Aikido has roots that include Daito Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu. That sums up the differences and similarities. more practical.... that is something that varies from dojo to dojo and instructor to instructor. All martial arts are just tools that people make use iof. The quality and amount of training shows in what a person can or can;t do. Styles are never the determining factor. There is not such thing as a bad style, only people that have received either bad training or not enough training. Martial arts are not something that a person can become highly skilled at in a short time. All martial arts take decades to master and understand.
Aikido is the more refined version of aikijujitsu.
In studying Daito Ryu, one often begins with the aspects of the same that are strength oriented and are most often practiced by the younger men. This often involves wanting to completely dominate one's opponent and is a part of the "killing" aspect of the art.
That eventually leads to one toning it down a notch as they refine the application of their techniques and add a bit of finess as they begin to age and realize that the strength aspects do not last.
Finally, in the traditional third stage, one has found that is easier to abandon strength all together, expend as little energy as possible yet attain even better results by allowing the technique to actually flow rather than to try to muscle through it. One also begins to appreciate the art and realize that the total destruction of one's opponent is not necessary nor desired.
Ueshiba sought to have his students bypass the harder aspects and move more directly into the final understanding of allowing an opponent to defeat himself, during which time he also interpreted Bushido in a new way, which placed emphasis on the philosophical and spiritual aspects that lead to unity and harmony rather than power and self importance. (Remember, Ueshiba never claimed any rank ...said he was always a beginner and, that no matter what rank or level he might be at, his wife was always one rank over him...LOL).
Shiro Omiya-san, sensei, in his published work, "The Hidden Roots of Aikido" gives a very good explanation of the same. He mentions that Daito Ryu is purely martial and not a spiritual practice where Aikido, especially as taught by O Sensei in his later years and immediately prior to his death had evolved for him into a totally spiritual practice (he would show a single technique, often so quickly that it could be hard to follow, and then give a lengthy talk about the spiritual nature or true nature of Aikido.
Sincerely hoping that this all makes sense in English...LOL!
Perhaps it would make sense to say that they are made of the same rope just seen from different ends of the same....
if you are looking for "practical" then you should remember that when it comes to civilian Self Defence then Atemi is always your starting point. The throws, takedowns, joint locks, chokes/strangles of akiki-Jujuts/Aikido are only there as options if they become available.
For example, if you hit someone and the blow causes them to lean in a certain diction, then you will use one of the takedowns from aiki-jujust/Aikido to help them to the floor, the take-down isn't your starting point, you don't go looking for that when someone attacks you.
Maybe the second one.
Which is more practical?
