There is a very popular YouTube channel called, “Bullshido” that highlights some of the dumbest, and most cringe-worthy martial arts practitioners out there. And when I say, “out there,” I mean, really out there. You don’t have to be involved in training to appreciate the complete lack of legitimacy, as well as reality in what some of these weirdos are doing. I’m talking about manipulating groups of people with the invisible “chi” force, breaking slabs of cement with their foreheads or even allowing someone to kick them in the groin repeatedly in to demonstrate some sort of mind control over pain. As a father, I can tell you that you don’t need a dojo to get hit in the groin repeatedly; all you need is a two-year-old.
Now, aside from this extreme, many of the more contemporary martial arts, such as kung fu, karate and aikido, let me just say, especially aikido, are totally guilty of these bullshido-esque type demonstrations. I’m going to pick on aikido because it’s really easy to pick on. And before you get your hakama all ruffled, I know what I’m talking about. I started training in aikido in Japan in 1992. I was as close to an uchideshi, or live-in student as you can get. I devoted four years of my life to learning aikido intensely. It was brutal and difficult. There was never a time I felt comfortable with my skills. Though limited in nature, attacks were swift and harsh. I got hit a lot, had my eye nearly poked out once and have lasting injuries from some of the joint locks.
After leaving Japan, I taught aikido to military police officers, pilots, Army Rangers, etc. I’ve been to dojos large and small throughout the United States and over the past 20 years, I have personally witnessed the systemic decline of aikido’s effectiveness as a martial art. Karate and especially Tae Kwon Do, run a close second. In order to understand why, let me use a basic strength training model.
The primary job of athletic trainers and strength and conditioning coaches is to prepare athletes for their given sport through science-based, thoroughly developed programs designed to increase strength, speed, power, agility and explosion. And in order to this, a good coach understands performance based training which includes periodization. Periodization the cycling of different training modalities. For example, an athlete’s training may have a six-week strength phase where they are lifting heavy weights for max output with 4-6 sets of 4-8 reps. Then, strength training tapers to maintenance, and the athlete focuses on agility or explosion training which may involve plyometrics, sprinting, sled pulls, stuff like that. Woven into this is the actual skill required for the sport. And all of this training requires the athlete to be driven to muscular and/or cardiovascular failure. Why? Because this is the only way to achieve adaptation. In other words, response to repeated stress that results in enhanced motor function, strength and muscular growth. But your body is not going to do that unless you force it to.
Do you want to know why so many people go to the gym and never achieve the body or strength they want? Because they never push themselves to failure. They do the same machines with maybe a five pound increase here or there, the same routine, the same 20 minutes on the treadmill. They may sweat, but there are no gains. Why? Because the human body is incredibly adaptive to stress. The “sciencey” word for this is homeostasis: the body’s natural tendency towards relative equilibrium. What does all this have to do with aikido and other traditional martial arts? A lot.
Like other modern martial arts, aikido has fallen into what I like to call the "Budo Trap." This is a mindset that rationalizes mediocre physical conditioning and actual challenges to personal safety for sake of the art. “It’s not about fighting” is a popular term, as if someone who studies budo is above the brutality of the common pugilist. Many of these folks operate under the delusion that everything that happens in dojo will happen the same way in the street or in your house, or out by your car at the gas station. They practice the same patterns with the same lack of resistance or intent to cause harm so that they can produce “harmony.” This general lack of realistic close-quarter combat training allows for minimal adherence to any sort of fitness standards. In my experience, the bigger the belly, the bigger the ego. In short, a lot these folks couldn’t fight their way out of a paper bag. And people who practice martial arts like MMA, BJJ or full contact karate know it. You can talk till you’re blue in the face about how effective your art is. You can demonstrate your skills against one or several opponents all providing the exact type of attack you need to “complete the form.” Do this long enough around other people who share the same ignorant view and you’ll actually believe you can walk into a bar and take everybody down.
Real fighters know better. Real fighters understand the absolute chaos of real confrontations and know to avoid them. They know this because they have been repeatedly punched, kicked, tapped out and choked out by others in their school or dojo, and hence have achieve adaptation. Real fighters understand the need for constant challenge, so they engage in sparring, grappling, body conditioning. Strong resistance and wild punches or grabs are encouraged. Their school and classes incorporate physical and mental conditioning that creates an environment of consistent challenge. In essence, you should never leave a dojo feeling really good about yourself. You should leave somewhat disappointed, perhaps even angry with your performance. These are the experiences that lead to more training on your own as well as more commitment to training at the dojo. This type of training leads to adaptation.
I stopped trying to teach one style of training a long time ago. Initially after I returned from Japan, I wanted to maintain my ties with the Aiki Kai and hence my sense of credibility. Luckily for me, that air of superiority was quickly demolished after I started sparring again and had to contend with other military dudes who came to my classes. All this to say, aikido has some fantastic techniques and philosophies that apply to any martial art. I still teach many of these aspects, but infuse them with the ability to strike, kick, and grapple. We present people with real aggression and real physical challenge in order to achieve adaptation. For me, at least, that’s what martial arts training is all about.
Dave Magliano
Tatsu Dojo
Jissenkan Budo
Dojo Cho
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