AIKIDO - The way that doesn't work! - The Series 

Hey, brother! Long time! Sorry I've been absent. LIFE has been doin' what it does, and time just got away from me. Anyway, I'm less than four minutes in, and I already LOVE this video. Your point about "unqualified" opinion is SPOT-ON! Today more than ever, people who don't know shit about shit seem to have STRONG opinions about everything, AND after insulating themselves in a social media bubble comprised ONLY of people whose (equally uninformed) opinions match their own, they spout their ignorance...often very rudely...from the safety of their living rooms, and demand that their opinions be respected, merely because they exist. As Darwin said, "Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge." Scientists call it the Dunning-Kruger Effect, the all-too-common phenomenon by which the LESS somebody knows about any given subject, the MORE confident they are about their thoughts on it. The fact that you, after sixteen years of dedicated Aikido study, were willing to change your approach is evidence that (having learned more than most people ever will) you realized that traditional Aikido (and Aidido as a whole) is, by absolutely no means, the "end all, be all" one and only WAY of combative science. Only when you've learned much do you realize how much more you have to learn. I also loved that you said, "It hasn't evolved since the day he died." My first field of martial study was American Kenpo. On one hand, it' CAN BE a very effective system. On the other hand, the International Kenpo Karate Association became a shrine to Ed Parker's memory, refusing to change or add anything, so what he left behind is all there is or ever will be of the IKKA. Thankfully several of his first generation students have kept the ART (rather than the system) alive through growth, experimentation, and innovation. Many of them are...frankly...crap, but some are VERY effective and absolutely in line with Parker's intended legacy of constant and perpetual improvement...of the individual AND of Kenpo as a whole. Of course, as mentioned above, the only way to tell the quality from the crap is to actually study its REAL WORLD effectiveness...and understand (right out of the gate) that no single system is perfect. I'll try to keep my long-winded nature under control on the other videos, but I suspect I'll be giving the thumbs up to all of them. My only criticism of this one is that, in practice, the Japanese character "Tsu" is generally pronounced as though the "u" weren't there. Thus, "Tsuka" sounds more like, "Ska," (like the music), and "Tsuki" (a thrusting sword or hand) sounds more like, "Ski," (like the sports equipment). Of course, this fine details is largely trivial in this context because how you SAY it has no bearing on how you DO it. As for Yokomenuchi Shihonage, who the hell actually attacks the HEAD with a CHOPPING hand?!?!?! OF COURSE, the Shihonage is bullshit because the Yokomenuchi attack itself is bullshit...big and telegraphed OR tight and compact...it's a stupid way to open a fight. A GOOD Yokomenuchi to the clavicle MAYBE, but the head?!?!?! No way...and even the clavicle shot is HIGHLY unlikely to be an opening attack; it will come only after an opening is perceived or intentionally created during the fray. Finally, I absolutely LOVE that you point out all the other techniques to which your Shihonage counter-attack attack applies. Martial Arts are...first and foremost...PRINICIPLES of movement, and just a a lever can be used in a number of situations, so can just about every EFFECTIVE martial principle. I've basically been off You Tube for the last year or so, and THIS is the first subscription video I opened. Hell of a good, "Welcome Back!"

Love the way you keep it real. I have trained aikido for 30 years tomiki for 30 yoshinkan for 8 . We also practice boxing and jujitsu in my school . Aikido works and I love the fact . You don't listen to the bullshit. I have worked as a prison officer for 10 years .used my aikido every single week . It works. Keep it real Mr sly.

Omg I’m so going to be the black sheep when I walk out of shionage on the yudanshas this week. I’ll never get 3rd kyu luv it keep doing what your doing Lenny

Thanks for teach free with big heart teacher!!!

ignore the negative comments...Follow your heart and do what you believe you are to do... practically all you hear in martial arts is rivalry ["my style is better than your style"...it's been going on since martial arts began]...Ignore it! don't waist your time with it and don't let it stress you out... You're doing a good job! I honor you!

Amazing. I've remembered one of the aikikai documentary with Christian Tissier. He said a few words on his teacher Yamaguchi Sensei, that there were things he didn't want to do. That he would never have shown haihanmi katatedori maybe only for nikyo ura but for him it wasn't a real grab. He would never have showed shomenuchi iriminage because for him it had no meaning. He might have asked for it during examinations but as an 8th Dan holder he didn't want to do it himself. Same goes for all aikikai knife techniques according to him. What I'm trying to say here is that high ranked aikikai-guys have no illusions but it's a lot easier to sell a so-called practice full of love, peace, harmony and no injuries for some kind of fitness, than an a real practice full of blood, sweat and probably injuries for having some real survival opportunities. Once again thank you for starting this, i do hope to see more from you.

This man is the best thing that ever happen to aikido. He's turning a outdated MA into something that works

Many of these MMA meat heads have no clue what REAL Aikido is. They watch a couple of RU-vid videos showing weak passive demonstrations of Aikido. There is a very hard combative side of Aikido that is devastating. Make all the jokes you want about Sensei Seagal. But his Aikido is extremely effective and brutal. And thank you Lenny. You are 100% correct.

Thank you Lenny for you time and for sharing your knowledge about Aikido techniques.

I can't believe I am seeing this just now: after so much training! Thank you for your work and kindness to share it, I will try to improve my aikido using this.

They will never find the light at the end of the tunnel because of pride. They do not want to be humble and admit that the ways that they are being trained is not practical in the real world. Your method is perfect. You are showing the mistake of the ignorant ones. Awesome work brother.

LOVE this series. Well done!

I don't care for traditional martial arts much but you sir is doing a great thing for aikido. Getting rid of the bs. Keep spreading your modern stance on aikido. Alot of styles need this approach

Hey, man ! Keep posting those videos ! As an Aikido student who couldn’t continue due to financial reasons and other life situations, this is more help and education than I would’ve had paying for a class. Not knocking what I did in the beginning, but the information you provide allows my training to continue. Thanks !

Dear Lenny, I`m pleased to watch your videos. I think you're doing great. really !!! I`ve been training Aikido for 23 years by now, and lately doubts came into my mind regarding the effectiveness of aikido in real life or Vs. other methods. I`m so happy that I found your channel as I can really comprehend how aikido can be the most deadliest and effective martial art, with the right attitude. I really gained back my confidence in this art and reaffirmed the path I`ve chosen in life. To my opinion (mine and only mine) traditional aikido is an essential perfection path to Tenshin-Aikido. Personally I think that only now I can comprehend and understand the true essence of your teaching. I encourage you to go on with your way . You are doing a real contribution to aikido around the world, And I`m sure it will cause many student to go on with Aikido. As you might know, there is a cosmic law that whenever a good thing , or something with great value to mankind , or something that encompass great energy in it is about to manifest itself, there will be difficulties, there will objections, there will be criticism - this how it works. This is a key factor to measure your success. I`m very sorry to see that people`s comments or criticism makes you that angry. Do not waist your energy on it - just acknowledge it and keep using it further evolve and go on with your amazing project. And from my stand point of view, even Ten-Shin- Aikido includes the principle of love peace and harmony, As your colleague from AIKIDO-FLOW said: aikido always gave him the choice to be in control and to finish a fight without real injury or hurting other people. Same is with Ten-Shin aikido, if you lock someone`s arm you can always give him the choice to finish nicely before utilizing the full power of Ten-Shin aikido. I wish I`ll have the time & money to come over for some classes at your place, or maybe we should think of establishing a branch here in Israel. Wish you the best. With all my heart

Keep this series going. To move aikido foreword we’ve got to challenge the “traditional” methods of training.

Your videos and your Aikido are awesome! The hell with the keyboard commandos. Keep it up!

Thank you sir. I love it. Keep doing what you do.

This is awesome and i love your videos! Been inspired with your videos

Please write a book on how Aikido should be taught. valuable . your point on sooka is spot on

Yuh guys too wicked!!! MADNESS!! I can not get enough!!

Thank you Lenny for making Aikido practical, effective and showing how to improve the weak points. Martin Acton from Northern Ireland. You are doing a great job Lenny.

Thankyou for making this video - it was eye opening.

Awesome video Lenny! Good luck with the series

I love your real practical teaching. This can help to save someone life. I appreciate your teaching.

Adjustments are Improvements! Thank you Sensei for showing all of us your improvements.

Nice. True information. Everyone who seriously try to improve your own Aikido should pay attention. Thanks

Love the video and you prove the point well. I hope I can fine the rest of the series.

@roguewarriors #roguewarriors Sensei Sly, you nailed it with this video. I've been teaching Aikido for several years and have seen first time students instinctively twist out of Shihonage with experienced partners. You gotta lock up that arm and close the gap quickly (dropping the hips also helps). Love your approach and videos, keep up the great work - it's about time someone spoke up for those of us in the Aikido world that see the disconnect between what is typically taught and reality! Right on brother.

I have really enjoyed your Aikido videos, I really like the way you promote the true Budo (war art) aspect of Aikido. I've practiced in many dogo's the past 45 years and had the honor of meeting and training with several of O'Sensei's students while they were still living. How you are progressing in Aikido reminds me so much of how Gozo Sensei and Nisho Sensei taught their versions of the art after training many years with the founder. O'Sensei spoke in an ancient form of Japanese which many of his students didn't understand so just by watching and being thrown by O'Sensei is how they learned. All these great men had one thing in common that I see in your art and that is Aikido is teaching a martial strategy that teaches one how to survive a situation an enemy is attempting to do major bodily injury to you or a loved one. Atemi is 80% of Aikido, if you watch pre-war movies of the founder you can see clearly that O'Sensei used atemi before progressing into a technique. This movement today with Yokomenuchi Shihonage is wonderful and years ago I accidentally did this technique of reversing the four corner throw. Nisho sensei once told me that in a real situation you most likely will not even do any technique that you practiced in the dogo, you will do what ever comes spontaneously through you, you will just react without thinking, you will do what has become second nature to your particular body style. So, thank you so much for sharing your progressive version of Aikido and keeping it real.

Aikido grappling and locks technique is useful, but not all of them applies in the street fights. As you have said, it does not stop us to learn other martial arts. Kickboxing or MMA is nearesr to street fighting. Combine Aikido and kickboxing, a perfect combination. Good video. Bro.. :)

Great sensei !! I am aikikai practitioner and I love your videos. I think the same as you. After seven years of Aikido practice, I continue to review the techniques very little and discover Uke's excessive collaboration. It seems that in practice the only one who knows aikido is the Nage ... uke is a poor guy who from the first contact resigns himself to be defeated and projected. He does not offer any resistance and seems to have no intention of fighting for his life but only waiting for him to finish executing his technique. As a long-term practitioner of Tae Kwon do and Wing Chun in addition to aikido, I put in constant contrast the aikido techniques with the ideas of other disciplines. Because the reality is that it is not art that fights but the person with the totality of incorporated knowledge. A big hug and I congratulate you for your videos and your Aikido !!!

Awesome job. Keep it fun and we'll keep learning. Love your vids

Thanks as usual Lenny! Much appreciated.

Great stuff !! Love it

akido is a beautiful art and i salute u sir for teaching us the usefull new techniques and making aikido work more effectively

This is going to be a fantastic series!

Awesome video, thanks for your instruction

I cannot wait for the series. Hopefully, it will expose the truth and Aikido can evolve the way it was meant to. Steven Segal Sensei needs to pass the torch and allow you to film ''Above the law 2''. Above the law is what brought Aikido to mainstream America. People loved the rawness of it and it's still my favorite Segal movie. There are a couple other close favorites. Out for Justice for one, but once he started learning and using TaiChi...his career fell off. I still don't think anyone knows why Richie did Bobby Lupo...hahahaha.

Many thanks from Italy, sensei Lenny!!!😊

Good video thanks for taking the time to do this

I've watched your videos for a number of years and I've found them very instructive. I always had my doubts about traditional aikido. It always seemed that some of the techniques required the co-operation of the opponent to work. Keep on doing what your doing.

Awesome, thank you for sharing.

that's it i'm coming to Chicago. Get ready Lenny. When i get there hopefuly you have time for a cup of coffee:) Thanks, for sharing.

Hi Lenny. I want to say that I like your honesty and no bullshit attitude. Unfortunately you're just one of the few. Love the stuff your are showing and the way you think and addapt the things you know to reality. Keep up the good work. Greetings from Amsterdam

All styles can work if you train in fight like scenarios.. it depends on how you train them

Very interesting, as always. Thank you Lenny.

I practice Aiki-jutsu and we conform to this ideal of practicality, i wish we had more a Tenshin Aikido in England. Keep up the good work. Adapt and overcome!

good stuff keep coming with the videos

Nice work Sensei...no bullshit approach, love it.

This is amazing Lenny. I have looked at getting into Akido here in England (Manchester) where I am from. There are Aikido dojo's here, but their websites look like the real old school traditional Aikido dojo's. So I am skeptical on the application to modern real world attacks like you're pointing out. I'd love Akijutsu or the Tenshin Style Aikido you offer. Just a shame your about 10,000 miles away 😒. Also seen as I know nothing about Akido at the minute, it will be hard to see what might be applicable and what might get me killed in one of these old school traditional Aikido clubs here. Keep up the awesome video's! 👍

Looking forward to see your new videos 👍

Fantastic explanations..

Thank you very much for the incredible demonstration sensei. Sensei please don’t pay attention to all the haters. They are nothing more than keyboard warriors. I agree with everything that you said regarding aikido. You are very honest and tell it like it is. Keep posting.

Hi! Just started practicing the art I respect what you trying to do. You make sense! Utz!

Lenny your the man 😀👍i dont have much experience in any martial arts but i think its so aweaome that you are trying to help people ...the world is a dangerous place now..and i think its so awesome of you to show people how to deal with certain situations...i love your videos ...thank you sir for what you do..we need more people like you in this world that actually give a damn...you rule...thank you 😀👍

You are an awesome person Lenny please keep up the great work.

I love Aikido, and I love watch your videos

Lenny, I have been saying this for years! Great video! I need to get up there or get you down here for some serious training and a good discussion.

Great stuff. I don't do Aikido anymore, but I really appreciate what you're doing. If I had somebody like you as a teacher, I'd probably still be doing it. Thank you!

I trained in aikido for 15 years and it always seemed to me that my techniques worked great with experienced training partners but with people who didn't know how to move and fall it wasn't a great martial art if I expected to use the techniques as practiced in the dojo. I did learn a lot that I might use on the streets but not much from the formal techniques. This was great to see

For those who do not understand, every joint lock, and most all techniques have a counter attract. Great video. I have been trying to make that point for years.

No matter what, you are a great Sensei, respect!

I come from a hard style karate, and the past 17 years have crosstrained in aikido. Fortunately, my aikido instructors have been not the usual kind and my primary one in tune with real world violence. Lenny's perspective and aikido is realistic and goes to restoring this wonderful art to it's true practicality. Keep up the great work, mate.

Great commentary Lenny!

Excellent !!! ..

really like it, graet application of aikido.thanks

Well, I'm over three years late to the party. Great video. My shit didn't work against a female yudansha, (and others),out of Montana at a summer camp I attended many summers ago. Yes she was a higher black belt than me; but, she plowed right through me like I was a wisp of smoke to be blown away by she, a tornado. No teaching of meaningful atemi from my teachers. The only times I have really seen anything that would pass for Yokemen or Shomen strikes was when an attacker was armed with a bottle or hammer or something similar. Wish I had trained with you or someone teaching what you are teaching back when I was doing Aikido. I was watching a video of Icy Mike in which he was interviewing, "The Wolfman", and the Wolfman referenced you and that your stuff was good. Saw you years ago but was out of Aikido mostly from injuries but also because I was tired of practicing stuff that I questioned the effectiveness of. Great information. Thank you.

I see not only the love, but the true essence of your budo Brother! Thank you! Your absolutely right!

Hey Lenny keep this shit up LOVE IT!!! Thank you!!!

Lenny, I am glad to see you stressing realistic attacks. Unreal attacks are one of the major problems with both aikido and karate. This is especially true in knife and other weapons defenses. Just a suggestion, on a minor point. At about 11.20, you say that that overhead knifehand strike to the head is meant to simulate a sword cut, and you go on to show how an actual sword cut is performed. You're right about how the actual sword cut is performed. (I have 17 years experience in historical fencing and the way you show it actually done is how we do it, not a big wide movement but direct and abbreviated.) I have always seen that knife hand attack as simulating a knife blow from above. Just a thought.

Thanks for the info bro

With Respect You Are A Great Martial Artist. Great Video.

P.s I wish I could see the longer version of you're teaching because I appreciate you're going over Aikido like this. Yes I like what you do a lot. Please do more. Also I would like to know how to make Shino-naga work

i practice muay thai myself but its not a contest what sport or martial art is better they all require discipline and alot of hard work and give you an advantage in a random attack

as always good stuff

There is one way to do shiho nage effective. Do NOT bring his arm up you need to bring your head down and twist hips... thats it he cant push you or anything... i hope this helped someone. Sorry about bad english ;)

I love your videos LENNY SLY!!! You speak a lot of truth that's why I subscribed to you keep it up LENNY GOOD SHIT TELL THE TRUTH

Sly don't bother with them, focus on your journey man, I think you are definitely going to evolve aikido.

Hello, I´ve been practicing Aikido for a year. I´m 49. I really love this art! Watching your videos, I´ve got to agree with you, Some technics dont work. I believe is part of the long process of learning this complex martial art. Thanks for share your knowledge with us. Best wishes, Dante (sorry for my English, I´m form argentina)

Great video bro

I like your pragmatism , very eye opening. Thank you.

Great video! I'm a traditional hapkido guy from the Choi Young Sul side of hapkido and much of what you are showing looks very similar to The hapkido of Choi Yong Sul. I also agree that both hapkido and aikido need to get rid of the stuff that just does not work period.

Great video, I look forward to more of this. I did 4 years Aikikai and left my dojo because I knew a lot of what we were taught was very ineffective in real life situations as I have more street fight experience than time in traditional martial arts.. This is a breath of fresh air. Why is this still taught? Was shihonage ineffective when created as well or its trained poorly over the years (got watered down)?

This brother is so hood and real. I love teachers and practitioners that take their art and build on it. So many martial artists think it is suppose to remain the same through the years, ITS NOT, IT IS SUPPOSE TO EVOLVE!! Much Respect!!!

Need more of these videos, alot more. "HOW IT DOESN'T WORK".

Thank you I really appreciate you exposing the truth about The martial art of akito. You are greatly appreciated.

Very Good. When I left Traditional Aikido after a few years I went to a Sensi that taught Aiki-ju jitsu. He told me I could never fight well - pathetic was the word he used. He wound not teach me his art. Instead he showed me how to us my Aikido as a self-defence system. Briefly: Grovel and wait for the committed attach. If it did not come, leave with a few bruises and wounded pride. If it does, take them out of commission before their can be a fight. Then leave. If they get back up, I'll probably die so one step after one step until the police come, she/he stops, or I can escape. It is not "Glorious" and it will not inspire women to date me, but it does work. You remind me of him.

Hey im 5th kyu from aikikai and my sensei teached us all to generate unbalancing and elbow pressure since you're deflecting the attack. Se do that thing slowly like thw traditional way, but while classes are passing, we re taking the techniques closer, faster and more powerfull (by the traditional aikikai way). I think that se need some tradition to assimilate the idea of aiki, but the evolution its imminent. Adapt or die, this is the spirit of the 21th century. But not forgetting the roots is part of the budo

Sensi I very much like your attitude and style . You keep up the great work. My studies are not AIKIDO , However My shihan is very open minded and calls things out exactly like you do.

Leny this video is very good because you are correct in your philosophy of martial arts of analysis in order to explore what is practical. Martial arts needs to be evolving that actually was it traditional way in the beginning. The very aspect of styles were the making of variations that sprang different systems so keep up the excellent work and advancement of Aikido sir. Patrick Hapkido Instructor.

Lenny I would love to see you on rogan so you can prove that you are putting aikido back on the map and showing all these bullshito artists up, keep up the great work looking forward to the next one

Totally agree with Lenny. Most traditional techniques dont appear to work in real life. I think Lenny is doing a great job on bringing us back on earth. Keep it real Lenny and keep em coming. Thanks for your efforts to educate us all.

Very articulate on your explanations​ about Aikido. I think most people don't understand when they see a technic demonstrated and criticize it, it's just done that way to an extent to show the technic. It's different at full speed and for real. I've said it before, that I wish you could get on Joe Rogan's show and talk about Aikido and your practice of it. I think it would educate more people that Aikido can be used for self defense. While MMA style and Brazilian Ju-Jitsu is good, it's the latest popular Martial arts. Keep up the good work, I hope I can come to Il. And do some training with you.

Hello again my friend i did struggle to make my aikido work. But i did not give up. Because i did not give up on any other style that i practice.

Lenny, first of all, thank you very much for all that you share. You are so technically savvy and it is such a blessing. Which is why I'm sincerely confused why you are not making sure to bring your uke's elbow in past your shoulder, where he then could not escape Shihonage. Could you please explain why this seemingly crucial point is being overlooked or what I may be missing to fully understand?

Very nice of you for what you have done for aikido. And very true what you are saying thank you. But if other people are ungrateful to forwards what you are doing for aikido forget about them i am the one who is watching listening and thank you. I've been doing fighting styles and martial arts since i was 6 years old. And i practice 14 styles 1st brown belt 2nd kyu in aikido white belt in bjj yellow belt in judo 1st shodan black belt 1st dan in kyokushin karate 3rd brown belt 1st kyu in shotokan karate white belt in taekwondo roman greco wrestling clinch wrestling catch wrestling submission wrestling shoot wrestling and muay thai and boxing and kickboxing.

Good video. you should make a video how you can do a move with some punches in and out.

Now try it against a boxer, a Muay Thai fighter, and a wrestler. I've put my Judo up against all three and learned a lot, mostly to keep my hands up and grab strikers as quickly as possible. The wrestler was the biggest pain the ass. Trying to hold the little fucker down long enough to apply a finishing technique was tough, but with enough cross-practice it became routine. The upside was my Judo got better against other Judokas.

Yes I saw every great video