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Generalities
Main Concepts
Main Techniques
Generalities
First and foremost, Aikido is an internal martial art. It is the strength of your opponent which is used against him and not your own physical strength. The aikidoka learns to change the course of the attack. A good technique, a knowledge of proper balance, of ducking, of the vital points is more important than muscle.
Many external martial arts such as judo or taek-won-do (a Korean martial art) have entered competition and its spirit, which is an error and a betrayal of the budo for some, contrary to many internal martial arts like Aikido or tai-chi-chuan (a Chinese martial art at the origin of many others).
Furthermore, the practionners are not asked to go beyond their own limitations. This is why Aikido and many other internal budo can be practiced by everyone whatever the age, sex or fitness, and with any partner (who is not your opponent). You have to respect your partner and his limitations: after all, you want someone to practice with...
You are not supposed to annihilate the attacker, but to control, duck or change the course of the attack. You should ideally make him understand his attack is useless thanks to your flawless techniques, your avoiding the blow or your ki (breath, energy) alone if you are an wizened old master.
There should be no direct confrontation and all your moves should be fluid and supple. Indeed, this is why women, who are usually not as strong as men, are not at a disadvantage. Better yet, if you cannot use brute force to control someone, you have no other choice than concentrate on your technique. By mastering his moves and his position, the aikidoka should be able to control any attack.
Main Concepts
A practitionner studies two forms of most techniques: omote and ura, also called irimi and tenkan.
Omote is often translated as 'positive', 'forward' (which is the meaning of irimi). You go towards uke (the attacker) while preventing his attack to follow its course.
Ura is its 'negative' and often involves a tenkan (U-turn on your front foot). The attack can follow its course and its force is sent back to uke.
Those two aspects of one technique are considered and studied together.
The aikidoka must always be in control of his ma-ai and de-ai.
Ma-ai is the distance between uke and tori (attacker and attacked). Tori must always be able to hit uke if needs be but also to avoid any blow: he must be in the right place at the right time. Besides, his mind must be attentive and ready for anything: ma-ai is as much about the body as it is about the mind.
De-ai is the proper timing. You have to act at just the right time, neither to early nor too late, which asks for both concentration and open-mindedness. You shouldn't focus on a single blade or fist but on a whole.
Main Techniques
There are six pillars to Aikido, i.e. main techniques from which you work and which can be used against any attack.
Shiho nage: 'throw in the four directions'. It is usually among the first techniques you learn.
Irimi nage: 'throw while entering', 'forward throw'. This technique exists in its omote and ura form despite its name.
Kaiten: 'rotation'.
Kokyu nage: 'breathing', 'rhythm'. These throwing techniques are very varied and do not lock the joints. They are based on the proper rhythm, execution and use of ki (breath, energy) of the aikidoka.
Osae wasa: these techniques end on locks to immobilize uke. The main ones are Ikkyo, Nikyo, Sankyo, Yonkyo, Gokkyo ('first principle', 'second principle'...). Each principle has two forms, omote and ura. There are also variants.
Ushiro waza: 'techniques from the back'. They correspond to this kind of attacks (opens a new window).
Soon on this page: illustrations for the various techniques.
Main Concepts
Main Techniques
Generalities
First and foremost, Aikido is an internal martial art. It is the strength of your opponent which is used against him and not your own physical strength. The aikidoka learns to change the course of the attack. A good technique, a knowledge of proper balance, of ducking, of the vital points is more important than muscle.
Many external martial arts such as judo or taek-won-do (a Korean martial art) have entered competition and its spirit, which is an error and a betrayal of the budo for some, contrary to many internal martial arts like Aikido or tai-chi-chuan (a Chinese martial art at the origin of many others).
Furthermore, the practionners are not asked to go beyond their own limitations. This is why Aikido and many other internal budo can be practiced by everyone whatever the age, sex or fitness, and with any partner (who is not your opponent). You have to respect your partner and his limitations: after all, you want someone to practice with...
You are not supposed to annihilate the attacker, but to control, duck or change the course of the attack. You should ideally make him understand his attack is useless thanks to your flawless techniques, your avoiding the blow or your ki (breath, energy) alone if you are an wizened old master.
There should be no direct confrontation and all your moves should be fluid and supple. Indeed, this is why women, who are usually not as strong as men, are not at a disadvantage. Better yet, if you cannot use brute force to control someone, you have no other choice than concentrate on your technique. By mastering his moves and his position, the aikidoka should be able to control any attack.
Main Concepts
A practitionner studies two forms of most techniques: omote and ura, also called irimi and tenkan.
Omote is often translated as 'positive', 'forward' (which is the meaning of irimi). You go towards uke (the attacker) while preventing his attack to follow its course.
Ura is its 'negative' and often involves a tenkan (U-turn on your front foot). The attack can follow its course and its force is sent back to uke.
Those two aspects of one technique are considered and studied together.
The aikidoka must always be in control of his ma-ai and de-ai.
Ma-ai is the distance between uke and tori (attacker and attacked). Tori must always be able to hit uke if needs be but also to avoid any blow: he must be in the right place at the right time. Besides, his mind must be attentive and ready for anything: ma-ai is as much about the body as it is about the mind.
De-ai is the proper timing. You have to act at just the right time, neither to early nor too late, which asks for both concentration and open-mindedness. You shouldn't focus on a single blade or fist but on a whole.
Main Techniques
There are six pillars to Aikido, i.e. main techniques from which you work and which can be used against any attack.
Shiho nage: 'throw in the four directions'. It is usually among the first techniques you learn.
Irimi nage: 'throw while entering', 'forward throw'. This technique exists in its omote and ura form despite its name.
Kaiten: 'rotation'.
Kokyu nage: 'breathing', 'rhythm'. These throwing techniques are very varied and do not lock the joints. They are based on the proper rhythm, execution and use of ki (breath, energy) of the aikidoka.
Osae wasa: these techniques end on locks to immobilize uke. The main ones are Ikkyo, Nikyo, Sankyo, Yonkyo, Gokkyo ('first principle', 'second principle'...). Each principle has two forms, omote and ura. There are also variants.
Ushiro waza: 'techniques from the back'. They correspond to this kind of attacks (opens a new window).
Soon on this page: illustrations for the various techniques.