| Can you be sure of success in a real fight? Does | | | | never truly recover from. |
| the idea of a violent street fight fill you with fear? | | | | Some teachers, who are experienced in street |
| How can you really know that you will do well? | | | | defense, like Peter Consterdine, Geoff Thompson, |
| What are the main tools you can use... after all, | | | | Russell Stutely etc. who are martial arts experts, |
| practise is fairly safe in the comfort of a dojo! | | | | tell how martial artists will often fail in defending |
| Maybe, where you train your art is more focused | | | | themselves. Some of the main reasons they give |
| on self improvement, harmony, and the | | | | are... |
| connection of energy between partners, than on | | | | 1 - Lack of true awareness of your surrounding |
| Aikido as self defense. There is nothing wrong | | | | environment. |
| with this type of practise, in fact, it is preferable | | | | 2 - Believing certain techniques will work, when its |
| to focus on the flow of energy, which teaches | | | | unlikely. |
| you how to be in harmony with other people, and | | | | 3 - The shock and adrenaline dump of a fight |
| to avoid conflict in life. | | | | may freeze you. |
| It also helps you to use the art in your daily life | | | | Many martial artists, including aikidoka, usually train |
| as you interact with other people. | | | | in a very safe environment, where the attacks |
| But, if you practise this way, all of the time, you | | | | are weak, and they can do it again if the |
| will not be prepared for the shock of a real street | | | | technique goes wrong. They are not usually put |
| fight. If you are suddenly attacked, for no reason | | | | under the type of stress they will experience in a |
| whatsoever, then you are more likely to freeze | | | | violent street fight situation. |
| than react well. This is the truth of the situation. | | | | How do you feel you will fare in a fight, good, not |
| A sudden attack, leading to a violent street fight | | | | so good? The main thing is to be realistic about |
| will not go well, unless you prepare yourself for | | | | this. You are probably not studying the art of |
| this type of situation. Even an attack that you | | | | Aikido in order to be able to defend yourself in a |
| know is coming, as aggressive verbal attacks can | | | | self defense scenario as there is so much more |
| lead to physical attacks, you may still freeze in | | | | to the art. |
| your tracks, leading to being shocked, bruised or | | | | But, although you do not expect to be attacked, |
| maybe worse. | | | | it can happen. After all it happens to someone, so |
| One of the reasons you may be unlikely to react, | | | | you must be prepared... right? |
| in a successful way, is that you are not prepared | | | | To be a true warrior you must be able to choose |
| for the pure venom that another person can | | | | to use minimum force to control an attacker, |
| have for you. A truly aggressive attacker may | | | | which means you also have the tools to |
| want to cause you serious harm. This could lead | | | | completely devastate them. |
| to physical and emotional damage that you may | | | | |