The 4 Most Effective & Best Aikido moves for self defense

Aikido offers various moves and takes years to truly learn. Even then, no one is perfect and the road to being an Aikido master is long. Having said this, the moves listed below and tried and tested. If you could only learn four moves in Aikido then these would be at the top of the list. Here, we will discuss two forms of effective wrist locks as well as two trips.

All moves on this list are designed to end the fight as quickly as possible whilst risking minimal damage to yourself in the process. Not only this but due to the diversity of the techniques on offer, they all tie into each other and create an effective Aikido fighting system. Similarly, all the moves mentioned end up with you on top of the opponent who should be immobilized on the floor.

This may sound obvious, but if this can be achieved then you should win every single fight. As you have gravity and positional dominance on your side, it’s then up to you to choose to either flee the situation or simply contain the opponent. Whatever your beliefs, the list below shows a comprehensive guide to using the four best Aikido methods whilst fighting.

The Sankyo wrist lock

The Sankyo wrist lock is a staple of Aikido and is one of the most common moves taught. This is with good reason too, it can instantly disable an attacker and end the fight in seconds. Not only this but compared with other wrist locks the mechanics of the Sankyo mean it is more painful and dangerous to hit on an aggressor which makes it a superior choice over other joint locks during a fight.

Typically, most wrist locks work by bending the wrist backward or forwards. However, the Sankyo also bends the wrist in a different way, it also bends the wrist towards the side. So, not only can you bend the wrist back – you can simultaneously bend it to the side too. Because the way the wrist ligaments are made means the wrist has very little movement towards the side. Normally, a wrist has more range of motion being bent backward compared to the front. However, bending the wrist to the side is the quickest way to break the wrist.

This can be done by holding either side of the wrist. Instead of trying to cover the knuckles, you should grip the wrist below the pinky finger with one hand and below the thumb with your other hand. With this grip, you can then twist in opposite directions which will put the opponent under immense pressure. From standing, this will often force the opponent to the floor to defend the wrist lock. If they stand, their wrist will break which is very effective in a combat situation.

With this said, the Sankyo is regarded by many Aikido practitioners as the king of wrist locks. Once mastered, it is a valuable tool to possess and is a great way to defend and counter punches being thrown. With this said, it should be learned by any student who wants an aggressive wrist lock in their arsenal.

The Koshi Nage hip throw

As Aikido has ties with Judo, it’s no surprise that it also has similar techniques. In this case, we’re focusing on the Koshi Nage hip throw which is designed to put the attacker to the floor. If this is hit in a street fight or on a hard floor, it can possibly knock out the opponent or even break bones, such is the power of the throw.

The Koshi Nage works by gripping each wrist with your own. Then, the idea is to get under the hips of the opponent so your own hips can generate power and elevate the opponent into the air. Whilst mid-air, you can then bring your arms forwards. As you’re still gripping the wrists of the opponent, it will bring them forward and move them over your head, resulting in them landing on the floor.

As said, in a street fight this may often be enough to end the confrontation immediately. Simply put, Aikido and Judo throws are not to be messed with and are a great tool to defend yourself. If the attacker does manage to land unharmed, then the beauty of the Koshi Nage is that you are still in a dominant position. Usually, you will end the throw standing over your opponent who has their back on the floor. From here, you can do several things that are dependent on the situation. You can choose to run, strike the opponent, or simply subdue them by pinning them. All of these things are up to you and your own judgment of the situation.

Another benefit of learning the Koshi Nage is that sometimes, you may not have the entry or angle to attack wrist locks whilst standing. If the attacker manages to get in close and start grappling, then it’s time to try and close the distance and dominate the inside space. Similarly, the Koshi Nage is great at defending against a sneak attack from behind. If the opponent sneaks up on you and grabs you from the back, it’s possible to hit the throw by controlling their wrists and hipping into the takedown.

The Ikkyo armlock

This is one of the first moves that you will learn when starting Aikido. Like the Sankyo this initially starts as a wristlock, however, unlike the Sankyo it ends as an arm lock. The Ikkyo works by grabbing the attacker’s wrist with one hand, and their arm with the other. From here, you then force the arm downwards by moving off to the side and use your arms and body weight to bring the attacker’s arm to the floor.

Whilst on the floor, the Ikkyo works as an arm-pin. Basically, you have full control over the arm of the opponent as it should be held straight along the floor. Not only this, but you can choose a number of submissions from here to immobilize the arm of the opponent. The first is to do a standard wrist lock on the attacker. As their wrist is open, you can easily bend it if wanted. However, if you also want then you can opt for an arm lock. This is available as their arm is completely straight with their elbow vulnerable to attack. Basically, this means trouble for the aggressor as you can put your knee on the elbow and bring the wrist up, resulting in an armbar.

Because the arm is completely controlled, the opponent cannot stand or escape this position either. Although you may not want to break the limbs of your enemies, it does create a fantastic position of control and dominance. Sometimes used in law enforcement, the Ikkyo works by pinning the opponent and is a great attack against a resisting opponent. Remember though, a lot of the initial success of the Ikkyo depends entirely on your footwork. Like everything in Aikido, this requires practice and you will need slight feet to dodge the initial strikes and move to the side of the opponent.

The Irimi Nage takedown

The Irimi Nage is another foot sweep that results in the attacker being taken down. We’ve already spoken about the advantages of using throws to end fights and the same applies here. Unlike the Koshi Nage, the Irimi Nage uses head control the put the opponent to the floor. To hit the Irimi Nage, you need to stand to the side of the opponent with your arms across their body.

Typically one arm will control their wrist, whilst your other wrist will control the head. Because of the head being controlled this means the opponent will struggle to move and escape. From here, you can take the opponent down by stepping to the side and pushing their head back towards the ground. This will force their body to fall back onto the floor.

The great thing about the Irimi Nage is that it relies on head control whereas most Aikido moves typically rely on wrist control. This means it’s great as an alternative way to defend or counter a strike. For instance, if you cannot physically grab wrists, then the head may become available as a result. In martial arts in general, it’s a good concept to control the head as this controls the opponent. As some sayings go, this refers to the ‘head of the snake’ concept which means if you can control the head, then the rest of the body follows. Sometimes, Aikido can get caught up in wrist control and fascinate over it.

The Irimi Nage offers something different and is equally as effective. Remember, fighting can be wild and is usually uncontrolled. Whilst you may have a picture-perfect image of how to perform in a fight, it may play out completely differently. As a result, it’s good to know and understand techniques like the Irimi Nage as they can provide a plan B if necessary. Further, if the opponent gets in close and starts clinching and grappling, you may be limited with other attacking options which is where the Irimi Nage truly comes into its own.

Final Thoughts

Whilst Aikido has a wealth of moves and knowledge, these four techniques are ideal for handling a self defense scenario. It’s true that more variety may be better in some cases, but if you only had to focus on four moves then these may be a great choice. Having said that, it’s also good to be realistic. One issue with these moves is like anything worthy in life, they often rely on technique and can take hours in the gym to learn. Because of this, drilling these moves until they’re firmly embedded into your muscle memory is well advised.

It would be very naive to simply try these moves once or twice or to watch a video and then think that’s it. Often, the success of Aikido relies on the specific, intricate details which can make or break a technique. Because of this, it’s strongly recommended to learn these moves and practice them as much as possible to avoid a false sense of security. Not only this but as with all martial arts you cannot really just learn a move and then completely forget about it. Even if you dislike Aikido and quit, it’s a good idea to train these moves every now and then to keep them in your mind and body.

With this said, these four moves are fantastic for Aikido. Of course, you should never look for a confrontation when using Aikido, but if a problem arises then it’s good to know how to defend yourself. If this sounds ideal to you, then it may be an idea to look into these moves and start training Aikido as it could be the difference between life and death.

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