Is Aikido Effective for Self-Defense

In a word, yes. As always, it depends on the type of training provided, and the attitude, determination, and aptitude of the student, but Aikido addresses many aspects of "street" self-defense, while neglecting some others. Pat at Mokuren Dojo posts A helpful handful – Aikido for self-defense:

Over the past 23 or so years I have studied taekwando, karate, judo, aikido, hapkido, and jujitsu and I can honestly say that of the martial arts I have experienced, aikido appears to me to be the best self defense there is [Emphasis mine- Nathan]. The following are a handful of aspects of aikido that I think make it particularly suitable for self-protection purposes.

• Ukemi – the art of falling safely – particularly the simple side fall and the forward roll. Proper reflexive falling skills will likely save you from many more hazards during your lifetime than any other martial arts technique or skill. Check here for a collection of good articles on proper falling.

• Evasion and the aiki brush-off – the ability to efficiently get out of the way of an incoming force and push the opponent off of you or push yourself off of the opponent. This is the fundamental skill in aikido, practiced in every class as the foundation of every technique. To read more about the aiki brush-off, check out this article.

There's more, much more to this post than meets the eye. In his usual understated way, Pat gives hints and glimpses of what may take you decades to learn in a manner that suggests it's obvious - and to him it may, indeed, be. The post also covers striking, groundwork, and something he calls calibrating the "hyperactive reflexes."

To elaborate on what I said above about Aikido neglecting other aspects of self defense, read my post Its not what's there, it's what's missing for my thoughts - Aikido, like many other systems can form the foundation of an effective style, but has weaknesses in it's strengths.

Please click over to Mokuren for more. I will ask Pat in the comments why he'd characterize it as the "best there is" for him.