Hmm..just thought I'd throw in my opinion about the Aikido vs Judo/Jujuitsu debate that seems to be brewing (at least that Im trying to start)
I've studied both and I've achieved at least my first dan in both styles.
Both have much to offer a practioner, in terms of fitness and ability.
How they achieve that is a totally different path.
Judo or Jujuitsu (the more combat oriented style of judo) is based on the single principle of the "gentle way"
In theory, this means that your attack uses the energy of the attacker and turns what starts as an attack, into a defeat.
In practice, judo is mostly about throwing an opponent down to the mat, controlling their fall, or wrestling them to the mat, and maintaining control of the torso for 30 secs. Do not forget that judo, while a practical means of self defense, is primarily a sport, and does not teach the more dangerous joint locks as well as various throwing techniques that are prone to injure in a match.
Jujuitsu is of a similar vein with judo, but is more combat oriented, crippling or disabling of an opponent using a variety of joint locks, chokes or strangulations. Emphasis is placed on throwing an attacker to the ground, maintaining limb control, and use of joint lock to disable a single attacker. Against multiple attackers, Jujuitsu is quite a bit rougher, using various striking techniques into pressure points or vulnerable areas to damage limbs and limit movement.
Against weapons, Jujuitsu is straightforward and pratical.
Control the weapon, counter the weapon, counter the attack.
Aikido on the other hand focuses less on the throwing of opponents, but focuses more on dodging and controlling the direction of an attack. Secondary is the manipulation of joints to provide pain, so that a person literally throws themself to relief the pain. In general, wrist locks and elbow locks are emphasised.
A good example of this is a simple knife thrust. Joe has a knife. He tries to stab Bob the Black Belt.
Joe thrusts his knife into bob's belly. Bob, being the gentle and graceful person he is, helps joe, by grabbing Joe's wrist and pulling the knife into his own belly. But being the gentle and graceful person Bob is, he doesn't want to splash his blood on joe's nice shoes and pivots away, at the same time switching hands so he can control the knife. Bob sees that Joe is off balance and about to fall down, perhaps injuring himself with his own knife, so for Joe's own safety, he will apply an arm lock and take the knife away from Joe.
Joe being grateful for having clean shoes and not falling on his own knife, while pray/scream loudly until he lands on his face and contemplates leaning arnis
Now that being said, a lot of focus is placed on foot work to avoid flying bodies. Properly done, a master of Aikido is beautiful to watch, perhaps only moving in an area of just over double shoulder width, they are capable of literally trashing a room full of people who are trying to hurt him.
Another thing you should remember. The style of any martial arts can be made to be "harder" or more combative, or "softer," gentler and less aggressive.
Aikido can be used to shatter joints, rip tendons, and break nearly any bone in your body.
In the dojos that I studied in, it was MUCH more common to see serious injuries in the Aikido classes. In the "harder" styles, like TKD or Kung Fu or hell, boxing, bruising was about the extent of it. or a broken toe. The most serious accident in TKD at the provincial level I saw was a broken ankle from a jumping kick combo that landed badly. In Aikido it wasn't uncommon to see sprained wrists or shoulders about once a week. I've seen a broken pelvis twice in Judo and Aikido.
Now...my rambling is done and I can read all of the Firestaff series again.
Oh and by the way, when it comes to swords, dead is dead. whether or not you lost a limb and bled to death or someone hacked you into hamburger, or you merely were gutted and got to see your lunch twice, dead is dead.
I'd gladly travel back in time, except I would have to wait longer for the next chapter of Fel's work...sorry, pass.
