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AIKIDO VS JIU JITSU

By Benjamin Strusnik, June 07, 2022

There are some fundamental differences between Aikido and BJJ, as Jiu Jitsu is exclusively a ground fighting system compared to the defensive striking mindset that Aikido has developed. A battle between Aikido and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is similar to the battle between jiu jitsu vs kung fu, as both of the striking arts utilise throws and weapons training. Both of these Martial Arts utilise a system of submissions, with BJJ having the more comprehensive system.

Find out what Aikido can do you for your BJJ!

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has become a worldwide sensation, on the back of the recent rise of No Gi grappling. When there are talented athletes like Andre Galvao, Royler Gracie and Gordon Ryan, many students are weighing up which style is better, grappling vs bjj. Traditional Gi fighting or BJJ has a longer and more rich history, as the submission grappling brand of No Gi is recently becoming increasingly popular. BJJ is an art that has a great mix of intensity, intelligence, speed and strength, as the importance of being composed but deadly is a high priority.

Aikido is a Martial Art that practitioners can use to defend themselves, while still being mindful of protecting their attackers from injury. The philosophy in Aikido sets a primary goal for students to overcome themself instead of pursuing violence or belligerence. There are four fundamental principles in Aikido, the first is the act of entering or irimi, the second principle is for a student to control their breathing using a technique called atemi kokyu ho. The third and fourth principle is sankaku ho which is triangular movements and tenkan meaning to turn an opponent. An Aikido practitioner uses their opponents attack patterns and then redirects the momentum of their opponent's attack. The curriculum of Aikido techniques is made up primarily with throws and joint locks, it also includes a comprehensive weapons system.

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THE ORIGIN OF AIKIDO

The art of Aikido was developed by a Japanese Martial Artist named Morihei Ueshiba in the late 1920's. Ueshiba was a great teacher as many of the Aikido practitioners have an extremely high regard for the Japanese pioneer of Martial Arts. Ueshiba worked extensively on his principles in Aikido, as he added other dimensions to his Martial Art. Aikido became an expression of his own philosophy of universal peace and reconciliation. Ueshiba had developed his systems in Aikido predominantly during the late 1920’s and through the 1930’s. Ueshiba studied many different forms of Martial Arts that helped him with the development of Aikido. The core Martial Art that Aikido derives from is Daito-ryu and Aiki-jujutsu, which Ueshiba studied directly with Takeda Sokaku. Ueshiba also studied many other forms like Tenjin Shinyo-ryu with Tozawa Tokusaburo in Tokyo, Japan in 1901, Gotoha Yagyu Shingan-ryu under Nakai Masakatsu in Sakai between 1903 and 1908. He also studied Judo with Kiyoichi Takagi in Tanabe, Japan in 1911.

The art of Daito ryu has been the most influential and technical Martial Art on Aikido. Ueshiba began implementing throwing techniques and joint locking submissions that he learnt form Judo and Aiki Jujitsu, he also incorporated extensive weapons training with weapons like the spear, the short staff and the bayonet. Aikido also embodies the heart and soul of Kenjutsu swordsmanship, as the technical form and grace of the art has shaped Aikido down its path of evolution.

Ueshiba moved to Hokkaido in 1912, as he began studying under Takeda Sokaku in 1915, as his association with Daito ryu continued over twenty years until 1937. During the late 1930’s Ueshiba began to keep his distance from Takeda and the Daito ryu, due to the development of his own Martial Art. Ueshiba referred to his fighting system as Aiki Budo, as it is still unclear when he began calling the art Aikido. His revolutionary Martial Art did become Aikido officially in 1942 when the Greater Japan Martial Virtue Society or the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai was engaged in a government sponsored reorganization and centralization of Japanese martial arts.

Aikido was then introduced across the globe in 1951 by Minoru Mochizuki with his visit to France, as he began demonstrating many Aikido concepts to Judo practitioners. Minoru was approached by Tadashi Abe in 1952, and was set to become the official Aikikai Hombu representative, as he stayed in France for seven more years developing the art further. Kenji Tomiki ventured through the United States of America in 1953 as he conveyed many different Martial Arts. By the end of 1953 Koichi Tohei was sent by Aikikai Hombu to Hawaii for a year, as he began to set up several Martial Arts dojos. This was the inaugural induction of Aikido into the United States. In 1955 the United Kingdom was next to follow suit and Italy in 1964 by Hiroshi Tada, then Germany in 1965 by Katsuaki Asai. Masamichi Noro was appointed as the official delegate for Europe and Africa by Morihei Ueshiba, after arriving in France in September of 1961. Nowadays Aikido is practised in 140 countries worldwide.

THE ORIGIN OF BJJ

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu reaches back to early in the twentieth century, after Mitsuyo Maeda brought his style of Judo and Jujitsu to Brazil. Mitsuyo was on a mission to not only spread Jigoro Kano's influence, but to help the Japanese settlers in Brazil fight off many conflicts. Carlos Gracie was introduced to Mitsuyo through his father's influence, and after some consideration Mitsuyo accepted him as a student. Carlos would spend the next few years learning many of the principles involved with Kokudan Judo and Japanese Jujutsu. After mastering many of these techniques he brought the arts to his younger brother Helio, where he continued to develop the grappling art.

Helio was a smaller man who found the throwing techniques of Judo incredibly hard to master. As a result of this, Helio crafted his own fighting system which incorporated many of the principles he had learnt from his brother Carlos. Helio's system consisted of leverage based movements specifically designed to work on larger and stronger opponents. Helio's development of Gracie Jiu Jitsu has revolutionised how many of today's Martial Artists compete in their professions. The road to Mixed Martial Arts has become heavily influenced by the Gracie family, with many athletes like BJ Penn, George St Pierre, Demian Maia and Anderson Silva utilising submission prowess in their matches. Many students are weighing up how prominent bjj vs mma is in terms of training abilities and the use of submission grappling.

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HOW DOES BJJ COMPARE WITH AIKIDO

Both of these Martial Arts have some significant similarities, like the influence of Judo and Japanese Jujutsu has had on both Aikido and BJJ. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu the composition of techniques are extremely complex, as they use a series of control positions that lead into different submissions. Aikido is more of a defensive Martial Art, as it uses a series of striking and grappling based skills. Aikido uses a triangular movement called sankaku ho and a turning movement called tenkan, these concepts will help an Aikido practitioner throw an opponent to the ground.

There is no striking allowed In BJJ, as it uses only control positions and submission holds like chokes and joint locks. All fights start on the feet and BJJ is widely known for its Judo and Wrestling skills in the takedown area of the game. Aikido will also utilise many forms of Judo as it also dominates their opponent with throws. Aikido will also use a range of different strikes like palm strikes, punches, knees, elbows and kicks to neutralize their opponents. Weapons like spears, swords and staffs are also commonly used by Aikido practitioners.

WHICH ART HAS A MORE REPUTABLE TRAINING PROGRAM

BJJ and Aikido are both extremely valuable sources of Martial Arts, as they both share some similar aspects like takedowns and submissions. Aikido has a training potential that is much like boxing, kickboxing, muay thai and brazilian jiu jitsu. Aikido's concepts have a significant impact on many of the students who train in the art, and there are both physical and mental aspects involved within its training. The physical training in aikido is extremely diverse as it covers both physical fitness and strength and conditioning, as well as specialised techniques. A large portion of the Aikido curriculum consists of throws, and learning how to practise the Martial Art in a safe manner. The specific techniques for attack include both striking and grabbing opponents, the techniques for defense include throwing and pinning opponents. One feature of Aikido is training to defend against multiple attackers, often called taninzudori, or taninzugake. This kind of training is a vital part of most curriculum and is a required condition for the higher level ranks. After a student learns basic techniques, they are free to study freestyle defense against multiple opponents, and techniques using different weapons.

BJJ has a reputation for extremely advanced training sessions, as it uses a variety of specific movements. In a typical training session, students will mimic the basic movements included in the warm up drills. Students will then be taught a series of control positions, defensive techniques, attacking movements called sweeping, transitioning between positions and a series of basic and advanced submission holds. After a student puts time into these movements they will be able to battle test them by participating in real life situational rolling with their training partners. Both Martial Arts have an extremely reputable and extensive training program, as both arts boast a high intake of students worldwide.

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ARE THERE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BJJ AND AIKIDO

The differences between BJJ and Aikido are considerable, even though they have similar concepts about submissions. In BJJ the submission game is more than a series of joint locks, it has an extremely advanced set of submissions, which will include multiple variations of each submission. In BJJ the aim is to strangle an opponent as there is often little mercy for opponents in high level competition. Aikido has a more basic submission system and utilises a philosophy of keeping their opponents safe with their attacking movements.

There are sets of rules that BJJ practitioners have to abide by, as competing at any level must have a limitation on its brutality. Most divisions are not allowed to use dangerous submission moves like heel hooks, toe holds, neck cranks, kneebars, spinal cranks or wrist locks, this is for the safety and long jeverdy of a student's Martial Arts. They're also banned from slamming their opponents or using knee reaping positioning. In training, points don't matter, it is all about the submissions, but in a competition a lot of fights are decided by points. Competitors will receive points for certain positions like mount, side control, back control, knee on belly and back mount, they can also score points by passing the guard, sweeping or taking down an opponent. Submissions are still a part of the rules in competition, but if none are achieved then the winner is the competitor with more points or more advantages.

Aikido competition is different to BJJ, as the tournaments offer different events within its network. The Aikido World Championships is a tournament open for all practitioners regardless of their style, although competitors are primarily from Tomiki Aikido or Shodokan members. Events are split into different divisions like Embu which is purely Katas and Randori which is more combative. They also have divisions that incorporate team events. Aikido will also do Katas with weapons like swords, spears, short staffs and bayonets.

What can Aikido offer your BJJ? Find out here!

There are some significant differences between the ranking system that Aikido and Jiu Jitsu uses. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu there are five coloured belts that students will go through, the first is the white belt which is known as the novice belt. The first belt promotion is the blue belt and it comes after earning four stripes on the white belt. After blue is purple, brown and then the black belt, there is also a red and white coral belt, a red and black coral belt and a solid red belt but all three high ranking belts are extremely hard to earn. Students will be graded through a slow accumulation of skills acquired.

Aikido practitioners outside of Japan are called aikidoka and will typically progress in skills through a series of grades called kyu, followed by a series of degrees called dans, all practitioners must go through a stringent testing procedure. Some Aikido academies use belts to distinguish their practitioners' grades, as they will often use just two, white and black. Testing requirements will vary from club to club, so a particular rank in one organization may not compare to the rank of another. Some academies have an age requirement before students can be allowed to take the dan rank exam.

WHO WINS IN A BATTLE BETWEEN BJJ AND AIKIDO

The battle between both of these arts resemble a similar matchup between bjj vs sambo, as both arts have ties to Judo and Japanese Jujitsu. An Aikido fighter may have a calm reserve and a lethal strike, but they also have a nature for peace towards their attackers. Even though an Aikido fighter uses a patient philosophy of using their attackers momentum against them, for anyone who has trained in BJJ will say how devastating the art can be. In a BJJ fighter's mind they will be relentless in their search for victory. A BJJ fighting system relies upon dominant control positions as they transition their way to a submission win. The odds of winning this fight are heavily in favour of a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, but like most styles of fighting Aikido will always have a chance, as it will always come down to the individual's skill set.

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