Aikidō

Remark 1
合氣道 maybe spelled Aikidō. This is most helpful in languages like German. People recognize that there is something special about the “o”. Indeed, the emphasis (long vowel) in the pronounciation is applied to “o”. In contrast, people often emphasize “ki” accidentally. This spelling goes back to Hepburn transcription.
However, other transcription systems (Japanese script → Latin script) exist. Nihon-shiki romanization is an approved, modern one. I use it here. In Nihon-shiki, 合氣道 is spelled “Aikidou”.
Remark 2
There are two roles in training. Uke and the other role. Some dojos prefer to call the other role Tori (taker), some prefer Nage (thrower), and some prefer shite (do-er). I personally prefer Tori here.
Remark 3
I once created an Anki deck for Aikidō related vocabulary. Maybe it helps you.
Remark 4
Color codes:
  • Level beginner
  • Level experienced
  • Level advanced

Setting: Show as first column.

Phrases

de eo en ja ja with furigana ja nihon-shiki Aikidō meaning
Bitte! Bonvolu! Please! お願いします お願ねがいします onegaishimasu let us work together!
Danke fürs Geschehene! Dankon por la okazaĵo! Thank you for what happened! 有難うございました 有あり難がとうございました arigatou gozaimashita thank you for the training!
Los! Komencu! Let's start! 始め 始はじめ hajime, hajimete start now!
Halt! Haltu! Let's stop! 辞め 辞やめ yame, yamete stop now!
Andere Seite! Aliaflanke! opposite side 逆 逆ぎゃく gyaku continue with the opposite side
Verbeugen zur Kamiza! Danko al antaŭo! Bow to the front! 正面に礼 正しょう面めんに礼れい shoumen ni rei Let us bow to the front!

Terminology

Vocabulary

de eo en ja ja with furigana ja nihon-shiki Aikidō meaning
Empfänger ricevanto receiver 受け 受うけ uke person attacking
Ausführender executer 取り 取とり tori person applying a technique
Werfender thrower 投げ 投なげ nage person applying a technique
Anwender performer 仕手 仕し手て shite person applying a technique
Vorderseite antaŭkorpo front side 表 表おもて omote variant of technique where uke and tori face each other
Rückseite malantaŭkorpo back side 裏 裏うら ura variant of technique where tori looks at uke's back side
Holzschwert bastono wooden sword 木剣 木ぼっ剣けん bokken katana-inspired wooden sword used for practice (commonly without tuba); for example 100cm long
Stecken wooden staff 杖 杖じょう zyou wooden cane/stick/staff used for practice; for example 130cm long 2.5cm in diameter
Messer mallongglavo knife 短刀 短たん刀とう tantou wooden knife used for practice; for example 30cm long
Kampfkunstkleidung martial arts clothing 武道着 武ぶ道どう着ぎ budougi Budō clothing customary to wear
Trainingshalle martial arts hall 道場 道どう場じょう douzyou training hall; spiritually between gym and church
Vorsitz top seat 上座 上かみ座ざ kamiza seat of honor (c.f. EN Wikipedia)
freie Bewegung free movement 自由技 自じ由ゆう技わざ ziyuuwaza technique choice on your own
freier Wurf free throw 自由投げ 自じ由ゆう投なげ ziyuunage thrown to be chosen on your own (NOTE: I have never heard it, but the possible techniques in case of joudori need a name and this name is obvious)
aushebeln unbalancing an opponent 崩し 崩くずし kuzushi levelling opponent out of balance (c.f. EN Wikipedia)
Intervall gamo interval 間合い 間ま合あい maai distance between actors (c.f. EN Wikipedia)
Meditation meditation 黙想 黙もく想そう mokusou meditation to switch between everyday life and budō
Gürtel belt 帯 帯おび obi black or white belt wrapped around the waist
Haltung posture, stance 姿勢 姿し勢せい shisei final posture after applying a technique
Körperauflösung body disposal 体捌き 体たい捌さばき tai sabaki defensive 180 degree turn (c.f. EN Wikipedia)
Schlag perforta bato blow 当て身 当あて身み atemi a direct blow [usually to the head or the belly] with the closed fist which can have one of two intentions: to trigger Uke's reaction (e.g. retraction of the body) or to destroy Uke in an offensive way (rare in traditional Aikidō)
Eingang enigo entering 入身 入いり身み irimi any kind of movement where the body moves closer to your partner's body with the intention to restrain your partner's reaction (e.g. if you are very close, it is difficult for your partner to get momentum for a proper strike)
Strohmatten Japanese straw floor coverings 畳 畳たたみ tatami mats laid down in the dojo to practice on
Rock skirt 袴 袴はかま hakama black skirt worn by practitioners past the 3rd kyu
Dreieck triangle or wedge 三角 三 さん角かく sankaku triangle (or more specifically wedge) entering the position of the uke
asymmetrische Bokkenhaltung asymmetric bokken stance 正眼 正せい眼がん seigan Bokken is in front of the standing Hanmi body,
Übung praktiko exercise/workout 運動 運うん動どう undou physical exercise
Griff grab 取り 取とり tori way/style of grabbing
Wurf throw 投げ 投なげ nage throw
Fixierung finish 決め 決きめ kime finish of technique or final posture
Schnittprobe sword testing 試し斬り 試ためし斬ぎり tameshigiri trying out a new sword or blade (originally on someone, but now on soaked straw targets)
obere Ebene high level 上段 上じょう段だん zyoudan attack at height level of the head
mittlere Ebene middle level 中段 中ちゅう段だん tyuudan attack at height level of the belly
untere Ebene low level 下段 下げ段だん gedan attack at the height level of the legs
Stichblatt sword guard 鍔 鍔つば tuba circular or squared guard of a sword
Bewegung move 技 技わざ waza initial uke & tori setting
or skill
Schneidersitz sitting cross-legged 胡坐 胡坐あぐら agura sitting with a straight spine with crossed legs in front of buttocks but feet touch the upper legs
Waffenbeherrschung weapon skill 武器技 武ぶ器き技わざ bukiwaza weapon training and techniques
Grundschule fundamentals 基本 基き本ほん kihon movement considered on a fundamental level (less details/variation, good foundation to build upon)
Lehrmeister instructor 指導員 指し導どう員いん shidouin person leading a dojo for pedagogical or technical matters
Horizontaler Schnitt horizontal cut 一文字切り 一いち文もん字じ切きり ichimonji kiri horizontal cut (“cut like the character one: 一”)
Horizontaler Schnitt horizontal cut 横切り 横よこ切きり yoko kiri horizontal cut (“to the side”)
Horizontaler Schnitt horizontal cut 胴打ち 胴どう打うち dou uchi horizontal cut (“abdomen cutoff”)
Aufsteigender Schnitt lifting cut 斬上 斬きり上あげ kiriage cut from the bottom upwards (either diagonally or vertically, blade shows upwards)
Kragenschnitt monk's robe cut 袈裟斬り 袈け裟さ斬ぎり kesagiri cut with a sword diagonally downwards from the shoulder passing through the body
Schwertschwingen sword swinging 素振り 素す振ぶり suburi exercises related to swinging a sword
Vorne-Hinten Übung kaj-antaŭ-kaj-malantaŭ praktiko front and back exercise 前後運動 前ぜん後ご運うん動どう zengo undou turn left into hanmi; raise both hands to the height of your forehead; lower them to your hips again; turn right and repeat (video by Joel Lindstrom)

Stances

de eo en ja ja with furigana ja nihon-shiki Aikidō meaning
Halbkörperposition duonkorpa pozo half body stance 半身 半はん身み hanmi standing stance with rear foot pointing 60°–90° to one side and other foot to the front, feet are separated by a length of one foot and the body weight is distributed between the feet
sitzende Ausübung sidpozo sitting skill 座技 座すわり技わざ suwariwaza a stance for uke and tori where the hip rests on the feet; therefore only keens and feet touch the ground; (style #1) each foot is parallel to the ground (style #2) the toes touch the ground but not the feet
stehende Ausübung starpozo standing skill 立技 立たち技わざ tachiwaza a standing stance for uke and tori; therefore only the feet touch the ground
Halbkörperübung duonpozo half body skill 半身半立技 半はん身み半はん立だち技わざ hanmihandachiwaza uke is in tachiwaza, tori is in suwariwaza

Attacks

de eo en ja ja with furigana ja nihon-shiki Aikidō meaning
gemeinsame Halbkörperposition common half body stance 相半身 相あい半はん身み aihanmi left hand touches left hand or
right hand touches right hand or
simply same-sided feet in front
gegenteilige Halbkörperposition reversed half body stance 逆半身 逆ぎゃく半はん身み gyakuhanmi same-sided hand touch (opposite of ‘aihanmi’)
Einzelhandgriff single-sided fetch 片手取り 片かた手て取どり katatedori grabbing the other person with one hand
Hand-zu-Hand Griff respectively wrist grab 両手取り 両りょう手て取どり ryoutedori grabbing the other person with left and right hand respectively
Frontaler Schlag front strike 正面打ち 正しょう面めん打うち shoumenuchi a vertical cut from above onto Tori's body
Schultergriff shoulder grab 肩取り 肩かた取どり katadori grabbing the shoulder
Schulter-Front Empfang shoulder-front take-up 肩取り面打ち 肩かた取どり面めん打うち katadori menuchi form #1: grabbing the clothing on the opposite shoulder (e.g. right hand grabs budougi on left shoulder) followed by an instant shoumenuchi attack with the other hand
form #2: uke grabs the clothing of Tori on the opposite shoulder (e.g. right hand grabs budougi on left shoulder); then tori defends himself with an attack towards uke's face with the hand of the opposite shoulder; then uke responds in time to stop this attack with a shoumenuchi attack of the other hand
Schulter-Front Empfang shoulder-front take-up 肩面打ち 肩かた面めん打うち katamenuchi equals ‘katadori menuchi’
Schultergriff mit beiden Händen shoulder grab with both hands 両片取り 両りょう片かた取どり ryoukatadori grabbing the shoulder with both hands
gekreuzt kruca crossed stance 交差 交こう差さ kousa equals ‘aihanmi’
Seitlicher Schlag horizontal strike 横面打ち 横よこ面めん打うち yokomenuchi a straight cut with the striker moving in such a way that Tori's temple is the first point of contact
Griff mit beiden Händen fetch with both hands 諸手取り 諸もろ手て取どり morotedori Tori's hand is grabbed with both hands (wrist and lower arm respectively)
Gerader Schlag Richtung Brust mid-level thrust to the chest 中段突き 中ちゅう段だん突つき tyuudan tuki straight thrust with the closed fist towards uke's stomach or chest
Messerangriff knife thrust 短刀取り 中段突き 短たん刀とう取どり 中ちゅう段だん突つき tantoudori tyuudan tuki straight thrust with tantou towards uke's stomach or chest
Ärmelgriff sleeve grab 袖取り 袖そで取どり sodedori uke runs towards front of tori, tori raises arms towards uke, uke grabs both sleeves from below
Brustgriff chest fetch 胸取り 胸むね取どり munedori uke grabs both sides of tori's collar with one hand from the front
Kragengriff collar grab 襟取り 襟えり取どり eridori uke grabs tori's collar from behind at the position of tori's neck with one hand
Halseinengung neck tightening or neck choke 首締 首くび締しめ kubishime (form #1) uke goes to tori's back, wraps one arm around tori's throat, and grabs tori's collar in front of the chest
(form #2) tori is on uke's back, wrap one arm around uke's throat, and grabs his/her own bicep of the other arm; then tori lowers the center to apply pressure on the throat
(form #3) tori's lower arms wrap around uke's neck from each side and hands get together in front of uke's throat; a more acute angle is created between both arms to apply pressure to Uke's throat and neck
Kragengriff von hinten collar grab from behind 後ろ襟取り 後うしろ襟えり取どり ushiro eridori equals ‘eridori’
Griff mit beiden Händen von hinten both-hand grab from behind 後ろ両手取り 後うしろ両りょう手て取どり ushiro ryoutedori uke tries to grab each hand of tori from behind; therefore uke attacks from one side and first the wrists of the same side (e.g. left wrist of uke and left wrist of tori) touch each other; once the tori permits uke to attack from behind, uke grabs the wrist, then runs to the back and grabs the other wrist as well
Schultergriff von hinten shoulder grab from behind 後ろ肩取り 後うしろ肩かた取どり ushiro katadori uke tries to grab the clothing of both shoulders of tori from behind; therefore uke attacks from one side; once the tori permits uke to attack from behind; uke grabs one shoulder after the other from behind
Stecken des Werfenden thrower's staff 投げの杖 投なげの杖じょう nagenozyou techniques in which tori initiates that uke tries to grab tori's jou (and often succeeds), but is thrown due to jou's movement as a consequence
Steckenübernahme jou takeover 杖取り 杖じょう取どり zyoudori techniques in which uke attacks with a tuki using the jou and tori counterattacks taking over uke's jou

Techniques

de eo en ja ja with furigana ja nihon-shiki Aikidō meaning video examples
Erste Technik unua tekniko first technique 一教 一いっ教きょう ikkyou technique involving a grab of the elbow from below New York Aikikai (Howcast)
Zweite Technik dua tekniko second technique 二教 二に教きょう nikyou technique involving a wrist lock New York Aikikai (Howcast)
Dritte Technik tria tekniko third technique 三教 三さん教きょう sankyou technique involving grabbing the edge of hand like a sword New York Aikikai (Howcast)
Vierte Technik kvara tekniko fourth technique 四教 四よん教きょう yonkyou technique involving pressure to the “lower inner arm” (acc. to Kyusho terminology) vital point New York Aikikai (Howcast)
Fünfte Technik kvina tekniko fifth technique 五教 五ご教きょう gokyou technique where the hit from above is evaded by moving outside and the Uke is guided to the ground with little control of the elbow New York Aikikai (Howcast)
Vier-Richtungen Wurf four direction throw 四方投げ 四し方ほう投なげ shihounage cutting technique where one raises the folded hands of the receiver, turns 180°, and cuts downwards New York Aikikai (Howcast)
Eintrittswurf entering body throw 入身投げ 入いり身み投なげ iriminage control technique where the receiver is controlled in front of the defender along a circle, when changing the direction, the receiver is thrown with a wave movement New York Aikikai (Howcast)
Minderhandrückgabe forearm return 小手返し 小こ手て返がえし kotegaeshi supinating wristlock-throw that stretches the extensor digitorum. Hence one puts one's thumb between the knuckles of the smallest fingers New York Aikikai (Howcast)
Atemtechnik breathing technique 呼吸法 呼こ吸きゅう法ほう kokyuuhou lock-free technique in various forms; in particular controlling uke's shoulders through turn of hands in suwariwaza TakemusuAikidoNL, Martial Arts Journey
Atemwurf breathing throw 呼吸投げ 呼こ吸きゅう投なげ kokyuunage a wide range of techniques which usually involves either redirecting the uke upwards with a fall on his/her back or letting the Uke pass with little obstruction
Rotationswurf rotating throw 回転投げ 回かい転てん投なげ kaitennage technique involving “cutting” uke's hand towards uke's body to attain a straight arm which is used as lever for a throw
Innerer Rotationswurf inner rotating throw 内回転投げ 内うち回かい転てん投なげ uchikaitennage technique where Tori passes under Uke's arm and cuts uke's hand towards uke's body to attain a straight arm which is used as lever for a throw
Äußerer Rotationswurf outer rotating throw 外回転投げ 外そと回かい転てん投なげ sotokaitennage technique where Tori passes around Uke's body and cuts uke's hand towards uke's body to attain a straight arm which is used as lever for a throw
Dritte Technik mit innerer Rotation third technique with inner rotation 内回転三教 内うち回かい転てん三さん教きょう uchi kaiten sankyou technique where Tori passes under Uke's arm and grabs the edge of Uke's hand like a sword
Dritte Technik mit Wurf third technique with throw 三教投げ 三さん教投なげ sankyounage technique involving grabbing the edge of hand like a sword and cutting with the imaginary sword to throw the uke
Geklemmte Ellbogenführung Elbow tightening down-pin 肘締抑え 肘ひじ締しめ抑おさえ hijishimeosae turning the attacking hand of uke to tighten uke's arm between tori's elbow and upper body with uke's shoulder lower than uke's hand Aikido Oyamada Dojo
Fixierte Ellbogenführung Elbow immobilization down-pin 肘極め抑え 肘ひじ極きめ抑おさえ hijikimeosae equals ‘hijishimeosae’
Armfixierungswurf arm immobilization throw 腕極め投げ 腕うで極きめ投なげ udekimenage pressure is applied to the elbow from behind to force the uke to move forward
Verkreuzung der Arme Figure-ten entanglement 十字絡み 十じゅう字じ絡がらみ zyujigarami Tori crosses Uke's arms in such a way that pressure to one arm leads to pressure on Uke's other arm's elbow
Hüftwurf Hip throw 腰投げ 腰こし投なげ koshinage (form #1): Uke is thrown over Tori's hip,
(form #2): Uke is wrapped around Tori's hip and thus levelled out		 New York Aikikai (Howcast)
Auffangen zahlreicher Personen catching various people 他人図掛け 他た人にん図ず掛がけ taninzugake several uke attack by grabbing onto tori and tori has to defend himself by applying a technique to one after another (commonly kokyunage)
Abwehr zahlreicher Personen take-up of scene with various people 他人図取り 他た人にん図ず取どり taninzudori equals ‘taninzugake’
Rebellenabwehr mob take-up 乱取り 乱らん取どり randori equals ‘taninzugake’
Eckwurf corner drop 隅落とし 隅すみ落おとし sumiotoshi a throw where the Uke is unlevelled by directing him behind Uke's body (at the “corner” of Uke's body)
Steinwurf heal over head drop 岩石 落とし 岩がん石せき 落おとし ganseki otoshi the Uke is grabbed by the Gi at the collar on the neck with Uke & Tori backs facing one another. The Tori leans forward and thus pushes the Uke across his back
Außenwurf outside drop お外落とし お外そと落おとし osoto otoshi A technique where the energy of the Uke is extended in direction and a throw is applied to Uke's elbow of the attacking hand (sometimes called sumiotoshi) Yelitza Cuevas
Windrad windmill 風車 風かざ車ぐるま kazaguruma A technique where the energy of the Uke is extended in direction and a throw is applied to Uke's elbow of the attacking hand; unlike sumiotoshi Tori uses his inner hand Yoshimitsu Yamada, Yelitza Cuevas
Hüftrad hip mill 腰車 腰こし車ぐるま koshiguruma A technique where the Uke tries to strike Tori, but Tori moves inside and Uke is thrown over Tori's hip Two Rivers
Wickelwurf wrapping drop 巻き落とし 巻まき落おとし maki otoshi A technique where Uke's attack leads to wrapping around Tori's body as he/she moves inside. Tori positions hands around Uke's elbow to throw him/her Yelitza Cuevas
fließender Fall floating drop 浮落とし 浮うき落おとし uki otoshi Uke has his hand near Tori's shoulder on the opposite side (e.g. right hand on left shoulder). Tori steps inside Uke's position and applies momentum on Uke's elbow to throw the Uke. To distinguish the technique from koshiguruma, it has to be preceeded by a nikyou Yelitza Cuevas
Fall der vereinenden Energie blending drop 合気落とし 合あい気き落おとし aiki otoshi Tori reaches below uke's knee(s) to unlevel uke
fallender Schnitt cutting drop 切り落とし 切きり落おとし kiri otoshi Tori grabs upper body (usually shoulders) from behind in such a way that Uke falls backwards

An index of Aikidō forms

This content moved to a separate page.

Exercises

Warmup exercises

I observed these exercises among practitioners following Tamura Sensei's style:

  1. Breathing out while bending over
  2. Hand rotations horizontally
  3. Hand rotations vertically
  4. Upper body rotations
  5. Stomach pressure
  6. Lifting the rock
  7. Pulling out roots
  8. Bending the neck vertically
  9. Bending the neck horizontally
  10. Rotating your head
  11. Stretching the spine
  12. Activating your tissue by knocking on your body
  13. Ki-Ai
  14. Stretching the legs sideways (feet stand sideways twice the hip width apart, look straight, left hip is almost above the left foot; then right; then left; then right; then go closer to the ground)
  15. Stretching your rear leg (feet stand sideways twice the hip width apart, look to the left, rear leg is outstretched, stand for a moment; bend forward; bend backwards … right side …)
  16. Warming up the knees
  17. Stand with legs apart (twice the shoulder's width), leen forward to touch the ground, then lift hands and then leen backwards to stretch your spine while holding your arms relaxed sideways
  18. Stand with legs apart (twice the shoulder's width), hands connect with fingers and stay on the height of the shoulders, move the body weight onto the right foot and turn completely to the right while your left heel moves into the air but your ball does not. Then analogously to the right side.
  19. Straining the knees (move bottom as close to the ground without lifting your closed heels)
  20. Feet stretching (stretch your toes by pushing them against the ground; hit the ground rythmically; shake it … other foot)
  21. Standing, raise the arms in front of you into the air while breathing in; stretch your spine while moving your hands lower and sideways next to your ears; breathe out while moving your hands back in front of your crotch
  22. Standing with legs in a 30° angle; get on your tip toes while breathing in and moving your hands sideways at height of your hips and your palms show forward; breathe out, stand relaxed, move your arms back closer to the body and your palms show towards the ground
  23. Cutting diagonally horizontally mirrored with your arms
  24. Standing on tip toes
  25. Nikyou & Sankyo & Kotegaeshi stretching in wrists
  26. Torifune

Many of these exercises can also be done from suwariwaza!

I observed these exercises among practitioners following Watanabe Sensei's style:

  1. Lie on your back, your legs are straight and parallel on the ground. Put the back side of your left foot on top of the right upper leg. Now move the right knee towards your right shoulder. The backside of your left leg should be stretched. Repeat with the other side.

I observed these exercises among practitioners following Nishio Sensei's style:

  1. Instead of a “straight” Ushiro Ukemi, roll back on the very side outside like a circle.
  2. Instead of a “straight” Ushiro Ukemi, roll back on the very side outside like a circle. Assume you stop in the front with your right knee in the air and the left knee on your ground. In this setting, reserve the side of the right knee such that your inner tigh of the left leg touches the ground. Tilt your right knee to the right side to touch the ground. Turn your entire upper body to the right side to look backwards. From this position, throw the left leg into the air to gain momentum for a sideways ushiro ukemi. Try to land in a position where your inner thigh of your right leg in on the ground and the left knee touches the ground on the outside. Return back with a sideways ushiro ukemi.

Warmup according to Tamura Sensei

I have been told at Aikikai Graz, Tamura Sensei defined the following sequence (hence, in order!) for warmup exercises:

  1. Taking deep breaths (kokyu)
  2. Rowing a boat (torifune)
    1. aihanmi, left foot in front, say “hei ho”
    2. shake hands in front of your hara/belly (furi tama)
    3. aihanmi, right foot in front, say “hei sa”
    4. shake hands in front of your hara/belly (furi tama)
    5. aihanmi, left foot in front, row rapidly, shout “hei hei”
    6. shake hands in front of your hara/belly (furi tama)
  3. circular movements with upper body (horizontally with hips moving left & right, vertical with hips moving left & right, rotating entire upper body)
  4. cross arms, breathe in, build up pressure on diaphragma
  5. lift artificial weight into air
  6. pull roots out of the soil
  7. stretch neck by moving head up & down, left & right, tilting it sideways, and rotating
  8. lift hands above head in front of you, pull downwards like you are putting on a head, then relax and breathe out
    put hands sideways and get on tip-toes
    lift hands sideways and cut to the middle in front of hara/belly
  9. knock on your arms, shoulders, neck, back, chest, belly, upper, and lower legs
  10. Kiai

Exercises for Aikidō-related mobility

Related to ukemi mobility

  1. Mae Ukemi & Ushiro Ukemi at various heights
  2. Ushiro Ukemi with touching the bent foot and at the highest point switching hands
  3. Jumps over someone benching
  4. Exercises to take a fall: for example, someone in benching laterally (let's assume his/her head is on the right side and the buttocks is on the left side). The practitioner takes his lower left arm and places it on the benching person's spine to grab the neck collar with the left hand. The practitioner applies a bit of energy into a jump with the feet and thus rolls over his/her own arm and also the other person's back. The practitioner is supposed to land as stretched (as far away as possible for his/her original position) as possible.
  5. Ukemis without hands

Related to suwariwaza mobility

  1. Shikko

Related to hip mobility

  1. Make circles with your hips while standing with legs spread
  2. Lie straight on your belly on the ground. Spread your legs about 30 degrees apart. Place your palms next to your chest and push your upper body into the air while keeping your hip on the ground.
  3. Lie straight on your belly on the ground. Spread your legs, keep your knees on the ground, and make your feet touch each other behind you. Depending on your hip mobility, you might need to move your hip closer or further away from your feet. The goal is to feel the stretching in your inner thighs.

Related to shoulder, elbow, or wrist mobility

  1. Hand rotations with sword. For example, stand in aihanmi and hold the sword in front of you only with the right hand. Now move the sword in a vertical circle. You will likely lose contact between sword and your pinky finger and this is okay.
  2. Zip fingers from both hands, parts of hands close to wrist touch each other, move your lower arms so that hands are moved in every direction
  3. Rotate arms in parallel fixed at shoulders, opposite direction, and then also in counterdirections
  4. Extend arms sideways away from shoulders, keep elbows fixed as rotation axis, rotate lower arms

Related to stable position or balancing capabilities

  1. Tai no tenkan
  2. Kokyohou
  3. Jumping straight in the air
    • Land with feet closed, land with feet sideways apart
    • Land with left foot in front & right in the back, land with right foot in front & left in the back
    • land with feet sideways apart, land with feet crossed left in front, land with feet sideways apart, land with feet crossed right in front

Related to spine mobility

  1. Lying on your back, legs in 45° position, turn your head to right and tilt your knees to the left … then head left and knees right
  2. Stand straight with legs spread. Move your right hand horizontally to the left (basically above your left toes). Flex your right hand (thus fingers of your right hand show straight up whereas the arm shows horizontally). Switch to the other side.

Warmup exercises for Aikido-related concepts

  1. Cover eyes and people grab hands, feets, shoulders, … you need to defend yourself by turning and twisting (responding by techniques is not a necessity). Everything must be done slowly.

Community

Etiquette

Budō clubs in Graz

(researched in , small update )

Aikidō clubs in Salzburg

As of (blog post):

Aikikai Graz E-Dojo notes

timestamptechnique
6. Kyu
00:18Suwariwaza Kokyoho
00:38Tachiwaza Katatedori Aihanmi Ikkyo
01:10Tachiwaza Katatedori Aihanmi Shihonage
01:37Tachiwaza Katatedori Aihanmi Kotegaeshi (final position with hand at knee or in suwariwaza)
02:45Tachiwaza Katatedori Aihanmi Iriminage
03:10Tachiwaza Katatedori Aihanmi Ikkyo
03:22Tachiwaza Katatedori Aihanmi Shihonage
03:30Tachiwaza Katatedori Aihanmi Kotegaeshi (without final position, release with Ukemi)
03:41Tachiwaza Katatedori Aihanmi Iriminage

Aikikai Graz Lehrertrainingnotizen 2023-01-15

Einleitung

Aufbau einer Einheit

Technik

My notes from the book “Balance in motion”

Naginata 薙刀 halberd
Yari 槍 spear
日本舞踊 Tradititional Japanese dance
Noh 能 
Hizanuki  unplugging the knee
Kokyuryoku  breathing power
Kiryoku  power of Ki         }
Hara     belly               } key elements of Aikido
Tanden   body center         }
Nage  technique initiator
Uke  attacker

Kamae  preparedness stance
Toitsutai  integrated body

Tenkan    side backward turn
Tenshin   stepping back

one foot = 26 bones, 33 joints

Nenten  torsion / gyration does not require shifting of the feet

Shisei  posture
Koshiita  lower back board

Footwear:

Ashinaka
half-foot scandal
Geta
wooden clog with a strap between your big toe and the rest
Waraji
straw sandal
Kohgake
foot instep goard (worn by Samurai)
Hakama  “pleated pants”
Keikogi  training outfit

Rikisha  ⇒ Namba Aruki (right hand and foot are simultaneously produced)

sitting posture: Bhadrasana posture

Mata wari  complete split
Koshi wari  sumo squat

Makko-ho stretch exercises (part of warm up at Hombu Dojo)

Funakogi Undo
Zagi Kokyu Ho

Taoism: location where energy is stored:
  Kamitanden (center in brain)
  Chutanden (center in upper body / breast)
  Shimotanden (center in stomach)

Sonkyo (bow and show respect in Sumo)
Suburi  sword swinging

Misogi  purification
“while doing suburi, you are performing Misogi”

Kenkokotsu  shoulder blade
Waki wo shimeru  tightening the armpits   (keep armpits to the cage)

acc. to Jigoro Kana (Judo):
  {nage waza, katame waza, atemi waza, kansetsu waza} categorizes martial arts techniques

Ude garami, Ude Hishigi Jujigatame, Ude Hishigi Udegatame, Ude Hishigi, Hiza Gatame, Ashi garami
  … are Kansetsu waza / osae waza / shime waza

destablize opponent with {Kotegaeshi, Juji Garami, Kosa Nage, Tenbin Nage}

distance of Aikidō: Issoku ittō-no-maai (一足一刀の間合い “one-foot-one-sword distance”) 

Book “Budo training in Aikidō” (Original Aiki Jujutsu Densho ) of April 1934 by O'Sensei
  166 techniques illustrated, 16 are Kubi Shime
  e.g. “Kubi Otoshi”, “Kubi Osae Kokyu Nage”, “Ushiro Kubishime”, “Yokomenuchi”

Kuzushi  destablization
Kumite  grappling
Tsurite  grappling as in Judo (arm length distance or slightly less)
Hikite  grabbing puller's elbow from outside

Sode tori  sleeve grab
Hagai Jime  rear bear hug

Kanai Sensei specifics: Maki Otoshi (rolling drop), Makikomi Otoshi (rolling/wrapping drop), Kata Hiki Otoshi (pull shoulder drop)
Ki no nagare  flow of Ki

Be water, my friend.
Empty your mind.
Be formless, shapeless, like water.
You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup.
You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle.
You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Now water can flow or it can crash.
Be water, my friend.

(Bruce Lee, brucelee.com)

  1. Anticipate the move of the opponent (Sen no sen)
  2. Fixation of contact point (Settea Kotei 接点固定)
  3. Use of reactionary force of the opponent (Handoryoku no riyou 反動力の利用)
  4. Construction of leverage complexes (Fukugo Teko no Kouchiku 複合梃子の構築)
Kokyu Ho  breathing method
Kokyu ryoku  breathing power
Kokyu nage  breathing throw

Gan wo tobasu  “make a challenging eye contact”
Fukushiki Kokyu  abdominal breathing
Kyoushiki   thoracic breathing

4-7-8 breathing exercise:
  • exhale completely through mouth, make whoosh sound
  • inhale through your nose, close mouth, to count of 4
  • hold breath, to count of 7
  • exhale completely through mouth, make whoosh sound, to count of 8
  • inhale
  … in 4 cycles

Kobudo  Ancient Budo
Reiho  manners, etiquette

Ippaku  many sequential moves in one beat (e.g. sword drawing)
Kikubari  attentiveness (where one's sword is, etc)
Kokoro Kubari  mindfulness
Jikyou Jutsu  Japanese method of health exercises

Benedetti notes

Clothing

Budogi jacket fabric: ~200g/m²

Styles

Chiba sensei is considered to be part of Aikikai, but his style is certainly more violent than others: cf. video

Concepts to teach

Concepts