From what I understand, aikido is not a competitive sport. It seems to me to be a system of self-defence. Some of the wazas are elegant; I get the impression that there is some cooperation between tori and uke.
+Vernon Robinson there is a logical connection which both uke and tori have to consider. So it is more than just a kata and this process is in permanent developement. It gets clearer when you watch the whole cycle.
The reason it looks cooperative is that yes..this is self defense with no “rules” per se, so yes, you’re looking at ppl exploring how to do a specific technique but this is isolated. Ppl say “well, I could do ‘this different thing’ in the middle and your technique won’t work,” but that’s wrong because you’re studying this, not that. Hard to explain.
Because someone always gets carried away with themselves. Go to a dojo and see what it is like, then see what it is like in the real world at full speed. You're trained in the dojo how to carefully handle your opponent. In the real world, all bets are off. I won't stop until my opponent stops moving. I like my aikido full speed and maximum velocity.
