Aikido Techniques
Hold Your Breath
Focus, Intention, and the Value in the Pause. “Breathe in,” Sensei said as he raised his sword to the sky, aligning it with his midline as if it were a lightning rod. “Imagine drawing energy down this line, to concentrate it here,” the sword sunk into a ready position, held at the hara, the physical…
Read MoreDon’t Be a Destroyer
There is another way. Recently, I was introducing Aikido to a student who came to try out the Kids Aikido class. While practicing our basic tai no henko, he looked at me and asked, “and then do you break their arm?” He was not joking, nor did he show any hint of malice. It’s not…
Read MoreKey Elements Underlying Aikido
The 3 forms of keiko (training) include Kihon, Yawarakai, and Ki no Nagare. 1. Kihon is rock solid, or diamond. One idea is if nage can deal with this, moving energy will make other forms even more manageable. 2. Yawarakai is flexible, like “flowing bamboo”. Not fast, but rhythmical. 3. Ki no Nagare is flowing,…
Read MoreThree Techniques That Have Everything
O-Sensei once said that a student could learn all the basics of Aikido if he practiced just three techniques tai-no-henko, morotedori-kokyuho, and suwariwaza-kokyuho. Given the seemingly endless number of different waza and their variations, techniques? Morihiro Saito-Sensei begins his “Takemusu Aikido” (Vol. I)instruction book with these same three techniques. There is something special happening here. The three principles of…
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