Have you actually used Aikido?
Have you ever used Aikido to defend yourself and if so, how did it turn out? Even if it didn't get physical, having a heightened awareness from training is as good a defense as any, so feel free to share any stories about how you avoided violence or de-escalated it. This isn't necessarily an 'is it effective' thread. Just one to share and discuss your own experiences.
I've personally never used Aikido and hopefully won't have to. Since doing Aikido, though, my ego seems to be fading (although very slowly), which is what used to get me into all sorts of trouble. Having the ability to keep cool and avoid / de-escalate is something I should focus on more.
Honestly, after reading Meditations on violence, which I'm sure many have read, I was a little discouraged with Aikido because the author makes the statement that when under assault, you lose fine motor skills and complex motor skills are extremely dampered. He uses Aikido as an example of an art that relies heavily on fine motor skills, deeming it 'ineffective'. Considering, though, that heavy emphasis is placed on being aware, much of that can be avoided and more control can be gained from keeping your wits about you.
Anyways, if you have used Aikido in a violent / potentially violent situation, how did you feel that it handled under pressure? I've used other arts in violent situations and know certain techniques to work regardless of the conditions but I haven't trained enough in Aikido to find such techniques so I'm curious as to how Aikido does pressure.
So please share your stories and perhaps discuss that above topic if you want.