u/able_archer83

So I’ve trained Aikido for nearly 20 years and in approximately a dozen different dojos in Europe, the US, and Asia (outside of Japan), by virtue of having moved around a lot. I still consider myself a firm intermediate in randori as I have just never done it a lot. Few dojos I’ve seen do it on the daily or even regularly.

Add to this that Aikido is often, I think rightly, criticized for not practicing “actual” sparring and properly pressure testing its techniques against fully resisting opponents. But the problem is, how would you even go about full on sparring in a martial art that’s supposed to be fully defensive?

Curious how folks here approach this dilemma, how you view and these criticisms, and how you are trying to rectify any real shortcomings you see in the art we love?

So I’ve practiced Aikido for years and just to get it out there (knowing this sub’s attitude towards TMAs and Aikido in particular): I am under no illusion that it has prepared me well for a real fight against a trained fighter. Hence the question. Also Steven Seagull is a douche.

Now that we got that out of the way, I want to complement my Aikido with real sparring since my dojo, and most Aikido dojos unfortunately, don’t do it and I view it as the arts biggest shortcoming. So I want the sparring to be a complement rather than a replacement, since I still love doing Aikido. I just want to get some real training and experience in actual fighting. However, I am getting older and also don’t want to risk serious injury if at all possible.

I’ve tried Muay Thai before but found it kinda boring, but also never got to the sparring stage (did it for a month while working remotely in Brazil). I am debating picking up Kendo for the sparring aspect of it and because I do kenjutsu already (but again, my dojo/style doesn’t to sparring and is more focused on kata and tameshigiri). But I I also wonder if there is a good non-weapons art that would be complimentary or at least somewhat compatible with Aikido but does live sparring. Judo or some Karate schools maybe? BJJ?

Would be great to get recommendations or insights from people who either practiced Aikido in the past or are actively practicing it still but have found useful sparring complements.

Cheers

EDIT: Jesus Christ is it really so impossible to merely mention Aikido and not have people come out and shit on it completely unprovoked?

EDIT2: Huge thank you to the vast majority of people here who have graciously shared their insights and perspectives! I appreciate the hell out of yall!

Does anyone have any good recommendations for lockable sword display cases, lock boxes, arms lockers, etc? Got a 5 month old and am increasingly worried about keeping my shinken, and honestly even iato, safely away from him as he’s getting increasingly mobile and curious. Ideally would still want to be able to display 1-2 of them nicely, but wonder how safe lockable display cases really are? Some I saw online seemed rather flimsy.