"New" techniques.
When studying the Aikido of Yamada sensei I encountered a lot of techniques which aren't part of the traditional Aikikai Aikido curriculum. At least in my country, the Netherlands, I haven't seen them much.
So a fresh look at Aikido is what you can take from this.
Next, 3 clips with nice techniques.
Enjoy practice.
The way I try to approach Aikido training could be summarized as follows: Feel the technique as well as understanding what's going on. The feeling part of training is best understood with your body during partner training. This is probably the largest part of Aikido training. Studying and understanding how the body works and techniques are built is the part I also try to include. So study, practice and contemplate.
In the years I've been doing this, a simple principle arose and while testing this approach I've come to believe it's a valid set of tips to be used in practice. The theory is like this: When confronted with resistance of your uke there are three things to do or a combination of those three components.
1. Make center to center contact and move as a single unit.
2. Use the on/off principle.
3. "Walk" around point of resistance or contact.
In every single technique of every martial art these 3 components are present. So Judo, BJJ, Wrestling etc. all include these principles. Therefore Aikido is no different. What sets Aikido apart from these practices would be the possibility of training these concepts in a joyful, relaxed and non competitive environment.
Three examples in Aikido would be:
1. Center to center contact and move as one unit.
- Fujita sensei
- Saito sensei
- Yamada sensei
- Ikeda sensei
2. Use the on/off principle.
- Endo sensei and his students
3. "Walk" around point of contact
- Tissier sensei
- Doshu Ueshiba
Of course the three parts have to be mixed and used effortlessly. When one studies closely most Aikidoka's will use these three components with good effect.
Enjoy practice.
Yamada sensei uses hand and wrist movements known as te-sabaki. These movements are not only done in isolation but rather powered and connected to the hara. Hip rotation and hand movements are an expression of whole body power and connection to the hip joints, and when standing, the feet are essential. In the next clip Yamada sensei can be seen to use te-sabaki skills to perform nikkyo. From 03:15 ...
In Daito ryu aikijitsu hand and wrist movements are frequently used and called aiki age and aiki sage. A good time to study these often forgotten hand movements.
Enjoy practice.
Yamada sensei nikkyo.
Yamada sensei has a great sense of unbalancing uke through the use of his kokyu power. Kuzushi points like sumi and mae otoshi are used to excellent effect. When uke is on one foot he uses the direction where uke has no balance with an up down movement of his arms. Kuzushi is obvious one of the basics of Judo as shown in the next photo.
The use of kuzushi points is best seen in his nikkyo ura techniques.
Enjoy practice.
Yamada sensei using "Zhan Zhuang" arms.
When searching for Youtube video's concerning Aikido one will see a lot of high ranked Aikido practitioners from the Aikikai Aikido system. One sensei who I think has a lot in common with my previous study object, Fujita sensei, is Yoshimitsu Yamada sensei. Based in New York, his style of Aikido can be intensively studied on Youtube. Although I've never studied with this sensei a lot of information can be obtained through video study.
Fujita and Yamada sensei both have a style of Aikido which emphasizes the round structure of the arms and back. I refer to this style as the "Zhan Zhuang style" of Aikido. Of course this isn't an official kind of Aikido but rather a description of the focus on postural alignment of primarily the arms. They are frequently held in the posture resembling the Zhan Zhuang Chi Kung excercise.
They can both be seen to use the arms and round the back in the most structural sound position, the circle.
Their legs are in a triangular stance derived from the sword arts. The hip joints are square to focus their power. This combination allows them to use kokyu power with an emphasis on structure and movement.
Next clip will serve as an introduction to the Aikido of Yamada sensei. Notice the round arms and advanced use of kokyu nage.
Enjoy practice.
Connection.
During a seminar from Mori sensei from Aikikai Hombu Dojo he would stress this point continuously. A connection has to arise during the contact of tori and uke. This connection will allow both body structures to become one. Also referred to as " One body". Ikeda sensei explains this phenomenon by saying unity and unity become one unity. Also a book from his lessons has been created about this center to center contact. Once this connection is recognized by feeling sensitivity the appropriate techniques will become available.
My Aikido training at this moment is mainly about creating this connection, maintaining it and use it to execute the movements which are most natural and effortless. I guess a lot of Aikidoka will make a lot of progress once they will shift their attention to connection instead of forcing techniques. Connection is a feeling which every newcomer to an Aikido class will recognize instantly and can be "learned" within 5 minutes. In the Aikido community it is seen as an advanced skill, but I think the usage of connection under stress is advanced, the recognition and feeling of connection isn't. It's a human skill which is a natural feeling and therefore available to every living human being.
In my view the most appropriate training method would be Suwariwaza Kokyu Ho. Once accustomed to this feeling all Aikido techniques will be filled with energy, ki, aliveness or whatever word is used to describe this feeling.
Following a clip which contains the ingredients for connection work in kokyu dosa.
Yoshi Shibata sensei in action.
Enjoy practice.
Shuchu ryoku.
This principle is known as the focusing of whole body power and movement into a single point. This can be a strike, a throw, a projection into a kuzushi point or an immobilization technique. I have come to know this principle by studying Yoshinkan Aikido. This would be one of their main characteristics.
Following a clip of Gozo shioda sensei. Try to identify the principle at work.
How to develop this kind of "power". Practice your posture and bacic techniques while giving attention to the focusing of body, breath power and mind into a single point. With time you will develop focused power.
"There are no advanced techniques, just the basics applied well"
Enjoy practice.
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