As a kenjutsu instructor who is familiar with the history of Aikido (and of Osensei in particular), I love hearing you describe Aikido movement in kenjutsu terms! Likewise, I love seeing you demonstrate, essentially, Fencing advance/retreat footwork. As for "framing" your uke with your hands, I first learned this technique as "The Fence"...a barrier your attacker must either circumvent or dismantle before he can harm you, that also happens to place YOUR weapons that much closer to YOUR target. That Frame/Fence thus acts as both shield AND sword. The one "warning" I would give is that, as with any technique IN TRAINING, a realistically dynamic attack won't give you time to "post up". However, any training that makes getting your hands up and between you and your attacker is good, even when conditions aren't ideal. As for, "...going through the motions," the old addage, "Practice makes perfect," is incorrect. PERFECT practice makes perfect; all other practice makes bad habits. That's why, as firearms instructors say, "Slow is precise, and precise is fast." Thus, every one of my students (from martial arts to music) learns this Nietzsche, quote. "He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance. One cannot fly into flying." Along those lines, once again as a sword instructor, I love how you fine tuned your uke's attack. The lead hand on a kesagiri maintains the same position and line as a shokugiri; all that changes is the angle of the blade. You translated that principle beautifully! Speaking of that, if one finds oneself too "tight" after the initial suriage, dropping a similarly tight elbow down his center line can still enable a very effective hammer strike to the nose; it will be more like a ball pean hammer than a twenty-pound sledge, but it will still deliver a hefty dose of down-and-in impact energy. Plus, if you step too deep, your suriage might even land an incidental upward elbow to the face. None of these options is ideal; however, as mentioned above, reality seldom is, so it's good to have backup tools in one's bag of tricks. GREAT VIDEO, BROTHER!
Sensei Lenny, love the way you are pointing out all the usual mistakes of going through the motions as "reps", and telegraphed Yokomen Uchi cuts. The Ashi Sebaki you brought up is equally imperative to apply for mobility purposes, if we don't shuffle step forward or backward we will lose stability and good mobility and we will actually create openings our Uke will pick up on and take advantage of! Great stuff, I have utilized the Hammer punch and taught it, that will be the end game or game changer in any real confrontation that went to blows as well, thank you for affirming the focus and initial set up points of, lining up Uke, and lining up Nage before you start your engagements, this is how I have recently adapted my Happo Undo exercise to learn and apply this principle, still working that discipline into my students, they are learning to internalize it as I have, God bless brother, this was one of your greatest yet, because all those fundamentals are being employed and brought to the forefront!
Another great demonstration and explanation of body mechanics. We use the same concept in Kenpo to demonstrate the transition from an upward block to an inward block, leading with the elbow. Thanks for the great content!!
LOVE IT!!! I personally like to attribute the yokomenuchi strike as ''the beer bottle strike.'' I picture the movement of yokomenuchi as someone swinging a beer bottle. THANK YOU for another great video.
Thanks for the info.There are very few martial artists who take the time to explain the basiscs,the little but oh so important things who make a technique work.Steps,knee aligment,body angle,etc...Your students ar lucky.
I like how Lenny explained how to apply Yokomenuchi as an effective attack. Not only did he show to strike close and quick like a hook punch, but he even held his striking hand by the elbow like the handle of a bokken. Very few Aikido teachers show you that.
U keep it real sir. Thank u for showing us real aikido techniques that we can apply in real life and cut through all the bullshits and unnecessary movements
Great stuff as always Sensei Sly! Thank you for always showing more traditional concept and then bringing it to that hardcore Tenshin concepts like in the "Fuck Someone Up using Yonko-Aikido that works! [in the real world application]" type of vids. I really appreciate how you do feel it is necessary to see both sides of the coin when it comes to Aikido and Aikijujutsu. Cheers!
I've recently found the channel and started watching videos. Good stuff so far. The hammer-fist can done with the base of the palm, which puts curled fingers at the opponent's eyes for a gouge attempt at the same time. You can hit a bit harder with the palm from here, since the angle of the hammer-fist is awkward. You can also sometimes connect through the opponent's uncontrolled arm, should they get it in the way to block. If you step in (or the opponent steps in farther than anticipated), the main danger to you with this technique is a follow-up strike to your exposed ribs. Always be sure, if you will be out of position to execute your own strike, that you keep moving forward past the attacker. Don't stand still. Definitely don't try to back up if it won't get you the hammer-strike, because that will lose all your leverage in the deflection and put your opponent squared to throw a second strike. It's very important to get to the opponent's shoulder, off-line, so that their other arm is not in a position to hurt you until they can turn their body. I respect the teaching method, with traditional yokemenuchi. But it is also good, once you understand the defense, to change it into a more practical/realistic attack (such as a feinting jab, followed by a straight right; the ol' 1-2 combination). It's important to feel out the differences in how the attack times (because you ignore the jab and wait for their primary hand) and how your deflection feels against an incoming punch. It's my understanding that you may already do things this way, but it would be good to have it in the videos as well.
Very nice, I like your aikido, it is different. Perhaps I would not do this style, as it does not suit what I personally look for in aikido, but for you and your students I can see it is great. Despite the intense combative techniques, any fool can recognise that this is still aikido, and I commend you for that. What is your favourite technique? Personally I like sankyo. I wish you nothing but more success in the future, it is good to see things like this. A minor concern I have is that it seems you rely on strength for many techniques, where a weaker person would falter, however that may be nothing but a miscommunication between real life and the camera picking you up. Well done!
I want to see Lenny join an MMA fight and show the world how Aikido REALLY does work in real situations- on the street or in the ring. Aikido is not the problem- no matter what Rokas at MAJ says right now. I''ve studied many different martial arts over my years- and Aikido can be very, very effective if applied properly with the right level of aggression and striking- I watched Rokas fight the MMA guy and cringed at his performance and general lack of real martial skills. It was like all he ever did was technique and never sparred in Rondori- or otherwise- like Lenny says below- he's a really nice guy- that's the problem- never be nice in a fight- Aikido is PRACTICED with a compliant partner- that's not the same as requiring a compliant partner for it to work- but you have to train for effective use in real-life situations- which I agree- very few modern dojos do that. The ones that do I think are Tenshin (even though now Rokas out there claiming otherwise) and Nishio (my style) because they're not Pretty- their Effective.
Hi from Bangkok Thailand! I'm one of the instructors at the Nishio Dojo here. Our Sensei is Anthony Tartagulia (6th Dan) If you're ever in Thailand, after this virus thing ends, Feel free to visit our dojo. www.nishioaikidothailand.com
***before I get to my comments (adding this after the fact) I just want to say that anyone less experienced in aikido, or who never received proper combat oriented aikido instruction, this video is easily worth paying for. Like if you paid $80/month to go to a dojo, this guy is giving you about $20 worth of instruction for free, so listen up.*** Being honest, I found this a little tedious, but I had a sensei who didn't skip on the atemi waza. In truth, your detailed explanations were good for the less experienced, or for those who were not properly taught atemi. The tangent on footwork was rather long, but again if people never had this broken down for them... I mean, how can you possibly execute good technique if your footwork is off? It's literally the foundation of everything we do! So in summation, this was a good lesson. A little slow paced for *me* but I can still fully appreciate what you are doing here.
Yes sir I do. As I said, the tangents were just a little drawn out. I understand that a lot of aikido teachers just don't cover this stuff at all. I follow Rokas of MAJ too and his disappointing experience with aikido is a strong example of the kind of crisis our art is facing these days. For that reason, I really appreciate what you are doing over there at Rogue Warriors. There could be people watching this video who practiced aikido for 20 years and never had those fundamentals broken down and explained to them as thoroughly as you did. In my opinion, every dojo should be teaching aikido in this way. The technicality and beauty need not be lost by putting a little more into martial effectiveness. Rather people just need to be exposed to it in this format to appreciate it for what it is. ^see how I droned on with a lot of pretty words, but answered the question I the first line? That's what I mean lol. You do a good job showing what you are talking about. Just try to keep the explanations a little more succinct. My only criticism, given in respect. Arigato gozhimasu
I actually friends with rokas, we did a video together about a year ago or so. What I’m disappointed about is how fast he was ready to change aikido to be more effective and then he ditched it because he realized he doesn’t have what it takes to do that. Then to hear how aikido failed him. Aikido didn’t fail him, he failed himself to be honest. I’ve said this many of times it isn’t aikido but the individual that is training aikido. You have to have the mindset to be able to make it work in today’s world period! If you’re laid back and think that some miracle is gonna happen because you train aikido when the shit hits the fan, well I got news for you. You’re dead wrong and you’re gonna get your ass kicked. Personally rokas doesn’t have that mindset he’s far to nice of a guy and is as intimidating as a kitten. I’ve trained in aikido for almost 30 and I’m a by product of seagals style with 23 years experience of bouncing at bars. Do I know that aikido works, sure do I’ve used it countless of times. I too wish the aikido world would wake up from they’re aikido coma. Most likely that will never happen because too many people are trying to preserve an art that died when Osensei died. Who do you train under if you don’t mind me asking?
I saw that video, and I share your feelings regarding aikido and functionality. I've been harping on that on his (Rokas) Facebook group since I joined lol. I trained under Gary Chase sensei of Memphis Aikikai. Some of my senpai when I was training were also students of traditional jujutsu and kempo. Sensei didn't skip on the atemi and was no stranger to self defense. Senior students were commonly paired with beginning students during practice to help instruct them (the opposite of what Rokas experienced) and we did live sparring and randori. So I came out with a very different idea of aikido than what seems to be common in the world today. Aikido is a solid art. It saved my ass a few times, but again I trained differently, grew up with a different mentality, and learned to be dynamic in my application of aikido rather than trying to force planned "techniques" So I'm now moving forward to open a school myself where we will continue this practical style of training. Aikido is fine, it's the teachers who suck to be honest. You are definitely one of the good ones.
Edit: "clarification. I am mostly interested in why a point was specifically made about not stepping in. 14:33" What is the advantage of stepping back or am I misunderstanding what yokomenuchi is representing in this case? When I have trained before yokomenuchi was usually treated as practice against a swung weapon like a bat, stick or cane. With that in mind stepping in was the preferred choice to reduce the power of the swinging weapon's leaver-arm and stepping back was the last choice because it risks having to take the maximum possible force of the weapon when deflecting. I understand practicing from all likely positions is useful--you may not always have the option to step in or you already find yourself taking a step back when you need to defend. But there was a specific point made about not stepping forward and I am interested in the reasoning behind that since the recommendation is completely different from my prior experience.
Hi Allen, I can't say there'd be too many advantages to stepping back and hopefully Sensei Lenny can agree with me in a modern day application sense. Stepping back does have incremental advantages but the extra wasted motion telegraphs it more, no? Which would be highly disadvantageous if ingrained in muscle memory outside of the dojo in a modern-day application. Stepping back was used as a "ready" telegraphing technique inside dojos as a training aid, besides helping secure a better base to give added power. Arguably, stepping back was used on the battlefields as a form of honorable conduct as an act of forewarning in feudal times to show even with telegraphing that one's technique was so superior that it displayed great honor to the victor if the result ended in success. And, many codes of engagement in the samurai class were predicated on defeating your opponent on the levelest playing field possible to bring clout, respect, and honor to your name, lineage and/or daimyo after a successful victory.
Ok. I emphasized the wrong question. I am mostly interested in why a specific point was made about not stepping in when defending yokomenuchi. 14:33 Thank you for the information about the yokomenuchi attack, but I was trying to understand the comment about the defense. This point was made regarding the attacker not stepping in as yokomenuchi begins. This advice is opposite my previous experience where I was explained the advantages of moving in being the best option. Since the advice is so different I am very interested why stepping into yokomenuchi is specifically discouraged.
Lenny sensei is explaining that you should not step in, because you will not be able to extend your arm for the hammer strike. Stepping in will work with other techniques, though. It is about judging the timing and distance for the technique being applied. In this case, the hammer fist. Hope that helps.
If you can't do it slowly, you can't do it fast... I've only had that taught as a key concept by two people, yourself and my own instructor...very important point but many see it and think it's wasted and 'not real'...their loss 😎
Ill be signing up at my local dojo asap. People talk trash about aikido but I know better than to fall for their inexperienced words. I saw a video that I can't find anymore but a guy said there's an aikido lick that works by grabbing the knee of an opponent and manipulating the knee.all the guy did was grab the knee and twist. He didn't go through with it because he was demonstrating a concept but he referred to this knee grab move. I've come up with no info on this. Are there moves that manipulate other joint other than wrist and arms??
Soverign Cold-Steel Yes there are. In the early days, it was common to see knee takedowns and leg pins. This was taught under O'Sensei's Aiki Budo. Those techniques can be found online. I'm currently working on ground techniques that O'Sensei had worked on. I forgot the name of the instructor but he trained with O'Sensei with this concept. It's called Aikido Ground Fighting. I hope the Aikikai will add this aspect in future curriculum because it is effective and an alternative to pin reversals.
Great explanations again!!!! If I could ask God a favour it would be to make you prepare some videos with bigger guys and heavier also. it would definitely Inspire all of us to work harder with all size all weather anytime mindset. The saddest moment for Steven Seagal was the excellent t shows he did with a tiny 3 dan holder in aikido!!!!No offence but when a guy is smaller some how the automatic thinking says....hilarious....till some guylike O-Sensei,Bruce Lee shows up....that size makes no difference... Hope God blesses you with covering also this part in your Aikido study manuals study series!!!!
I appreciate the instructional videos because now the art remains alive. However, You confuse me. Is it aikido? Is it a variant of aikido, a new standard or form? Is it your Aikido? How about sparring: which techniques do you use most? Striking, grappling or throwing? Aikido in Chinese is roughly translated into "grappling techniques". So by definition not a complete fighting art.
Princejeff, you're so right. In modern-day altercations, no one uses the karate chop, although if trained properly struck to vital areas to neck and base of the neck region can be quite effective, but we in popular modern culture have left that type of strike in the fuedal battlefields of yesterday's past. If you want to equate the the "karate chop" motion to say some following the same path or plane with a bottle in their hands, like in a bar fight, or in a empty hands scenario of a over hand shot/punch, the techniques that Sensei Sly shared can also be applied to thwart the attack. :) Now, should any of us have worry about getting a karate chop flung our way after a night of drinking at a pub? I would say definitely not, unless the magical tonic drank in said pub were the magic timetravelling elixer that shot you to Feudal Japan! lol Although, I know I've drank one too many whiskey neats, on occasion, and "time travelled" forward, not backward, mystically into next morning with a mean banger[hangover] lol. But, I would go out on a limb and say we wouldn't be running into to many karate chops out in the mean streets of Anytown, USA lmao. Such strikes are usually reserved to help preserve tradition and traditional concepts of the art we choose to practice as a form of reverence and respect in a dojo, no? We just have to look at it or equate them in the ways of modern ways of attack because our human anatomy does limit how many different ways we are able to attack, no? Similar, to what Bruce Lee said, "Until people have 3 arms and 4 legs then we'll really have a different form of fighting..." I could've screwed up Bruce's quote, forgive me, but I'm sure the point was taken. Cheers!
You are looking at the movement blindly. Place a billy club in that hand and now the movement makes sense. Or perhaps a beer bottle being swung at you. Or any short weapon where one is trying to generate speed and velocity to strike bluntly against your skull. THAT is the modern day yokomenuchi or karate chop.
That's not entirely true. If we got 100 Aikidoka and pitted them in one-on-one fights against 100 boxers, in street fights, the boxers would win the majority. Some arts just don't translate that well for actual fighting.
Typically in training you go easy on your partner, training is a two man kata. Been a cop for twenty five years in one of the roughest cities in the U.S. and I can tell you from experience, yes, it does work. I've been in more altercations than I can count and have taken down a lot of people. Many of these techniques you see guys flip or roll out of is for training safety, on the street it is a pile drive face first into the pavement. And don't think that Aikido doesn't use strikes or kicks. O'Sensei Ushiba said his Aikido was 70% strikes and 30% throws. You guys get on here with all your if, if, if bullshit. I spar and train with guys from multiple different disciplines and hold my own with all of them, even the ones thirty years younger than me. All martial arts meet at the top, whatever discipline you train in you have to make it work for you.
It's just like any other style. What is though as the best today is out of date tomarrow. When MMA fighters look to train MMA they dont look for anyone to train them. But, they try to look for the top people they can. This is true for all styles. It is not the style that makes the biggest difference but the teacher. Bad teachers, bad fighters. Good teacher makes good fighters. Part of the problem is not everyone looks for the same in what they want out of a style and teacher. Many students dont want to have to focuse on what really works in real life but argue they do it to stay in shape, or they want to feel they are apart of something, or some feel that if they learns primarily vocabulary they know the styles, then there are students who day I paied for these classes so therefore I deserve to increase in belt ranking. You so have student who cry when they get hurt and want to talk about teachers liability. So, because of all they and more possibilities it can be a difficult call for many teachers to teach the real stuff or how much to water it down. After all, for many it is a busness and their livelihood to pay Bill's and take care of their family. Though so because of these aspects people may have a hight level ranking, become a teacher, and never learned the true fighting style. It all depends on the teach and also the student and students to what with in this infinite range of great to weak. Just like not every MMA, BBJ, or Boxing school produces champions the same it true for all martial arts school.
The attention to detail is outstanding.
As a kenjutsu instructor who is familiar with the history of Aikido (and of Osensei in particular), I love hearing you describe Aikido movement in kenjutsu terms! Likewise, I love seeing you demonstrate, essentially, Fencing advance/retreat footwork. As for "framing" your uke with your hands, I first learned this technique as "The Fence"...a barrier your attacker must either circumvent or dismantle before he can harm you, that also happens to place YOUR weapons that much closer to YOUR target. That Frame/Fence thus acts as both shield AND sword. The one "warning" I would give is that, as with any technique IN TRAINING, a realistically dynamic attack won't give you time to "post up". However, any training that makes getting your hands up and between you and your attacker is good, even when conditions aren't ideal.
As for, "...going through the motions," the old addage, "Practice makes perfect," is incorrect. PERFECT practice makes perfect; all other practice makes bad habits. That's why, as firearms instructors say, "Slow is precise, and precise is fast." Thus, every one of my students (from martial arts to music) learns this Nietzsche, quote. "He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance. One cannot fly into flying."
Along those lines, once again as a sword instructor, I love how you fine tuned your uke's attack. The lead hand on a kesagiri maintains the same position and line as a shokugiri; all that changes is the angle of the blade. You translated that principle beautifully! Speaking of that, if one finds oneself too "tight" after the initial suriage, dropping a similarly tight elbow down his center line can still enable a very effective hammer strike to the nose; it will be more like a ball pean hammer than a twenty-pound sledge, but it will still deliver a hefty dose of down-and-in impact energy. Plus, if you step too deep, your suriage might even land an incidental upward elbow to the face. None of these options is ideal; however, as mentioned above, reality seldom is, so it's good to have backup tools in one's bag of tricks.
GREAT VIDEO, BROTHER!
Sensei Lenny, love the way you are pointing out all the usual mistakes of going through the motions as "reps", and telegraphed Yokomen Uchi cuts. The Ashi Sebaki you brought up is equally imperative to apply for mobility purposes, if we don't shuffle step forward or backward we will lose stability and good mobility and we will actually create openings our Uke will pick up on and take advantage of! Great stuff, I have utilized the Hammer punch and taught it, that will be the end game or game changer in any real confrontation that went to blows as well, thank you for affirming the focus and initial set up points of, lining up Uke, and lining up Nage before you start your engagements, this is how I have recently adapted my Happo Undo exercise to learn and apply this principle, still working that discipline into my students, they are learning to internalize it as I have, God bless brother, this was one of your greatest yet, because all those fundamentals are being employed and brought to the forefront!
Yes sir you are a Rock StarSensei.Thank You for sharing online.
Excellent idea with grabbing the elbow. Keep it tight...love the knowledge shown in these videos..
Another great demonstration and explanation of body mechanics. We use the same concept in Kenpo to demonstrate the transition from an upward block to an inward block, leading with the elbow. Thanks for the great content!!
Awesome instructions lenny
A brilliant master instructor that speaks the truth.
LOVE IT!!! I personally like to attribute the yokomenuchi strike as ''the beer bottle strike.'' I picture the movement of yokomenuchi as someone swinging a beer bottle. THANK YOU for another great video.
Thanks for the info.There are very few martial artists who take the time to explain the basiscs,the little but oh so important things who make a technique work.Steps,knee aligment,body angle,etc...Your students ar lucky.
I like how Lenny explained how to apply Yokomenuchi as an effective attack. Not only did he show to strike close and quick like a hook punch, but he even held his striking hand by the elbow like the handle of a bokken. Very few Aikido teachers show you that.
U keep it real sir. Thank u for showing us real aikido techniques that we can apply in real life and cut through all the bullshits and unnecessary movements
Great stuff as always Sensei Sly! Thank you for always showing more traditional concept and then bringing it to that hardcore Tenshin concepts like in the "Fuck Someone Up using Yonko-Aikido that works! [in the real world application]" type of vids. I really appreciate how you do feel it is necessary to see both sides of the coin when it comes to Aikido and Aikijujutsu. Cheers!
Thanks for these videos...it's great to see aikido represented properly. So much like how Iwama and Nishio do things as well. Brill stuff...
Very very nice! I am glad I found a sensei who get's it. My hat is off to you.
Hands down you guys have one of the best Aikido channels on UA-cam! Really appreciate the detailed explanations..
Thank you!
Thank you!!
I've recently found the channel and started watching videos. Good stuff so far.
The hammer-fist can done with the base of the palm, which puts curled fingers at the opponent's eyes for a gouge attempt at the same time. You can hit a bit harder with the palm from here, since the angle of the hammer-fist is awkward. You can also sometimes connect through the opponent's uncontrolled arm, should they get it in the way to block.
If you step in (or the opponent steps in farther than anticipated), the main danger to you with this technique is a follow-up strike to your exposed ribs. Always be sure, if you will be out of position to execute your own strike, that you keep moving forward past the attacker. Don't stand still. Definitely don't try to back up if it won't get you the hammer-strike, because that will lose all your leverage in the deflection and put your opponent squared to throw a second strike. It's very important to get to the opponent's shoulder, off-line, so that their other arm is not in a position to hurt you until they can turn their body.
I respect the teaching method, with traditional yokemenuchi. But it is also good, once you understand the defense, to change it into a more practical/realistic attack (such as a feinting jab, followed by a straight right; the ol' 1-2 combination). It's important to feel out the differences in how the attack times (because you ignore the jab and wait for their primary hand) and how your deflection feels against an incoming punch. It's my understanding that you may already do things this way, but it would be good to have it in the videos as well.
Very nice, I like your aikido, it is different. Perhaps I would not do this style, as it does not suit what I personally look for in aikido, but for you and your students I can see it is great. Despite the intense combative techniques, any fool can recognise that this is still aikido, and I commend you for that. What is your favourite technique? Personally I like sankyo. I wish you nothing but more success in the future, it is good to see things like this. A minor concern I have is that it seems you rely on strength for many techniques, where a weaker person would falter, however that may be nothing but a miscommunication between real life and the camera picking you up. Well done!
I want to see Lenny join an MMA fight and show the world how Aikido REALLY does work in real situations- on the street or in the ring. Aikido is not the problem- no matter what Rokas at MAJ says right now. I''ve studied many different martial arts over my years- and Aikido can be very, very effective if applied properly with the right level of aggression and striking- I watched Rokas fight the MMA guy and cringed at his performance and general lack of real martial skills. It was like all he ever did was technique and never sparred in Rondori- or otherwise- like Lenny says below- he's a really nice guy- that's the problem- never be nice in a fight- Aikido is PRACTICED with a compliant partner- that's not the same as requiring a compliant partner for it to work- but you have to train for effective use in real-life situations- which I agree- very few modern dojos do that. The ones that do I think are Tenshin (even though now Rokas out there claiming otherwise) and Nishio (my style) because they're not Pretty- their Effective.
I agree with you, thank you for commenting
Hi from Bangkok Thailand! I'm one of the instructors at the Nishio Dojo here. Our Sensei is Anthony Tartagulia (6th Dan) If you're ever in Thailand, after this virus thing ends, Feel free to visit our dojo. www.nishioaikidothailand.com
I will thank you!
I will thank you!
NISHIO AIKIDO #1
Love it , wish you were in Cleveland
Excellent
yes verry good lessons
***before I get to my comments (adding this after the fact) I just want to say that anyone less experienced in aikido, or who never received proper combat oriented aikido instruction, this video is easily worth paying for. Like if you paid $80/month to go to a dojo, this guy is giving you about $20 worth of instruction for free, so listen up.***
Being honest, I found this a little tedious, but I had a sensei who didn't skip on the atemi waza.
In truth, your detailed explanations were good for the less experienced, or for those who were not properly taught atemi.
The tangent on footwork was rather long, but again if people never had this broken down for them... I mean, how can you possibly execute good technique if your footwork is off? It's literally the foundation of everything we do!
So in summation, this was a good lesson. A little slow paced for *me* but I can still fully appreciate what you are doing here.
Thank you for your comment. Question, how was this a little slow paced for you lol? I take it you train in aikido?
Yes sir I do. As I said, the tangents were just a little drawn out.
I understand that a lot of aikido teachers just don't cover this stuff at all. I follow Rokas of MAJ too and his disappointing experience with aikido is a strong example of the kind of crisis our art is facing these days.
For that reason, I really appreciate what you are doing over there at Rogue Warriors. There could be people watching this video who practiced aikido for 20 years and never had those fundamentals broken down and explained to them as thoroughly as you did.
In my opinion, every dojo should be teaching aikido in this way. The technicality and beauty need not be lost by putting a little more into martial effectiveness. Rather people just need to be exposed to it in this format to appreciate it for what it is.
^see how I droned on with a lot of pretty words, but answered the question I the first line? That's what I mean lol. You do a good job showing what you are talking about. Just try to keep the explanations a little more succinct. My only criticism, given in respect.
Arigato gozhimasu
I actually friends with rokas, we did a video together about a year ago or so. What I’m disappointed about is how fast he was ready to change aikido to be more effective and then he ditched it because he realized he doesn’t have what it takes to do that. Then to hear how aikido failed him. Aikido didn’t fail him, he failed himself to be honest. I’ve said this many of times it isn’t aikido but the individual that is training aikido. You have to have the mindset to be able to make it work in today’s world period! If you’re laid back and think that some miracle is gonna happen because you train aikido when the shit hits the fan, well I got news for you. You’re dead wrong and you’re gonna get your ass kicked. Personally rokas doesn’t have that mindset he’s far to nice of a guy and is as intimidating as a kitten. I’ve trained in aikido for almost 30 and I’m a by product of seagals style with 23 years experience of bouncing at bars. Do I know that aikido works, sure do I’ve used it countless of times. I too wish the aikido world would wake up from they’re aikido coma. Most likely that will never happen because too many people are trying to preserve an art that died when Osensei died. Who do you train under if you don’t mind me asking?
I saw that video, and I share your feelings regarding aikido and functionality. I've been harping on that on his (Rokas) Facebook group since I joined lol.
I trained under Gary Chase sensei of Memphis Aikikai. Some of my senpai when I was training were also students of traditional jujutsu and kempo. Sensei didn't skip on the atemi and was no stranger to self defense. Senior students were commonly paired with beginning students during practice to help instruct them (the opposite of what Rokas experienced) and we did live sparring and randori. So I came out with a very different idea of aikido than what seems to be common in the world today.
Aikido is a solid art. It saved my ass a few times, but again I trained differently, grew up with a different mentality, and learned to be dynamic in my application of aikido rather than trying to force planned "techniques"
So I'm now moving forward to open a school myself where we will continue this practical style of training.
Aikido is fine, it's the teachers who suck to be honest. You are definitely one of the good ones.
Nice. What organization are you with?
Looking forward for more videos, please upload more!! good advices!!
I wish I have classes of TenShin aikido. It is really impressive.
Awsome, thank you!!!
so wonderful I fully enjoyed
Man I love this new music!
Great, thanks Lenny 😉
Thank you very much !
Hope to see more vids like this thanks .
Very interesting, thanks👍.
Edit: "clarification. I am mostly interested in why a point was specifically made about not stepping in. 14:33"
What is the advantage of stepping back or am I misunderstanding what yokomenuchi is representing in this case?
When I have trained before yokomenuchi was usually treated as practice against a swung weapon like a bat, stick or cane. With that in mind stepping in was the preferred choice to reduce the power of the swinging weapon's leaver-arm and stepping back was the last choice because it risks having to take the maximum possible force of the weapon when deflecting.
I understand practicing from all likely positions is useful--you may not always have the option to step in or you already find yourself taking a step back when you need to defend. But there was a specific point made about not stepping forward and I am interested in the reasoning behind that since the recommendation is completely different from my prior experience.
Hi Allen, I can't say there'd be too many advantages to stepping back and hopefully Sensei Lenny can agree with me in a modern day application sense. Stepping back does have incremental advantages but the extra wasted motion telegraphs it more, no? Which would be highly disadvantageous if ingrained in muscle memory outside of the dojo in a modern-day application.
Stepping back was used as a "ready" telegraphing technique inside dojos as a training aid, besides helping secure a better base to give added power. Arguably, stepping back was used on the battlefields as a form of honorable conduct as an act of forewarning in feudal times to show even with telegraphing that one's technique was so superior that it displayed great honor to the victor if the result ended in success. And, many codes of engagement in the samurai class were predicated on defeating your opponent on the levelest playing field possible to bring clout, respect, and honor to your name, lineage and/or daimyo after a successful victory.
Ok. I emphasized the wrong question. I am mostly interested in why a specific point was made about not stepping in when defending yokomenuchi. 14:33
Thank you for the information about the yokomenuchi attack, but I was trying to understand the comment about the defense.
This point was made regarding the attacker not stepping in as yokomenuchi begins.
This advice is opposite my previous experience where I was explained the advantages of moving in being the best option. Since the advice is so different I am very interested why stepping into yokomenuchi is specifically discouraged.
Lenny sensei is explaining that you should not step in, because you will not be able to extend your arm for the hammer strike. Stepping in will work with other techniques, though. It is about judging the timing and distance for the technique being applied. In this case, the hammer fist. Hope that helps.
Good job
ahaha "its not just tatara tatara tarara" checklist ha.. Thanks! One of the rare ones to find in UA-cam;;
More power Thank you
Nice!
If you can't do it slowly, you can't do it fast... I've only had that taught as a key concept by two people, yourself and my own instructor...very important point but many see it and think it's wasted and 'not real'...their loss 😎
I was taught that also.
thanks for the te
aching
Can use this technique to counter punches ? I think yes . Right ?#goodmorning
Ill be signing up at my local dojo asap. People talk trash about aikido but I know better than to fall for their inexperienced words.
I saw a video that I can't find anymore but a guy said there's an aikido lick that works by grabbing the knee of an opponent and manipulating the knee.all the guy did was grab the knee and twist. He didn't go through with it because he was demonstrating a concept but he referred to this knee grab move. I've come up with no info on this. Are there moves that manipulate other joint other than wrist and arms??
Soverign Cold-Steel Yes there are. In the early days, it was common to see knee takedowns and leg pins. This was taught under O'Sensei's Aiki Budo. Those techniques can be found online. I'm currently working on ground techniques that O'Sensei had worked on. I forgot the name of the instructor but he trained with O'Sensei with this concept. It's called Aikido Ground Fighting. I hope the Aikikai will add this aspect in future curriculum because it is effective and an alternative to pin reversals.
Fucken awesome man
So is the knife hand block at hip level ?
👍👍😎
Great explanations again!!!!
If I could ask God a favour it would be
to make you prepare some videos with bigger guys and heavier also.
it would definitely Inspire all of us to work harder with
all size all weather anytime mindset.
The saddest moment for Steven Seagal was the excellent t shows he did with a tiny 3 dan holder in aikido!!!!No offence but when a guy is smaller some how the automatic thinking says....hilarious....till some guylike O-Sensei,Bruce Lee shows up....that size makes no difference...
Hope God blesses you with covering also this part in your Aikido study manuals study series!!!!
I appreciate the instructional videos because now the art remains alive. However, You confuse me. Is it aikido? Is it a variant of aikido, a new standard or form? Is it your Aikido? How about sparring: which techniques do you use most? Striking, grappling or throwing? Aikido in Chinese is roughly translated into "grappling techniques". So by definition not a complete fighting art.
Doobie386 school em lol
I have never seen an attack in which someone tries using a karate chop!!!
Princejeff, you're so right. In modern-day altercations, no one uses the karate chop, although if trained properly struck to vital areas to neck and base of the neck region can be quite effective, but we in popular modern culture have left that type of strike in the fuedal battlefields of yesterday's past. If you want to equate the the "karate chop" motion to say some following the same path or plane with a bottle in their hands, like in a bar fight, or in a empty hands scenario of a over hand shot/punch, the techniques that Sensei Sly shared can also be applied to thwart the attack. :)
Now, should any of us have worry about getting a karate chop flung our way after a night of drinking at a pub? I would say definitely not, unless the magical tonic drank in said pub were the magic timetravelling elixer that shot you to Feudal Japan! lol Although, I know I've drank one too many whiskey neats, on occasion, and "time travelled" forward, not backward, mystically into next morning with a mean banger[hangover] lol. But, I would go out on a limb and say we wouldn't be running into to many karate chops out in the mean streets of Anytown, USA lmao. Such strikes are usually reserved to help preserve tradition and traditional concepts of the art we choose to practice as a form of reverence and respect in a dojo, no?
We just have to look at it or equate them in the ways of modern ways of attack because our human anatomy does limit how many different ways we are able to attack, no? Similar, to what Bruce Lee said, "Until people have 3 arms and 4 legs then we'll really have a different form of fighting..."
I could've screwed up Bruce's quote, forgive me, but I'm sure the point was taken. Cheers!
better than breaking knuckles, look at bas rutten with palm strikes etc.
You are looking at the movement blindly. Place a billy club in that hand and now the movement makes sense. Or perhaps a beer bottle being swung at you. Or any short weapon where one is trying to generate speed and velocity to strike bluntly against your skull. THAT is the modern day yokomenuchi or karate chop.
Lori Powell Right On!!!
Funny you mention Bas Rutten. He himself said Aikido is crap!!
Is their way to do aikido alone?
No, except weapons training.
@@namyar4254do you mean like shadow sparring with bokken?
@@darkfoxstories9541 I was talking about kata and suburi.
Tenshin : forme de kokyo dit : terre-ciel
Combinado com jiu jitsu fica muito bom
You are just great , l love your videos
+Bernie Tryer
Thank you so much!
saliva > substance
Aikido is the ww e of martial arts! It simply doesn't work!
It's not the art, it's the artist. It's funny how most people never grasp that logic
That's not entirely true. If we got 100 Aikidoka and pitted them in one-on-one fights against 100 boxers, in street fights, the boxers would win the majority. Some arts just don't translate that well for actual fighting.
Typically in training you go easy on your partner, training is a two man kata. Been a cop for twenty five years in one of the roughest cities in the U.S. and I can tell you from experience, yes, it does work. I've been in more altercations than I can count and have taken down a lot of people. Many of these techniques you see guys flip or roll out of is for training safety, on the street it is a pile drive face first into the pavement. And don't think that Aikido doesn't use strikes or kicks. O'Sensei Ushiba said his Aikido was 70% strikes and 30% throws. You guys get on here with all your if, if, if bullshit. I spar and train with guys from multiple different disciplines and hold my own with all of them, even the ones thirty years younger than me. All martial arts meet at the top, whatever discipline you train in you have to make it work for you.
you want to see something cool?! Watch this ua-cam.com/video/u_hNldLoB_s/v-deo.html
^^
It's just like any other style. What is though as the best today is out of date tomarrow.
When MMA fighters look to train MMA they dont look for anyone to train them. But, they try to look for the top people they can.
This is true for all styles. It is not the style that makes the biggest difference but the teacher. Bad teachers, bad fighters. Good teacher makes good fighters.
Part of the problem is not everyone looks for the same in what they want out of a style and teacher. Many students dont want to have to focuse on what really works in real life but argue they do it to stay in shape, or they want to feel they are apart of something, or some feel that if they learns primarily vocabulary they know the styles, then there are students who day I paied for these classes so therefore I deserve to increase in belt ranking. You so have student who cry when they get hurt and want to talk about teachers liability. So, because of all they and more possibilities it can be a difficult call for many teachers to teach the real stuff or how much to water it down. After all, for many it is a busness and their livelihood to pay Bill's and take care of their family. Though so because of these aspects people may have a hight level ranking, become a teacher, and never learned the true fighting style. It all depends on the teach and also the student and students to what with in this infinite range of great to weak.
Just like not every MMA, BBJ, or Boxing school produces champions the same it true for all martial arts school.
Nice !