Is Aikido good for self defense? Is it effective? Well, these questions have dominated the self-defense industry since the introduction of this martial art technique.
But what exactly is Aikido?
Aikido is a Japanese Martial Art that is not designed for self defense, yet its techniques are quite effective when used to counter attacks.
It was started by Morihei Ueshiba (O-Sensei) who studied several different martial arts including Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu and spear fighting. O’Sensei believed he had a good understanding of what the human body was capable of and had learned the limits of strength and endurance.
O’Sensei started Aikido as a way to teach self defense without having to use physical force. Below is a quote from him:
“The true victory of Aikido is not defeating opponents, but achieving harmony with them.”
Morihei Ueshiba
Aikido uses joint locks and throws to take an attacker down without causing injury. To practice Aikido, you must train with partners who are willing to take these techniques so you can learn how to transfer your energy in the right way.
Is Aikido Effective in a Street Fight?
Aikido techniques are effective because they use the attacker’s momentum against them. As an aggressor charges forward, they leave themselves exposed for a counterattack.
If your opponent is about to punch or kick you, Aikido teaches that you can avoid the attack by moving out of the way and using their momentum against them.
Aikido uses several different types of joint locks and throws to take your opponent down. If you ever find yourself under attack, Aikido’s techniques will show you how to use an aggressor’s energy against them and gain control of the situation.
While this technique can be effective, it is not often used in street fights. Aikido is most commonly practiced in dojos and there are very few people who practice it for self defense purposes.
Instead, other martial arts techniques, such as Muay Thai kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and boxing have become more popular for street fighting because these styles focus on physical contact and inflicting damage on your opponent.
Quite honestly, the philosophy of Aikido can be counterproductive if your opponent is hell-bent to cause harm. It is only right to also use a technique that can injure them if you’re to win the fight!
When to Use Aikido for Self Defense
You can only use Aikido when the attacker is not armed and poses significantly little threat. If they are armed, the philosophy of harmony may fail you.
It is also suited for self defense if you’re fighting many opponents. For example, if three attackers approach you and only want to cause harm, Aikido can show you how to turn their energy against them and defeat all of your opponents without causing injury.
But you should also know does not focus on physical contact. As such, you’ll need to be very creative to defeat them.
All you learn are techniques for how to redirect your opponent’s aggression, so if they are hell-bent on causing you harm, they will most likely overpower the technique.
6 Best Martial Art Techniques for Self Defense
When it comes to defending yourself and your loved ones, you must know the best martial art techniques for self defense.
But if Aikido is not an appropriate style of self defense for you, what styles should you learn?
There are several different types of martial arts that can be used in a variety of situations. Below I will list what I believe to be the 6 best styles of martial arts for self defense:
1. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)
This is my top choice because it focuses on grappling and taking your opponent down. This means that you can use it in most situations, whether you’re fighting one opponent or several.
But BJJ techniques are not always effective against opponents who are heavier or larger than you are. If your opponent is built like a bodybuilder, BJJ may not be the best style of self defense for you.
Muay Thai uses punches, kicks, elbows, and knee strikes to defeat opponents. Because it’s a striking-based form of self-defense, Muay Thai can also be used against opponents who are larger or heavier than you are.
However, Muay Thai does not teach you how to take your opponent down if they’re bigger or more powerful than you are. For this reason, BJJ is the better option because it uses grappling techniques.
2. Krav Maga
Krav Maga is an Israeli form of self-defense and hand-to-hand combat that focuses on fighting at close range. It’s designed for up-close fighting rather than long-range attacks. For this reason, I believe that Krav Maga is the best style of self defense for a street fight.
Krav Maga’s techniques are designed to be effective against opponents armed with weapons, such as knives and guns.
The techniques in this form of self defense have been referred to as “combat chess” because they are so effective, regardless of your opponent’s size or strength.
3. Kung Fu
Some styles of Kung Fu teach how to disarm your attacker using weapons such as knives and sticks. As well, the movements in Kung Fu are designed for fighting multiple opponents at once.
Even though Kung Fu focuses on punches and kicks, it also uses stances and footwork to position your body for optimal balance. For this reason, Kung Fu can be considered one of the best styles of self defense in a street fight because it teaches how to use proper body positioning when fighting multiple opponents.
4. Boxing
Boxing is a great style of self defense if you’re up against only one attacker. It teaches you how to throw punches and kicks as well as how to defend yourself using your arms, legs, and head.
Since boxing was originally intended for fighting in the ring, it focuses on making contact with your opponent’s body rather than solely on scoring points. This makes boxing an often-overlooked form of self defense because it doesn’t focus on scoring as many points as possible.
5. Karate
One of the most common forms of self defense, Karate is another great martial art style for one-on-one street fighting. Unlike boxing, Karate focuses on both punching and breaking your opponent’s bones with your bare hands.
Karate can be considered one of the most versatile styles of self defense because it also teaches grappling and throwing techniques as well as how to defend yourself using your arms, legs, and head.
6. Judo
Judo is my last recommendation for a form of street-fighting self defense. From personal experience, I believe that Judo is one of the most effective styles of self defense because it focuses on throwing and grappling while using your opponent’s weight and momentum to bring him or her to the ground.
Judo also teaches how to manipulate your opponent’s body so you can use his strength against himself. This is why I believe it’s the best choice if you want to learn self defense for fighting on the ground.
Though it’s one of the oldest forms of martial arts, Kung Fu is still relevant when it comes to learning how to fight in a real-world setting. This style focuses on striking your opponent at close range with punches and kicks that are designed to break bones.
So, Which is the best?
If your opponent is bigger and stronger than you are, Krav Maga is the best self defense choice. If you’re fighting opponents who are smaller than you or who don’t have weapons on them, then Kung Fu or boxing would be my top two recommendations.
Boxing is an often-overlooked form of self defense because it doesn’t focus on scoring as many points as possible.
If you want to learn a form of martial arts for street fighting, then the best choices are Krav Maga, Kung Fu, and boxing. Of those three forms of martial art, I recommend Krav Maga as the most effective style of self defense in street fighting.
Is Aikido Good For Self Defense? Bottom Line:
No.
Aikido is an effective martial arts style for self defense, but not in a street fight.
For example, Aikido techniques consist of breaking your opponent’s joints and then throwing or immobilizing him or her with joint locks or strangles. While these techniques can be used against one person, they won’t work on multiple attackers and, therefore, can’t be used in a street fight.
Is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Good For Self Defense? Bottom Line
Yes.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is one of the best styles of self defense for people who want to learn how to defend themselves against larger opponents because most of its techniques involve manipulating your opponent’s body.
BJJ has become especially popular among law enforcement agencies and military personnel because it teaches how to fight on the ground, where you’re most likely to be attacked. For this reason, BJJ is one of the top styles of self defense for a street fight.
Conclusion:
Karate is a great martial arts style for a street fight. It is considered one of the most versatile styles of self defense because it also teaches grappling and throwing techniques as well as how to defend yourself using your arms, legs, and head.
Judo is my last recommendation for a form of street-fighting self defense. From personal experience, I believe that Judo is one of the most effective styles of self defense because it focuses on throwing and grappling while using your opponent’s weight and momentum to bring him or her to the ground.
Judo also teaches how to manipulate your opponent’s body so you can use his strength against himself. This is why I believe it’s the best choice if you want to learn self defense for fighting on the ground.
Kung Fu is a technique that can help you get away from your attackers unharmed, and much easier than the other techniques.
Because many Kung Fu techniques involve attacking the body’s pressure points, your opponent won’t be able to fight back if you can successfully strike these areas. This is why Kung Fu is often called “bone setting” by those who practice it.
Kung Fu also teaches how to fight using weapons such as sticks and knives that are designed for close-range combat. For this reason, Kung Fu is one of the best styles of self defense for a street fight.
Aikido: No.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Yes.
Karate: Yes.
Judo: Yes.