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Ki Musubi no Tachi Kumitachi examined
Blending with your opponent's movements and taking advantage of the opening and energy presented by an attack is central to Aikido. This general principle is captured and trained into the Aikidoka through awase practice. There are a number of awase practices in both...
Kumitachi – in search of the origins
It's well known that Saito Sensei developed the 5 kumitachi kata. No doubt these katas were developed from the training he received from the founder, O'Sensei. In this post, we explore the surviving archival film of O'Sensei in search of the origins of the 5 kata....
Ikkyo Ura – using stop motion to examine learn and master
INTRODUCTION Ura techniques are probably harder to learn than omote techniques because they often involve a 180-degree turn. Keeping your training partner in your centre and trying not to get ahead of the technique and pull your partner around, or in front of the...
Being a good uke in Aikido is perhaps the hardest skill to learn
INTRODUCTION First some definitions for beginners. Uke is the person doing the attacking, Nage is the person defending themselves with a throw or pin, Dori is a grabbing attack such as grabbing the wrist, performed by uke, Atemi is a striking attack performed by uke,...
Morote Dori Examined
Morote Dori was one of O'Sensei's principle techniques. In this article, we look at Saito Sensei performing the technique; breaking it down in slow motion to capture the detail. LET'S EXAMINE THE SLOW MOTION VIDEO FIRST. MOROTE DORI IN DETAILStanding in hanmi...
Ikkyo Omote – Examining the first pinning technique with stop motion
Ikkyo is one of O'Sensie's most important techniques. To the beginner or the uninitiated, it looks simple but there is so much going on that it is important to study it closely. It is said that beginners would practice nothing but two techniques, Ikkyo and Shiho Nage...