoples’ beliefs. Therefore, you’ll be able to use what you learn to your advantage in such a scenario, which is, again, what attracts people to start learning martial arts.
Watch the following video to see it in action!
Eventually, although many people are against Aikido, I believe that if you find a qualified school, you’ll be able to start learning more and more about fighting. You’ll also enjoy the learning process while improving yourself, both physically and mentally!
Final Words
And that’s it for this article. It’s always a blast to write about a martial art I had no real experience with. I’ve been able to find a new world I want to dive deeper into, which highly motivates me to keep going on my fighting journey.
And you can start your journey too. Think about all the things you can achieve if you really want to achieve them. This is the mindset that Aikido will give you if you’re willing to put in the work and get going.
So, if you haven’t already, start your training today and begin seeing results tomorrow!
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Here are other articles you’d enjoy reading:
BJJ vs. Aikido – Which Martial Art Is Better?
5 Reasons Aikido IS NOT Useless | Backed by Research
Should Karate Be in the Olympics? Pros & Cons
30 Karate Tips to Help You Progress Faster
Here’s The Oldest Karate Style – Is It Any Good?