Here are two of my guys working on some Randori. For your viewing/discussing pleasure.

I believe that Aikido can be moved into a more practical art form, through practices like this. While this practice barrows very heavily from modern sport martial arts, there are distinct parts of Aikido practice here that are very interesting.

It is my hope that Aikido practice can be done without any dogma, but instead based on practical, testable, experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-GJ7DuBnh0

You should come up and visit us sometime, maybe when Tim is in town.

http://www.schoolofbudo.com/

Good stuff

Hey Kit,
I would love to. I find myself in Portland from time to time, and would like to come check you guys out.

Open invite. You can get hold of me at Prevail.One@gmail.com if and when u are going to be in town or through Mike at the dojo. We run dedicated combatives classes on Fridays - may expand that in the new year.

The "martial artsy" trappings are removed and it is completely modern, but comparisons and direct lessons are drawn from everything including koryu jujutsu and iai, aikido, Judo, Tim's standup and BJJ, etc.

Sounds great. I think there are lot's of things to be gained from traditional martial arts- with all the martial artsy trappings. But those things often get in the way of the actual training.

I'm starting a class next year wearing normal street cloths/workout cloths, but practicing many of the same skills learned in Aikido training- however taught without all the dogma, with a major emphasis placed on sparring, drilling, and ability.

Thanks Kit!

Chris

My combatives class is done exactly that way - street clothes. We also work with blades and guns in my advanced group.

Everything we do is contextually based, beginning with the verbal elements of dealing with conflict from a realistic perspective. I can draw a lot of parallels to traditional MA (I have practiced/still practice koryu jujutsu and other arts in several different ryu), but I use them in the modern context based on my present experiences.

We don't really "spar," I've gotten away from that but moved toward what is called "Force on Force" (sparring would be a type of force on force) is a major element of our training.

We also integrate scenario work and force articulation and that kind of thing. I do the latter professionally, and bring that experience base to my students.

I attended one of Kit's Combatives Classes a couple years ago, it was outstanding training.

They address the some of the most neglected aspects of actual confrontations (verbal assault, confrontation by more than one assailant, multiple attackers in ground fight scenarios to name a few) that are almost universally absent in most martial arts schools.

Thanks, Tim!