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Comment by stummjr | Hacker News Reader

I think Aikido is a very good option, not only to programmers, but to all the people. It's a martial art which is meant to preserve the integrity of both players. Both mental and body health are the main concerns of this martial art.

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I would also like to recommend Aikido. I've studied Aikido Yoshokai for four years, and found it incredibly rewarding. It's a unique blend of happy enthusiasm (I've heard new students ask why everyone is grinning all the time) with respectful discipline.

Probably best to not characterize it as a martial art, though. You'll learn timing, joint locks and throws, sword, staff, and knife techniques, how to fall safely... but most importantly, how to clearly lead and completely follow, depending on circumstances. I've heard it phrased as "the study of harmony"--not just in physical confrontations, but in arguments, office power struggles, and hard life decisions. It's not necessarily a good way to beat someone up: maybe more of a way to resolve a conflict without so much fighting.

For what it's worth, I found that the aesthetic of Aikido was typically appealing to people in the math/computer science fields. While I hold no strong opinions about its ability to make one a good fighter, I did think it was enjoyable, grounding, and beautiful. That combination seems to line up with the original poster's appreciation of Kendo.

god I hate the "peaceful warrior" crap pushed by certain practitioners of aikido. Osensei tells us that the best way to start an aiki is to belt someone in the face. traditional aikido teaches both striking while the opponent is pinned down and completing the movement of joint locks to break bones. most easily understood: would aikido teach the katana if it wasn't about inflicting harm? how many non-lethal cutting techniques do you know?

Yeah, that's a strange contradiction. It's never enough to cut off someone's hands and cut their jugular; you need to cut clean through the abdomen too. I think various schools approach that in different ways; with Yoshokai, for example, it tends to be a timing and position exercise somewhat removed from actually killing someone. Perhaps both views of the technique are valid.

I studied Aikido for a short time. I was lucky enough to train with some people who thought the whole peaceful warrior thing was basically crap. It was one of the most intense things I've ever done. If you are picking an Aikido dojo, look for one that teaches sword movements; otherwise you're not getting the full experience.

Aikido is frustrating because it might require 10 years to become good enough for it to be marginally useful in a fight. However, how often do you really get into fights? If you're an aikidoist, you've basically accepted that you're learning about a beautiful art form. If you want the most effective way to hurt someone, try Krav Maga.

If you are the sort of person who is attracted to complex, difficult ideas that make you re-evaluate everything, aikido may be for you.

Aikidoists also tend to be professionals. It is sometimes called a gentleman's martial art. (No offense to ladies.) You often encounter doctors and lawyers and artists so on. On the other hand, in any reasonable dojo, none of that matters.

O'Sensei's thought and style evolved throughout his life. In his younger days, pre-WWII, yes, he was rough and tumble. Movements were sharper and more direct. Break bones, crush your enemy. He did this frequently while in the Japanese military while serving in China as a bodyguard.

As he grew older, post-WWII, his philosophy and style became much softer and more spiritual than the styles he studied in his younger days. This was due, in part, to his age (changing perspective and physical decline) and the influence of the Omoto-kyo. In these later days, the purpose of training with weapons were twofold: help students learn body dynamics and learn to defend oneself against an armed attacker. The purpose wasn't to be armed and gut your enemies, the purpose was to understand the mindset of an armed aggressor, know their movements, and meet their movements without being gutted yourself.

Softer in the sense of not attacking directly as much, but still dangerous.

I've heard (second-hand) a story about a high-level practitioner who got to spar with O-Sensei and at times he felt like he might not survive.

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