Aikido and the Knife

If you haven’t read my previous rant on the knife work in Aikido, I suggest you start here. That piece was an attempt to get some some answers from my Aikido community. The few answers that I got, I didn’t like. And by that I mean since writing the last piece, I went to the dojo and went over the ways some things are usually done, and the suggestions I received. I was not a happy camper. Especially since I have the Filipino Martial Arts perspective on it. In my opinion, the way the knife is addressed in Kali is a wake up call to Aikidoka. Currently, I don’t have detail to detail specific knife practice in Kali. Also, I don’t think it’s safe to try to learn or teach anything about martial arts without a live instructor. That being said, I will share what I think will be a useful start.

Let’s begin by realizing that the head and body aren’t the only intended targets. Quite simply, anywhere you are cut, you are going to suffer. This is important to understand because some of the Tantodori I have been taught, and most of the Tantodori I have seen, offer the hands and arms up for slicing practice. The way the arms and hands are used show little concern for or knowledge of how a knife fighter will try to hurt you. This shows a lack of knife fighting experience. What? An Aikidoka needs to understand knife fighting in order to do Tantodori? Of course. Most Aikido systems already prove this by example: We practice sword on sword to know the nature of the sword fighter, and staff on staff for the same reason. Then we practice sword and staff taking. So yes, something is missing.

Here is an article about a man who attempted to tackle a knife wielding person. Look at this picture of his arm:

So we know that a skilled knife fighter can beat you by cutting you pretty much anywhere.

Some system of knife on knife practice that relates directly to Tantodori must be practiced. It has to happen. It will foster an awareness on the matter that can’t be done otherwise. I’m not sure who said it, but it was a famous Kali instructor who said “If you can’t fight knife to knife, what makes you think you can face the knife bare handed?” Well spoken. Almost anything would be better than the nothing that is knife on knife practice in Aikido. Here are some factors to consider:

How are the knives held? Point up or point down? Edge up in or edge out? Single knife versus single knife? Double knife versus double? Both partners standing?

The ideas could go on and on. I think the easiest way to start is to establish a striking pattern with the knife, in the same way the FMA does. This diagram comes from the Military Combatives Manual, and is the same numbering system used in many FMA.

Now we already have a wider range to deal with instead of just Munetsuki and Yokomenuchi. What also has to happen is the idea of the attack combination. As I have said before, slashing the knife back and forth is a common and effective attack that can be done without training by anyone. So, it needs to be addressed in our Tantodori.

Allow me to backtrack a bit. I think it’s odd that in Aikido, we practice Kumitachi, and Kumijo, but we don’t pick up a weapon at all to go against the knife. You would think that there would be a ton of “Aiki Jo Versus the Dagger” DVDs out there. I’m going to make one right now and sell it to you!

Okay, I’m going to back to the dojo. I’ll let you know what I come up with. In the meantime – Cheers.