" How Can You Use Good Aikido Strategy to Completely Avoid Aggressive Confrontations? "
Good Aikido Strategy is about reacting to your opponent, and sometimes reacting to what you think your opponent can, may or will do. By being at the creative edge of awareness you will develop the sensitivity to notice very small changes in your environment. This advanced Aikido allows you to react to what is about to happen. Yes, it is dependant on your level of skill, but also relies on your mental ability to apply the tools you have. It is about creative action, and not just reaction to events. One good strategy is to present a target to your attacker. If they see an opening in your defence, they are likely to react to it. You will then be able to predict their movement and deal with it effectively. A reaction is an instinctual, habitual, unthinking action that happens naturally. Aikido strategy is a planned response, to a series of predictable attacks. The problem is that this reponse has to be repeated thousands of times before you can use it as your reaction to an attack. If you learn how to offer a weak target to your opponent, then, when they react to it, you will be able to respond with your planned Aikido strategy. This is good Aikido training, leading to advanced Aikido practise. Of course, this level also includes the ability to be free of any thought and respond naturally, in the best way, to the circumstances you are in. So too much strategic planning can stop your natural flow of energy. Attacks can come in many different forms, and from many different directions, so a good Aikido strategy would be to think about and fully prepare for a variety of different scenarios. A straight full-on attack, often involving anger and rage, carries a lot of energy. Trying to stop this energy or reason with the attacker is difficult. Just stay calm, get out of the way, and redirect the energy. A more circular, indirect attack, may come from someone who is smiling to your face, but has other intentions. This may involve a sudden surprise attack, or even a sneaky attack from behind. If you feel off balance or uneasy around someone, then this could be an indication of a problem. Other attacks may be less physical, but can still damage you in a more subtle way. With feints and jabs that are not committed attacks, there is no reason to over-react. Just use correct distance, parry and wait for their full on attack, if it comes! If someone has grabbed hold of you, how did you allow that to happen? Anyway, dont resist against the hold, this just gives them more to grip onto. Just relax, feel for an opening, and use it to break their balance. There is also the sucker punch, with no reasoning behind it. You may try to compliment someone, and they take it the wrong way and just explode an attack. If you respect all other people, and are careful what you say, and how you say it, then this is much less likely to happen. In advanced aikido strategy, you are dealing with movement of energy, rather than solid power. So there is always a way to avoid direct energy and lead it to a safer place, this is good Aikido strategy. Remember by keeping correct ma-ai (proper distance), your attacker will have to choose between letting you go or attacking full on. Then, you can respond with your choice of Aikido technique. Use patience and skill to draw your opponent into giving a more committed attack. How many Aikido Shihan, Instructors or students have you met, that have had a street fight lately? Not many right! So, it appears that just by learning good Aikido turns us into reasonable human beings. This is advanced Aikido strategy! One other important pointer, is that in life we get what we expect. So if you expect the best, that is what you will receive :-) 
Know the Area - is it known for street crime? Is there a lot of gang activity? Do buses and taxis go there after dark? Is it an area you should avoid entering? If it is, then don't go there. It's that simple. |
