In traditional aiki classes the attack is exactly prescribed, and they are designed to feed the flow, and therefore the ‘spirituality’ of the defender. What one should do is, after delivering a flowing attack designed to fit the technique, is apply an attack in a more ragged manner that is not designed to fit the flow. Thus, the defender must solve the problem of being attacked in more real terms. The procedure I am describing here is nothing more than exploring all the potentials of motion, and not just the politely described entry techniques of a Zen shaped art. This is the procedure we used in rough and tumble karate schools, and we managed to stay polite, and yet became aware to anything and everything that could happen in a real fight.
One of the most astounding facts in all the martial arts is that Aikido does not work well in combat. The reason this is astounding is because it is derived, to large degree, from Daito Ryu Aiki Jujitsu, which is one of the most combat ready arts in existence. Interestingly, it doesn’t take much to make Aikido into a formidable combat ready art. On this occasion they are totally wrong, I have been a student of Aikido since 1957. In those early days I first started Judo in 1956 and Aikido in 1957 at the Kenshiro Abbe School of Budo.I studied Karate with M Harada Sensei and Kendo with Tomio O’Tani Sensei, with my background I feel that I have something to offer to this debate.
Kenshiro Abbe Sensei arrived in the UK in 1955 he was 8th Dan Judo, 6th Dan Karate, 6th Dan Kendo, 6th Dan Kyudo, 6th Dan Aikido. The question must be asked; would this Budo master have studied Aikido with Osensei Morihei Ueshiba if he did not believe it to be a martial art? These, however, are the principles we embrace in the art of Matrix Aikido.