Imagine you are walking home late at night when out of nowhere, a group of people start to surround you. The person can yell for help and hope that someone nearby will help, or they can just hand over the money and hope that the bad guys will leave.
But what if they want more than just the cash in the bag? Pepper spray or mace might be able to knock out two of the people, but you need something better to protect yourself. A good example is learning a martial art like aikido if the person doesn't want to hurt their opponent too much.
What exactly is aikido? This is a Japanese martial art, like Judo or Karate, that mostly uses the arms to block offensive moves and then send them back to the opponent with the same force.
It's like catching a ball with one hand and giving it to another player with the other. Anyone who has seen one of Steven Segal's action movies will be amazed by how fast the moves are.
Aikido has been around since the 1930s, which is longer than most other martial arts. Dojos were started in Japan and other places around the world as more students learned from the man who created it. This has also led to the creation of different techniques in Aikido, such as Aikikai, Yoshinkan, and Yoseikan.
Practicing with a sparring partner and doing drills in the dojo are nothing compared to real combat. Because of this, the best way to stay in shape is to take part in a competition called Tomiki Aikido.
Unlike other martial arts, Aikido has not yet become the main event at the Olympics. But there are regular competitions put on by university clubs and dojos in the area.
The competition is between two people, just like in Karate, Tae Kwan Do, or Judo. The player who hits the other player successfully gets a point.
Aikido is a martial art that almost anyone can learn, no matter what gender or age they are. To get better, the person only needs to join a dojo, learn the basics, and then practise regularly.
People may not get it right the first time or fall down more than others, but everyone had to go through the same thing to get better at fighting.
Tomiki Aikido is held once a month in different states. When the person is ready, it wouldn't hurt to take part. The person should just look at the bulletin board or online, since some clubs also post information about such events there.
Aikido is mostly used to protect yourself. There aren't any of the sharp kicks or punches that are common in other martial arts. It can help people get ready physically and mentally for different situations.
Everyone needs to learn how to protect themselves. Having a small knife or pepper spray can help, but if you're outnumbered, you'll need to fight with your hands. Even if you don't get attacked tomorrow or next week, the skills you learn in Aikido will help you defend yourself against criminals and stop being a victim.
