Kaze Uta Budo Kai Forum Archive

1. a principle defines WHAT is Aikido - or what is not.


So what is Aikido...or what it ain't??? Suggestions?

I usually think of principles as the pillars of the art. These are some ideas I wanted to throw together. I'm probably missing some, but this should give us some stuff to discuss.

As to what is or isn't Aikido... that's a deep subject. I'll have to ponder that one for a bit.


So, here's a list of things I try to keep in mind for my part of the equation:

• Weight evenly distributed on the balls of the feet[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Knees slightly bent (automagically addresses the above item)[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Erect posture -- if your shoulders are behind your butt, or your nose is past your toes you're in trouble[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Unbendable arm -- The tool for delivery of energy and controlling the space of the engagement[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Cock wrist at the beginning of a technique -- Engages back muscles & loosens uke's grip during releases[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Engage the second hand -- don't let it do nothing. Why engage only half of your back muscles?[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Keep hands inside the box of the shoulders -- otherwise Judo players smile a lot at straight arms[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Eye contact -- Looking your opponent in the eyes, your peripheral vision should pick on uke's feet, otherwise you're too close.[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Move from your center[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Play your partner as if he/she were bigger, stronger and more skilled. Do not permit yourself to use strength alone to accomplish technique, because one day you will encounter someone bigger, stronger and more skilled. See if you can do technique light enough for it to fail.[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Observe the natural rise and fall of the body. Whether acting as uke or tori, always watch the rise and fall of the body.[/*:m:178sgy3d]

These might or might not be considered principles, per se. But, I'll toss them out here anyway.

As tori:

• Keep moving -- stationary targets are easy to hit. With continual motion comes continual delivery of energy.[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Disrupt uke's balance (kuzushi), and try to not let him/her have it back[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Terminate technique -- We should terminate each and every throw[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Don't be greedy -- don't try to make technique happen. [/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Uke drives -- You must throw uke on his timing, not yours; not when you want to, but when uke's body is ready to be thrown.[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Be conscious of space -- Walls, partners, safety boundaries. Even after the throw is terminated, control the space. Don't let uke close in on you. Those pesky Judo players love to crowd Aikido people's maai. [/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• When uke is on the ground, stay close enough to provide cover to keep anyone from being thrown on your partner, but try to avoid being close enough to be kicked or grabbed.[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Don't help uke up. You will do in the real world what you do in practice.[/*:m:178sgy3d]

As uke:

• Give a sincere, real, committed attack each and every time.[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Attack as if you were about one rank higher than your partner; keep it challenging, but not impossible.[/*:m:178sgy3d]
  
• Give feedback. If there's an issue with technique, fix it. If your partner is doing stuff that leaves the door open for other bad things, tell them & show.[/*:m:178sgy3d]

In order to flush out what principles actually are, I am trying to figure out what aikido IS.


Give me one principle that defines aikido versus everything else.





I will add your list to my longer on, to start whittling down what the core principles are - rather than preferences.

Yeah, I was looking at you idea #2 in the other post, and thought my response might fall in that category but what the heck.

So far as what it is and what it ain't, how about turning to the dictionary?

Merriam Websters dictionary defines it as, "a Japanese art of self-defense employing locks and holds and utilizing the principle of nonresistance to cause an opponent's own momentum to work against him".

Merriam Websters dictionary defines it as, "a Japanese art of self-defense employing locks and holds and utilizing the principle of nonresistance to cause an opponent's own momentum to work against him".

I was just looking at dictionaries myself.



How does the above definition differ from Jujitsu, Judo, Bujinkan Tai Jitsu ...etc ???

interesting defining something using the principle word 'principle of nonresistance'

Is Aikido unique?

The techniques of aikido are not unique. Every jujutsu, chin'na, te, tai chi chuan, iaido for that matter, will have most of the same techniques. The human body only locks up, or goes into catastrophic failure of equilibrium, in so many ways. The difference is how and why it is done. An essential definition that I focus on is attaching to the opponent's energy. Attaching to energy may be invasive or evasive. In all cases it is by definition non-resistant, even if you initiate the movement of energy you are attaching to (stimulating a reaction). Even this principle is not unique, it just classifies aikido as an 'soft, internal' art. Another related non-unique, defining factor is the intention not being to "win" but to transcend victory and defeat, to remove fear and desire, and to de-escalate violence. Attaching this to aggressive energy tends to dissipate it by removing contention. The 'ethical' dimension can just be a tactic, but it can function on all levels as a fundamental life principle.

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10)

Aikido is one particular incarnation of a perennial mode of interaction with violence, with the typical Japanese cultural style of simplicity and artistic balance, organization and efficiency, which can be described as "elegance". That character may best define what is unique about aikido.

Lou Fernbaugh pondered this question and wrote a definition of aikido a little while back -- its still up on my office wall :

"Aikido:
Training the subconscious, and nervous system
Based on Principles, not unique actions
Leading to a reactive mode of moving
Allowing a seemingly endless stream of adaptive variations."

Kevin Anderson recently told me a good one:

"Aikido doesn't work! -- aikido just happens."

Thanks for the help.

I distilled the thoughts down.

http://tomikiaikido.blogspot.com/2010/0 ... ality.html