Primary Instinct and Aikido
Last night, after teaching our Aikido session, one of our beginners asked me if Aikido was really effective outside the Dojo.
Question frequently asked by beginners and one that any teacher should not feel ‘annoyed’ when asked, as it is in my opinion a perfectly legitimate question!
So, I kindly responded to my student and explained that Aikido has all the attributes and Martial skills to defend ourselves. But the process does take some time to absorb the techniques and understand Aikido with its principles. However, I reiterated that the best form of self-defence is really to avoid getting into a difficult situation in the first place and so I went on in more details:
If Aikido training is done correctly in the Dojo, the Aikidoka should feel his/her primary instincts ‘kicking in’ during their training session. For instance, when you bow to your partner, do you do so at a close range with your partner? Do you look at your partner still when you do the bowing?
If you do these too close and not looking at your partner when bowing, then you are ‘simply trusting blindly’ that your partner is never’ going to attack you. To me, this would be a mistake to practice in this manner in the Dojo.
On the other hand, if you keep your distance away from your partner when bowing (either in seiza or standing position) keeping eye contact at your partner, your partner will sense that you are ‘ready’ for the unexpected and will therefore not initiate since you are ‘ready’. This kind of training quickly teaches you to be aware and to ‘listen’ to your primary instinct.
On the street, this rule of staying vigilant applies, as any attacker first always choose their victim. They will go with the ones who aren’t aware or paying attention around them & surrounding or looking frail and/or unconfident.
It is quite simple to understand: criminals will only attack if they feel they have the best chances to succeed ie when their victims show these weak attributes.
I was told about a study done years ago with Metropolitan Police and they hired a psychologist to interview many criminals behind bars who were specifically convicted for assaults / theft / battery. They were shown a number of videos of pedestrians walking on the street and they were asked who they would choose to target and why.
It was revealed that all of them have said that they were only choosing victims who did not pay attention of their surrounding and/or looking weak or unconfident in the way they walk. ‘It was their best chance to get what they wanted from their victims’.
So, if a potential victim is not showing these attributes, the attacker will simply wait for another target, pure and simple. If we walk outside feeling aware, we would be much safer to start with. But to feel aware, you need to listen to your primary instinct.
If you sense feeling uncomfortable at some point outside your home, then it is your primary instinct telling you something is wrong, so you should avoid this area or walking towards someone you think he may be up to no good. But most people ignore their primary instinct sadly. We are living in a society that pre-conditions us that ‘nothing should happen to you’ when you go out.
Nobody expects to be attacked when you go to a supermarket or visit a coffee shop or when you go to your chemist and it would be right to think this too, but do not give in to such ‘bait’ that no one will ever come to you.
In the Dojo, we DO teach these things in the way, with the Kamae (stance), Mae (distance), Zanchin (alertness). The correct etiquette with bowing etc. I think people forget that being aware of our surrounding is foremost what I would call a ‘PROACTIVE’ self-defence mode, and anyone can simply learn it very quickly indeed!
Using Aikido to defend yourself should ONLY be the last resort. Avoiding getting into such situation is way better to stay safe than trying to risk yourself getting into a potentially difficult and dangerous situation.
“Prevention is better than cure” – this phrase is so true and applies in lots of things in life.
If you have no other option to run away and that you are cornered, then by O’mean use all you know with Martial Arts training to get out of this situation by defending yourself. You may even do so if you decide to stand on your ground to defend your family or loved ones if running away was not an option.
What is important to remember is this: even the best skilled Martial Artists can get seriously hurt – so be cautious and be safe. Use the proactive self-defence mode to avoid getting into such messy situation so that you can safely return home to be with your family and continue practicing Aikido again and again...