Looking for new outlets and streams of income is one way of doing it. But in my opinion there is a more fundamental, core issue with Aikido which needs to be addressed. Martial Arts have progressively become more and more aggressive, especially with MMA. It has become a spectacle rather than a spiritual practice, and now YouTube is full of videos showing Aikido masters losing to boxers, MMA fighters etc. Aikido faces a communication issue at its core. It needs to readdress its place as a martial art in modern society against its “competitors,” if it is to succeed in new teaching venues outside of the traditional dojo. In many respects it’s no different than people spending millions of dollars a year on power yoga but few will ever take initiation in Kriya Yoga.
Absolutely spot-on about the communication issue, Gavin.
This was actually one of the core reasons Aikicraft exists. Many of us got tired of defending aikido instead of developing it. The constant MMA comparisons and and fight efficiency miss the point entirely, but we've done a terrible job articulating what the actual point is.
Your background in both aikido and marketing is exactly the perspective we need. Most dojos are run by people who understand the art but have zero clue about positioning, messaging, or reaching people who could genuinely benefit from what we offer.
Would you be interested in contributing to Aikicraft? We're always looking for voices that understand both sides of this challenge - the depth of the practice and the reality of how it needs to evolve to stay relevant.
Looking for new outlets and streams of income is one way of doing it. But in my opinion there is a more fundamental, core issue with Aikido which needs to be addressed. Martial Arts have progressively become more and more aggressive, especially with MMA. It has become a spectacle rather than a spiritual practice, and now YouTube is full of videos showing Aikido masters losing to boxers, MMA fighters etc. Aikido faces a communication issue at its core. It needs to readdress its place as a martial art in modern society against its “competitors,” if it is to succeed in new teaching venues outside of the traditional dojo. In many respects it’s no different than people spending millions of dollars a year on power yoga but few will ever take initiation in Kriya Yoga.
Absolutely spot-on about the communication issue, Gavin.
This was actually one of the core reasons Aikicraft exists. Many of us got tired of defending aikido instead of developing it. The constant MMA comparisons and and fight efficiency miss the point entirely, but we've done a terrible job articulating what the actual point is.
Your background in both aikido and marketing is exactly the perspective we need. Most dojos are run by people who understand the art but have zero clue about positioning, messaging, or reaching people who could genuinely benefit from what we offer.
Would you be interested in contributing to Aikicraft? We're always looking for voices that understand both sides of this challenge - the depth of the practice and the reality of how it needs to evolve to stay relevant.
Nice meeting someone who gets both worlds.