Makotokan Aikido

Aikido Fundamentals

Posture (Kamae)…
Whilst no-one appreciates this part of training it is the most important of all. Correct posture means balance and stability which generates unified body power (kokyu ryoku). Nothing can be accomplished from poor posture. Shioda kancho said “only through attention to posture will you discover true aiki!”.
Kamae can be practiced anywhere and should become part of your daily shugyo.

The Aikido Handblade (Tegatana)…the sword of no sword?
Aikido is derived say about 50/50 from ju-jutsu and from ken-jutsu (japanese sword fighting) the body movements in aikido in particular originate from the sword arts.. In empty handed techniques the tegatana becomes the sword and in applying techniques the feeling must be one of cutting with a sword. Hence sword cutting practice is fundamental to aikido training…..so get out there and cut!!!!!

Body Movement (Tai Sabaki)
Aikido is first and foremost an art of body movement. Movement is first used to avoid or join with an attack and secondly, through good body mechanics to transfer power into the attacker to overcome their balance. Generally aim for smooth even movement, without bobbing up and down, and aim to minimise the number of steps taken using big flowing motions in preference to pigeon steps. Also don’t forget to move from the hips and to unify the lower and upper body…..move as one!!

Working Together….
When learning aikido it is important to work WITH your partner not against them!. You are all quite capable of resisting just about all of the techniques, but this way no-one learns. The problem with aikido training is that we all know in advance what’s coming, and can therefore stop it. Real aikido is not about performing a given technique but about responding to a situation as it develops, but training is not like this. So help each other and in time you can judge when to offer just enough resistance for your partner to benefit.

Ukemi (the art of receiving technique)
Receiving techniques is at least as important as doing them. Performing as uke , as well as helping your partner to learn, teaches sensitivity and timing and teaches you about your own aikido through your partner. Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido apparently said “the secret of Aikido is in the ukemi”. So don’t undervalue this bit, try to give it as much effort and thought as doing the techniques. It is a real buzz to receive a really good throw – suddenly you’re in mid air , then you’re on the mat looking at the ceiling…and you never felt a thing….that’s ukemi!!

Hips (Koshi)
This is the most important part of the body – all movement acts through the hips. Some talk about the “tanden” a point 2 inches below the navel – this is the centre of the triangle which forms the pelvic girdle. Power is generated by the big muscles of the legs and buttocks and transferred to the hips. The upper body must link itself to the hips and move in unison in order to transfer the power effectively. So each time you practice, whether it be doing a technique, performing a movement exercise or cutting with a sword, try to be aware of your hips.

Centreing
This also relates to the hips or the hara, the lower belly area containing the tanden. The key to centring the physical body is to relax and drop the hips. Koichi Tohei of Ki Aikido uses the term “weight underside” to suggest this awareness of slightly giving in to gravity. This principle can be seen in the respective physical development in eastern martial arts masters and western athletes.
The westerner desires an inverted triangle bodyshape with broad shoulders and narrow waist (even women these days!) –this is top heavy with no stability. The old budo master in contrast has underdeveloped shoulders (he doesn’t need them!) and a bit of a paunch but can perform miracles due to his command of balance.
Centring is also about mental stability – focussing on the moment in hand and maintaining a clear undisturbed mind, but this topic is for another day (when I understand it myself).

Discipline and etiquette
Aikido is a japanese budo and contains many cultural aspects taken from Japan and in turn from the code of conduct of the samurai warrior caste who ruled Japan from the 12th to the 19th Century. In those days failure to behave correctly could result in the loss of your head!!. We are not Japanese however and we are certainly not that harsh in imposing discipline. In fact O’sensei, founder of Aikido, stated that it should be practiced with a joyful spirit, so we need not be over serious.
Aikido’s etiquette (reigi) exists for 3 reasons:-
1. It provides a focus for the mind, a series of mini-meditations.
2. It ensures that we practice orderly and safely.
3. It is simply part of what Aikido is and represents. If we remove these cultural aspects then it is no longer Aikido.
If you intend to stick at Aikido it is worth getting familiar with the etiquette as if you venture to other dojo’s or to seminars, especially those conducted by Japanese sensei, you may find that you don’t get past the door!

Respect your Elders!(and while you’re at it..lose that ego!)
As mentioned above Aikido as a form of Japanese Budo brings with it certain cultural aspects. One very important one is the Sempai-Kohai relationship. Very basically this dictates that one should respect ones seniors (higher grades). In Japan longevity (duration of training) is more important than talent, so no matter what you think of your seniors, even if you think…”I could have him/her easily!” you must show respect and furthermore offer assistance when required. This relationship is a 2 edged sword since the senior has a responsibility to assist and guide the junior.
Acceptance of your place in the pecking order of Aikido is an important step in subjugating your ego. The ego is a major obstacle to learning a martial art and failure to master it generally leads to failure and quitting. We ALL struggle with our ego’s from time to time, but do try to be mindful of it and try to be self correcting and don’t wait to be asked when an apology is due.

Giving, Receiving and Saying Thanks
Aikido as we all know is about harmony. Since there is no competition and no competitiveness, training is all about giving and receiving. Giving of yourself as uke to assist your partner is perhaps the most important bit. This should be done wholeheartedly, unreservedly but with care to provide the best ukemi you can give.
The most important aspect of the role or tori is the gratitude you express to your uke afterwards.

Enthuse!!!!
There’s nothing better than to see enthusiasm in the dojo. In Budo we must give 110% in our training. It is said we must train as if this were our last moment on earth or as if our life depended on it. There is no room for a lukewarm attitude!! So on sensei’s command always run to your position and respond to sensei with a loud “Osu!” If you know what is required, take the initiative and don’t wait to be told. This attitude will rub off onto others and our whole experience of aikido will become richer, more intense and more enjoyable.

Cleaning
We must never overlook the cleaning of the dojo!! The dojo is a sacred space and must be respected as such. Part of this respect is keeping it clean. Furthermore the act of cleaning is considered a lowly task which humbles us when we perform it, helping us to subdue our ego’s and creating the right attitude for training. Also, fundamental to Aikido is the principle of “misogi” or purification. One aspect of misogi is cleaning your environment. The cleansing of your environment is part of the training to perfect your spirit, so please don’t under-rate it and perform it with as much enthusiasm as your aikido.

Everyday Aikido
Aikido is not like an aerobics class – you shouldn’t just arrive, practice, then go home and forget about it. Aikido is a way of life and the key principles should be lived every day:- posture, centreing and balance, attitude, discipline, courtesy, non-resistance, harmonising, awareness etc, etc. Also if you’re serious about budo you should supplement your practice with study to get an insight into the culture and history. There is a plethora of excellent written material to be had!. If all this seems a bit over the top…there’s an aerobics class up the road.

Unbending Arm
You should by now be familiar with this idea, i.e. how the arm is stronger when relaxed and extended rather than tensed. If not ask an instructor, because this is absolutely fundamental to all aikido techniques. Play with this idea from time to time so that you can maintain the feeling! The unbending arm features in ALL aikido techniques so is an important feeling to aquire.

Don’t Fink….Feel!!!!
Yes this old chestnut from Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon, whilst cuffing his young disciple round the ear! Its true though!, no martial art should be approached too analytically, it just leads to confusion and frustration. Martial arts are what I call “right brain activities”, i.e. they are about spacial awareness, timing and co-ordination which are essentially intuitive and experiential.
By all means study aikido books, analyse your performance in class and quiz your teacher, but don’t get too hung up on technicalities. Things will turn out fine if you just stick with it and put in some effort.

Persevere!!!
Aikido is one of the more complex and subtle martial arts. Generally the kicking and punching arts (karate, kung fu, kickboxing etc.) are much simpler technically and therefore easier to master. Because of its complexity it is wrong to offer up aikido as a form of self defence. Yes it can be excellent self defence, BUT (notice it’s a big but) it takes at least 10 years to get to a level where it could be effective and useful on “the streets”.
Aikido may appear complicated enough just by the appearance of its techniques, but this is the easy bit!. The real skills are invisible and cannot really be taught, your body has to learn these through long term training.
So the only qualities you really need for aikido is a genuine interest and perseverance , the rest will come with time!………
Budoka…..”master what is the secret of aikido?”
Master….”practice, practice and….more practice”
Budoka…. “and……..?”
Master…...”more practice!”
Budoka….”uh?”

Concentrate!!…Be Aware! or die!!!!
There is too much slackness in the dojo. (this is a general statement that applies probably everywhere.)
Real Budo demands total awareness in every aspect of practice. The dojo is a battlefield and one seconds lapse of concentration could mean death. So be aware, especially in those little moments in between……….

Think Angles
If you’re trying to unbalance your partner and it’s not happening take a glance at his/her feet. Imagine a line between the two feet.
The best direction for taking the balance is perpendicular to that line (or close to it). You may need to rethink your angles or alternatively (in the case of kihon practice) it may be that uke’s posture is wrong, help them correct it and review the technique.
This is a basic and irrefutable principle of physics, try to keep it in mind.

Question Everything but have patience also
Don’t just accept everything you are told as absolute gospel. Some things may not work for you, some may not work at all. Beware however, the main reason for ineffective technique is yourself . If I had £1 for every technique I have questioned, I would be rich by now, but these days I’m not so quick to pass judgement as in the majority of cases I was wrong. Often it takes years for the “truth” of a particular technique or movement to materialise. Stick at it and see!

Belts
Try not to get fixated on achieving the next belt colour. It pays not to be too goal orientated in the martial arts. Rapid progress is shallow and short lived , it takes time to build strong foundations and that’s what you need. Remember …a belt is there to hold your dogi jacket together (there are no buttons in the martial arts!), that’s all!.

Empty Cup
Steven Seagal said that moreso than any other martial art, it is important to come to aikido with an empty cup i.e no preconceived notions about how things should be done, what works and what doesn’t. Without this beginners mind progress either won’t happen or will become painfully slow. Effective aikido depends on correct use of the body – not simply knowing the mechanics of the techniques. This often leads to people thinking that they understand a technique before they really do, sometimes judging it as inneffective. So please try to bring your “Shoshin” or beginners mind when you come to practice!.

Art Attack
Being an uke during practice is not just about receiving a technique, it is also about delivering an honest and (within the limits of your partners ability) realistic attack. A weak or misdirected attack doesn’t even need defending against. Aikido is based on using uke’s power and momentum against them, if your attack has neither then there can be no Aikido…yes its that important!!!
So practice your attacks and stay focussed on your actions when you are the attacker. A good attack also adds that essential bit of intensity and risk to the practice that makes for “real” budo.

The loneliness of the long distance aikidoka
When all is said and done, the path of aikido or any budo is a lonely one. A teacher can only point the way – its up to you to walk it. Also, whilst your dojo may have a friendly atmosphere of mutual assistance, your budo path is unique to you , no-one else’s experience is quite the same….the frustrations, the intense self criticism,so really you’re on your own. Learn to recognise this loneliness and be comfortable with it.

In conclusion
It is of course not really possible to conclude on such a deep and profound subject as Aikido, especially as all I’ve done is open a can of worms! and probably missed some important points completely!
Please note that this hobby or fitness regime you have taken up (i.e. Aiki) is in fact neither of these things, nor is it just another martial arts trophy to add to your collection. Aikido is a true ‘Way of Life’ with its own unique philosophy. Aikido , like Zen or the Tao must be “lived” every day not just reserved for a few hours a week in the dojo.
Now that I’ve frightened everyone off please note that these views are my own personal ones and do not necessarily correspond to those of the Koshinkan, Shinwakai, BAB , New Labour, U.N, NATO , Al Quaeda or other powers that be!

Osu !!!!!!!!!

Tony