Spirit of Aikido (As I Understand It)

In my five years of training I have come to understand the spirit of Aikido as a peaceful option to violence.  At the heart of Aikido is the ability to make the attacker and defender equals, so that there is no winner or loser.  No one is beaten or injured (seriously), and the attacker sees the error of his/her ways.

Though Aikido is peaceful, it is not demure or submissive.  For a technique to work, one must be aware of her surroundings.  This includes the attacker(s) and the space in which you move.  If you are unaware, the attacker will overcome you before you know what is happening.  If you are unaware of the surroundings, you may trip and fall, or throw your attacker into a brick wall or off a cliff.  (These are extreme examples.)  I’ve heard spectators at Aikido demonstrations say that often they had trouble telling who attacked first.  To me, this means that nage’s response to uke must take place at nearly the same time as uke commits to the attack.

Aside from a few Aikido novels, most of what I learned has been through training and listening to my instructors.  Books are certainly useful, but they are purely supplementary.  It is impossible to truly understand Aikido without doing it.

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Categorized as Aikido

118 comments

  1. Nice post.

    I’d argue that nage must commit to her technique before uke attacks, when uke forms the intent to commit violence. This, I think, is accomplished by your stance, or hanmi, which leads uke into certain movements.

    In randori, I think leading is even more crucial. Dee tells us that as soon as we connect with uke, our focus should shift to our second uke and, before she can commit to the attack, close the distance and enter, irimi, to the side. At that point, uke’s options are collapsed, since nage has removed any openings.

    I remember a seminar taught by Yamada Sensei where a high ranking student (now shihan) was training. I was a white belt at the time. I was so nervous, he took my balance just by turning towards me. Perfect irimi!

  2. One more point. I’m not sure whether it’s possible or even necessary for an attacker to see the “error of her ways” after a technique is performed. Although we take responsibility for uke’s safety during a technique, for ethical and other reasons, it is impossible to take responsibility for her actions, especially after the confrontation ends.

    But that’s not really the point, is it? By acting nonviolently ourselves, we act ethically regardless of uke’s response. We achieve, I think, what O’Sensei intended, despite the persistence of evil.

    Remember that the lessons aren’t always for uke.

  3. One last comment. (I promise!)

    This post brings to mind your earlier post, regarding the reasons to consider the deshi program.

    I think a decent answer regarding the spirit of Aikido is service, to yourself, your attacker, and according to O’Sensei, the world.

    Is that not the lesson you’re learning during your apprenticeship?

  5. I was mostly talking about one on one attacker. Randori is a different situation. I was also speaking of the ideal situation in Aikido. Ideally the attacker would be impressed by your skill or confused that they were unharmed and feel ashamed for attacking you in the first place.

  6. Ideally, I think you’re right. I also think yours is the mainstream view of our art.

    It’s just that the gulf between ideals and reality is awfully wide….

    There are some other issues here that are too involved for a blog comment.

  9. when im bending your arm to the brink of breaking while your eating dirt or concrete, i would hope you will see the error of your ways..

  10. What a great seminar! Thank you Lane Sensei, Dee, our friends from Daytona and Orange Park, and all our wonderful students.

  12. grassHopper, which one? As I recall, I captured her three times….

    Is there no one who can challenge me?

    Incogneto 5-0
    grassHopper 3-0
    MM 1-0

    (Although I am 2-2 with Sensei. My only losses since law school….)

    Edited (Jerry)

  16. Jerry, I love how you waited till the blog entittled “the Spirit of Aikido” to post the win/loss record for your games (I am a big fan of irony you see).

    My new favorate quote: “When an opponent comes forward, move in and greet him; if he wants to pull back, send him on his way.” -O-Sensei

  18. That quote makes it sound like you are greeting and biding fair well to a friend. That is what I strive for, personally (wheather it is realizable of not is immaterial in my mind because I don’t believe in perfection). I can’t think of a better way to summerize Tonya’s message for the post :~)

  22. I tend to favor DK’s point of view.

    Agreed on the seminar, though I am only now beginning to recover the full use of my body. Aspirin, ibuprofin: my friends.

  28. They did a lung biopsy on dad today. he made it through the surgery alright, a sample of lung tissue was sent to the lab hopefully it will tell us what he has because they still dont know. if it is viral like they are thinking all it will take is time. He is stablizing, so..baby steps

    Mom may be forcing me to go to class, she says my nerves are shooting through the roof, so it will depend on things

  34. Grady sensei, just so you know your influence is lasting and appreciated, we focused on the yokomenuchi kokyunage with leg trap that you taught on Saturday for most of the class on Monday, both the technique and the ukemi. I think it helped burn it in our brains. It was also good for us to look at the difference between this entry and how we typically enter for makiotoshi.

    Thanks again, sensei, for your seminar and support.

    Edited by Admin (Jerry)

  35. I enjoyed the seminar very much,Grady sensei. I was reminded during the seminar of a ryotetori technique that you taught at a previous seminar (tenkan, step back with the counter intuitve foot and iriminage – or something similar). The memory trigger was probably the yokomenuchi kokyunage at the moment when nage’s foot slides past uke’s leg – counter intuitive for both. So thanks for the opportunity to come into the dojo and leave the normal world behind for awhile.

  37. So…the twelve yokomen entrances I taught yesterday, for your reading pleasure.

    (1) irimi entrance to the striking side, irimi-nage to chin.
    (2) irimi-tenkan under the cut, holding onto wrist, irimi-nage to chin.
    (3) irimi-tenkan to the striking side, leading off the back foot, kokyu-nage.
    (4) irimi-tenkan to the striking side, grabbing the wrist from behind, kote-gaeshi. (First saw this technique demonstrated with Lane Sensei, by the way.)
    (5) irimi to the striking side, deflect cut over head, irimi-nage.
    (6) tenshin cutting over the arm, shiho-nage.
    (7) tenshin cutting under the arm, ikkyo.
    (8) irimi down the center line, tenkan, irimi-nage after another tenkan (Learned this technique at Waite Sensei’s seminar in Jax.)
    (9) irimi to the open side, tenkan facing away from uke, ude-kiminage. MM’s favorite technique. 😉 (First saw at Penny Bernath Sensei’s seminar in Jax.)
    (10) irimi-kaiten to open side, kokyu-nage. (Nice technique for tachi-tori. Take note, Corne.)
    (11) irimi-tenkan to open side, makio-toshi.
    And, when uke strikes incorrectly….
    (12) direct sankyo to other hand.

  38. I need to work on number 9… it just feels so awkward for me out of everything. I never encountered it until yesterday and it defeated me lol… i’ve felt like a bag of lead this week. i need a vacation from work!!

    maybe i’ll work on that technique tonight at open mat.

  40. It’s a sophisticated technique, MM. I think it is also misunderstood for that reason.

    As I see it, there are two issues here. The first is connection. The most common objection: “Why on earth would I turn my back on uke? Are you insane?!”

    Actually, no. Nage *knows* how uke, as a swordsman, will strike, once the opening becomes clear. Once uke raises for yokomen, he has two options.

    First, he can continue the yokomen strike, which is what nage expects. Why? Because it is not realistic for uke *wielding a sword* to switch to another attack. Aikido is based on swordwork, and it would be silly for uke to, say, drop the blade and attempt a takedown. It makes no martial sense. So uke continues the strike and the technique is performed.

    Second, he can *stop* the cut and discontinue the attack. In that case, no technique is necessary.

    Since nage *knows* that uke must continue the strike, nage can maintain connection even when he momentarily looks away.

    It is a sophisticated concept of connection, but it’s there.

    Second, there is the issue of martial effectiveness. Joel, a yudansha from Austin Aikikai, actually helped me piece this together. The entrance is similar to a kendo entrance. For this reason, the empty hand technique really only makes sense when you see it performed with bokken.

    As nage enters irimi, she raises her bokken for a “do” cut to the midsection. This is the atemi (implied in the empty hand version) which cuts down (i.e. kills) uke. As nage tenkans, she then cuts the wrist which prevents uke’s momentum from slicing her. Empty handed this translates into a variety of techniques.

    This is the reason that nage should raise her arms and strike shomen to uke’s wrist, as she enters and turns. It puts nage in position to complete the technique.

  41. What happens when uke follows a left hook with a quick right as would be typical in any street fight? This thought, coupled with my own difficulty in finding uke’s arm after the turn make this one of my least favorite techniques.

  42. That’s why this is Aikido, and not boxing.

    As you know, Aikido technique is derived from sword technique. A swordsman who let go of his weapon to deliver a right hook, is a soon-to-be-deceased swordsman.

    What we do is not about street fighting….

  43. To elaborate.

    It is a common mistake to equate Aikido technique with “street fighting” or the “octagon” or whatever. Every martial art carries its own assumptions.

    Just as it is silly to imagine an Aikidoka armed with a katana in the octagon, so is it silly to imagine that Aikido practice has any direct relevance to a street fight. (Unless that street happens to be in 19th century Japan).

    More to the point, what we do is budo, which is not about fighting–it is about not fighting.

    This is not to say that the principles of Aikido are irrelevant to other types of conflict, both verbal and physical. I think they are quite relevant, in particular the concept of awareness, relaxation, zanshin, etc. The techniques, however, are a different story. They are pretty clearly derived from swordplay. (See, e.g., shiho-nage).

  46. Thank you Jerry, and thanks for showing me quickly this evening. I understand why it is done. It will take a lot of practice before I’m not frankly afraid. :/

    Grasshopper: What’s up?
    Email if it is important: xmaggie_mayx@msn.com

    PEACE!!!

  47. Since the subject of boxing came up… if some one started moving into a left hook as it was coming, the natural response to a boxer would be to put more power behind the hook to catch the opponent off guard. A hook isn’t a power punch, but it is coming in from a relative blind spot to the temple (a very flat and relatively weak part of the skull). If it hits full power (which is still not equal to most straights or upper cuts) fractures around the base of the crown have been known to happen (in professional circles mostly, but still). It is a one hit knock out, so they would by all means go for it full blast as soon as they saw you move in. Boxers are also known to fall very easily if their “enthusiastic” blows do not land. Just the act of not making contact when they put all their weight behind a blow can make them stumble. That is why they jab, it causes collateral damage, distracts the opponent, hides power blows, and measures distance. This technique is very applicable to a left hook because they would not give up an opening so easily if they want to win and you can only put so much of your body weight behind a single punch at one time, but it would also be illegal in a ring. The best advice I can give is that if a boxer is bothering you, get out of the ring :~)

    Seriously though, very few people can go 4 rounds with a boxer, so simply in terms of physical conditioning, I don’t think may of us would do well. They probably wouldn’t even do try to knock you out fast if they know you lack physical stamina. Tire you out over 2 or 3 rounds of jabbing and wait for a ref stop would be the easiest way to win. If you were in a street fight with a boxer, threaten to have his boxing license revoked for street fighting (all the leagues have a 0 tolerance policy for acts of criminal violence in this state, or at least did when my friend was still in it).

    If it were a street fight, this would be unideal because you don’t know how an untrained person is going to react. They don’t usually do what you expect them to. When I first learned Sankyo for instance, I tried it you on a friend. He turned into the pain to try to break my grip and I let go so I didn’t twist his wrist off. Common sense is not so common.

  48. You’re quite welcome, MM. I’ve also seen Yamada Sensei demonstrate this technique, on video IIRC.

    Incogneto, who knew you were a fountain of boxing knowledge! Have you sparred?

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