Aikido is one of the sophisticated styles within the martial art. It’s so sophisticated it has put question marks within the fight circles such as boxing, kick boxing and M.M.A. Would Aikido work in a real live situation? Original Aikido was designed on partnership rather than a win/lose situation so is Sport Aikido a “true Aikido” way? Like all styles different ideas change the traditions and that alone may disturb many traditionalists. However, change is inevitable no matter what the tradition.

Grandmaster Brian Dossett is 72 years old and was a former boxer, kick fighter, doorman and experienced street brawls and still enters the combat ring/cage. His past martial arts experiences speak for themselves and his Aikido knowledge is no exception. In a real situation he would rely on his boxing, kicking and Ju-jitsu rather than his Aikido knowledge. What may fail to know is Judo, Aikido and Karate all came from the mother art of Ju-Jitsu. Over many years Brian has experimented with all kinds of ideas including adapting “the Aikido way”. He has not in favour of Aikido being a “self-defence” system but he honours its original idea of “harmony”. At the same time he leaves room for manoeuvre so certain Aikido techniques can be used within a limited self-defence situation. Based on that he has his own Aikido syllabus (Forms) that results in less sophistication and more practical slotting in with the needs of today’s society. At the same time he ensures “harmony” has not been forgotten because “Harmony” means flowing with the force but that is on a different level of understanding.

His syllabus only uses what he considered workable by offering less sophistication on introduction levels. His motto is catch them first before trying to educate them”.

In other words “interest” then first and do not “bore them “first. Harmony can be misunderstood by the beginner resulting with students depart from the difficult understanding especially with students within the fight circles who are being introduced to a “harmonious system”. All they want to know is “will it work” and the answer is “yes” but under certain situations. In other words, try catching a piston like boxing jab and using an Aikido technique whilst the attacker uses his other limbs because there may be a surprise at the end for the Aikido defender? So what is the answer and/or IS THERE ONE?

Grandmaster Dossett has regular seminars so Aikido can be learnt and taught easily leaving without having the extra and unnecessary stress of learning Oriental terminology. Brian says, if you want to learn “Japanese” go to night school because not knowing the language doesn’t stop/limit us from enjoying the excitement. His experiment proved that. He took two groups and taught them the same techniques using different languages, Japanese and English. The English group learnt more quickly based on the pressure being removed.

There is so much within Aikido and based on time is everyone’s enemy the following may not fit in with the speed of life the majority of us are involved with. The following is an example. Have you got the time and do you really want the hassle to study this lot?

Anyone interested in teaching Aikido should contact 01483720054 or email bmd@maas.co.uk for details. Instructors may want to teach Aikido only and/or introduce it into their club. He also teaches supporting styles such as Gladiator Combat including “Viking and Nunchaku”, kick boxing and of course Spirit combat which is an Aiki Jitsu system for kids and adults.

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THIS IS THE REASON BRIAN DOSSETTS AIKIDO SYLLABUS SLOTS IN WITH THE SPEED OF MODERN LIFE