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What is the difference between the different Aikido organizations (between the
Aikikai and various others, as well as within the
Aikikai itself)?
Would an instructor who dedicates him or herself to an art full time be better than
someone who maintains a "day job?"
Do people work with others of the same level or are beginners
and advanced practitioners mixed? How can one learn at an
advanced level?
If there is no competition in Aikido,
how do you know if the techniques work?
Aikido Questions and
Answers
by Second
Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba and Third Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba
What is the difference between the different Aikido organizations (between the Aikikai and
various others, as well as within the
Aikikai itself)?
Answer - There are a fair number of Aikido
organizations: Tomiki Aikido, the Ki society, and Yoshinkan to name a few. These were started
by students of the founder who developed their own approach. Tomiki Aikido brings in elements
of Judo and Jujitsu, the Ki society brings in elements from Japanese Yoga, and Yoshinkan returns
Aikido to it's harsh martial roots similar to Daito Ryu Aiki-Jujitsu. Within the Aikikai, the
organization run by the founder's family, we have the USAF, TAA, ASU, Pacific Aikido Federation,
etc, etc, etc. Scarsdale Aikido is a member of TAA, which is part of the Aikikai. The
USAF a sister school, is headquartered in Manhattan, and the chief instructor of Scarsdale Aikido
trained there extensively from 1983 to 2006.
Technical differences aside, the development of each individual belongs not to a particular
organization or system. Rather, the development belongs to the individual themselves.
This is true in all martial arts. Along those lines, obviously good teachers are an
essential element, but effort is also quite critical. The greater the effort, the greater the
result; the lessor the effort, the lesser the result. At Scarsdale Aikido, we attempt to
correctly follow the founder of the art, and we welcome visitors to our school to observe how we
train.
Would an
instructor who dedicates him or herself to an art full time be better than someone who maintains a
"day job?"
Answer - Before addressing
this question, we should first consider what constitutes a good teacher. We must identify
that the desire to become a teacher, whether training full or part time, in itself is considered a
problem and not a benefit. According to one master of Aikido, “if you teach Aikido you are blind.
We should just try to help each other.” It is widely known among masters of Aikido who are
qualified to teach beyond the basic levels that thinking of oneself as a teacher is a serious
problem that should be avoided. That said, the ability to avoid it entirely requires mastery of the
art itself. However, that does not relieve us of our obligation to know that such an attitude is
incorrect and should be avoided. We should ascertain first whether the teacher is aware of
their obligations not to teach Aikido and possesses some training in how to go about the task.
Other than this aspect, the number of hours practicing on the training mats or in "dedication
to the art" has little to do with the quality of the teacher, beyond some sort of minimum
requirements of practice for progress in the physical techniques. The question is the
sincerity of the person in their practice and the extent of their practice of the principles while
engaged in other tasks such as working, dedication to the art, etc. The person who practices
sincerely at all times whether on the mats or off will develop into the better instructor.
Steve Kanney, chief instructor of Scarsdale Aikido, currently teaches full time, but prior to
opening the dojo had 20 years experience in applying the principles of Aikido while working in the
financial markets. This sort of experience is consistent with the task current students of
the art will face in their daily lives.
Do people work with others of the
same level or are beginners and advanced practitioners mixed? How can one learn at
an
advanced level?
Answer - In Aikido we mix everyone together. Beginners
obviously benefit by working with an experienced practitioner. However, someone with
experience also benefits substantially by practicing with a beginner. One of the best ways to
learn is to teach. Also, beginners do not know certain standard ways to react, and can invent
new responses in a situation quite easily. The experienced practitioner can learn quite a few
new tricks from a beginner. When beginners practice with each other, they can begin to
practice at an advanced level shortly after familiarizing themselves with a technique. There
are no obstructions to advancing quickly. When advanced practitioners prefer to go off and
work with each other to engage in more difficult forms of practice, this can be helpful from time
to time. However, the desire to do so often for selfish gain is actually an obstruction to
advancement, as it violates the underlying principle of the art by inflating the selfish ego.
Bottom line, in Aikido everyone mixes together and the different experiences in each
situation aids in the process of expanding one's horizons. People can learn to advance
quickly in all situations, and preferring one over the most appropriate form of practice at any
given moment can be a real impediment to growth.
If there is no competition in
Aikido, how do you know if the techniques work?
Answer - The same way you know in any other martial art.
Self defense needs to work in real life, not necessarily in an artificially constructed
tournament competition. In competition, no one has a knife or gun. There is only
one opponent, and no one sneaks out from behind the bushes. The environment is well lit,
and the floor is not slippery. Finally, there are rules, and one does not have to deal
with an attacker who has an intention to kill. How realistic is this? Would
success in this form of competition lead to a false sense of security? In a tournament,
if you are open, the opponent tries to take advantage of it immediately. In Aikido, if
you are open, your partner will point it out without an intention to "win," but rather to
help you. Both approaches can be very useful, as the idea is to close openings to be
defeated. The founder of Aikido preferred not to use competition because it would
enhance the selfish ego, or that which desires to win, which violates the principle
underlying the art. He was also traditional in the sense that a real engagement is
something of a very serious nature, not to be poorly mimicked by a tournament. That
said, other martial arts that use competition as part of their training method are very good,
so long as they use the competition in the proper vein (i.e. adjusting for the limitations as
described above). Simply put, there are more than one valid forms of training. No one
ever finds out if their training works until confronted with a real attack, and we would all
prefer to avoid that outcome.
Aikido
Questions and Answers
by Second Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba and Third Doshu
Moriteru Ueshiba
[Editor’s Note: This discussion
appears in the Best Aikido: The Fundamentals. We thank Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba for giving us
permission to reprint it. Photos courtesy Aikikai Foundation.]
Aikido can be difficult for modern people to understand. Many only have experience with sports and
games that stress pure physical and technical training and organized competition that demands a
clear distinction between winner and loser. Since the Aikido approach is not like that, newcomers
to the art are often puzzled. In order to make Aikido more accessible, here we will employ a
question and answer format to deal with the most common queries. Many of the replies may appear
startling at first but once you take up the actual practice of Aikido, you will soon learn to
appreciate its unique character.
How does Aikido differ from ordinary
sports?
Aikido is Budo. It is a special
kind of martial art that stresses spiritual development. However, it is also true that Aikido has
been recognized as member of the GAISF, an international association of sports federations since
1984, so it is not inconceivable to consider Aikido to be a kind of sports like athletic activity.
It must be noted, though, that in the World Games sponsored by the GAISF there is no organized
competition, and it is free of the hype and commercialism of the Olympic games. While sports focus
entirely on competition, the primary purpose of Aikido is spiritual development of the entire human
being. In Aikido, we never resort to trickery, deception, or excessive force to overcome an
opponent. This is how Aikido differs from sports. In the modern world of sports, mental management
is often mentioned, but if mind control is only employed to defeat an opponent it does not really
facilitate spiritual development. This is why in Japan the Ministry of Education has issued a
directive for instructors not to neglect the spiritual aspect of sports education. Many educators
now realize that winning is not the end all and be all of sports, and perhaps Aikido and sports
will eventually come to share a somewhat similar perspective. In conclusion, we must state again
that the primary purpose of Aikido is spiritual development. It is Budo, and the art emerged from a
milieu in which the matter of life and death was decided in an instant. Aikido looks at the entire
human being, on the deepest level , something that sports cannot do. Aikido employs the training
methods of the traditional martial arts within the context of modern society.
Why are there no contests in
Aikido?
If we think of Budo within the
context of contemporary society, it is clear that it must have some other purpose than teaching
people how to use martial art techniques to defeat an opponent. Who is interested in that kind of
thing anymore? People are interested in doing things that have practical application to their
lives. Modern Budo must have some connection with the problems of daily life. This is one reason
that "In Aikido, there are no contests." In Aikido, there is no concept of "defeating an opponent."
If contests are allowed, the desire to win, and the desire to vanquish an opponent arises; that
fixation makes it impossible to remain in harmony with nature. Such a fixation is in direct
opposition to the natural harmony of heaven and earth. The very purpose of Aikido is to unite
oneself with nature and act in a harmonious manner with all things in heaven
What is the nature of ki in Aikido?
Is it the same as the ch'i employed in the Chinese martial arts?
Once again, we can explain the
concept in words but if one does not have any actual experience the reply will have little meaning.
If you don't practice, what you have in your head is of little value. To be sure, the concept of ki
is central to Aikido, and the Founder always emphasized the importance of ki. However, the
Founder's explanation of ki was profound and difficult to comprehend, especially for people of the
modern generation. Some tried to follow what he had to say but others were not that interested in
the problem. Or on occasion, the Founder would talk all about ki and then suddenly say with a
smile, "It comes directly from the gods!"
There are various ways to interpret the concept of ki but those who practice Aikido sincerely will
gradually develop an intuitive under-standing of the real nature of ki. If we were to ask an Aikido
practitioner about this, a likely answer would be: "When I polish the mind and body, my entire
being feels vibrant!" However, if we were to explain it to new students like this, "Ki is a form of
enlightenment; sparks radiate from your belly and pierce the entire universe!" who would believe
it? It is best to develop your own understanding of ki through daily training. Regarding the
relationship between ki and ch'i : They are similar but they're applied differently. The concept of
ki is, of course, not limited to Aikido, and many martial art and philosophical systems use the
term to express the notion of "universal energy" or "life force." There are many points in common
between Aikido and the Chinese martial arts but the respective approach is different, and we should
not consider them identical. They should be appreciated as two separate and independent
systems.
In Aikido, "breath power"
(kokyu-ryoku) is emphasized. Is that related to lung capacity?
Aikido breath power is much more
than lung capacity. It involves utilization of the entire body. It is not simply breath, but the
concentrated power that arises when body
and mind are unified. Breath power is crucial for Aikido. Even if one's lung capacity is not
increased, one can still attain great and liberating power through unification of body and mind.
Breath power and ki are the Source of Aikido strength. There are no human beings who do not
breathe, and everyone does it unconsciously. If breathing ceases, we will quickly depart from this
world. Breathing is the most natural of reflexes. Ki and breath power are indivisible, the very
being of Aikido.
When I watch people practicing
Aikido, they seem to spin around like tops. Can such movements really be effective as martial
art
techniques?
In reply, let us employ the example
of school education. If students only study for questions that appear on entrance exams, their
education will be inadequate and incomplete. In any field of endeavor, is it possible to ignore the
basics?
On the contrary, master the basics and progress will come quickly. Another approach is to teach in
set patterns. In the martial arts, this would be "If that occurs, react like this." This appears to
facilitate learning but in fact it is of little help in a real situation. It is impossible to
postulate a set response for every contingency, and, in a real situation, you do not have the
option of dictating to your opponent what kind of attack he should use. Let's look at Aikido
training methods more closely. We practice seated techniques that have no practical application in
modern society-everyone sits in chairs nowadays-but training in such techniques helps you develop
strong legs and hips, a solid center, and good breath power. It is not possible for every movement
to have a practical application, but training in the basics will eventually give you the ability to
make an appropriate response in a real situation. Furthermore, powerful ki is generated by circular
movements. In order to draw a beautiful circle, it is necessary to have a true center. Ki emerges
from that center, and it is a source of powerful revolution. If you are even slightly off-center
all your power will dissipate, but if you remain on center you can slide around the strongest
opposing force. This is a key principle. The physical movements of Aikido are centered in the seika
tanden, the middle of the human body. If you are centered in that one point, you can move in
circle, small or large, with true stability and generate great ki power. Aikido practitioners are
never just "spinning around."
Are kicks used in Aikido?
No. The Founder had very powerful
legs, and on occasion he demonstrated kicking techniques during a demonstration but almost none of
those techniques were incorporated into modern Aikido. As we have mentioned several times, Aikido
emphasizes being centered in mind and body, with both feet on the ground, literally and
figuratively. Kicks or leg sweeps temporarily ham-per that good balance and are thus avoided.
Aikido techniques are not put into set pat-terns, and there is no "If that happens, do this" kind
of instruction. We do not usually practice defenses against kicking attacks in Aikido, and many may
view that approach as problematic, but in fact if one has a solid foundation in the basics, any
kind of attack can be dealt with. Here is an example. An Aikido instructor in Thailand was
challenged by a local kick boxer. Even though the instructor tried to explain that there were no
contests in Aikido, the challenger insisted. He launched a kicking attack that the Aikido
instructor immediately countered. He then pinned the boxer with the ikkyo technique.
The instructor, who had never trained against kicks, was quite surprised himself how naturally and
effectively he had responded. He had no preconceived notion of how to respond so he just reacted
naturally, and this reaction was due to his daily training in the Aikido basics.
Is there free-style sparring
(randori) in Aikido?
No, for the same reason there are
no contests. We never attack first in Aikido, and only move in response to an opponent's
aggression, so two Aikido practitioners would not be able to spar. However, we do have a kind of
free-style training where one's partner uses a variety of attacks and one is then free to use any
Aikido technique. During Aikido training how much should we resist against the application of a
technique? If we resist too much it makes it difficult for a partner to train, and if we do not
resist at all, what is the meaning?
You should not resist unduly. Many martial arts will not agree with this approach but it is not a
matter of passively executing the techniques. It is a matter of cooperation, and by working with a
partner you will learn to gauge how much pressure (and resistance) to apply. This is effective
training. Here is an illustration of how effective Aikido training can be. The wrestler Ichiro Yata
once visited our dojo. Yata, who had been a competitor in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics and served
as chairman of the Ali-Japan Amateur Wrestling Association, was in good shape and an experienced
wrestler, but he was completely stymied when the Aikido nikyo pin was applied to his wrist. Since
he had no Aikido training, he was unable to resist despite all of his physical conditioning. Aikido
looks easy but once you begin training you realize how much forging is necessary to build a
powerful technique. If you believe that harmonizing your movements with your partner has no value
in an actual situation, and that by resisting you make the technique more realistic, you are
overlooking the essential characteristic of Aikido.
Aikido Questions and Answers
Part 2
By Third Doshu
Moriteru Ueshiba and Second Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba
[Editor's Note: This discussion
appears in the Best Aikido: The Fundamentals . We thank Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba for giving us
permission to reprint it. Photos courtesy Aikikai Foundation.]
Aikido can be difficult for modern people to understand. Many only have experience with sports and
games that stress pure physical and technical training and organized competition that demands a
clear distinction between winner and loser. Since the Aikido approach is not like that, newcomers
to the art are often puzzled. In order to make Aikido more accessible, here we will employ a
question and answer format to deal with the most common queries. Many of the replies may appear
startling at first but once you take up the actual practice of Aikido, you will soon learn to
appreciate its unique character.
About how many techniques are there
in Aikido?
At present in the Headquarters Dojo
there are about fifty fundamental and basic techniques. However, once these basic movements are
mastered and the principles of Aikido understood, the number of various applications is limitless.
Aikido techniques are not learned externally by merely copying the movements. Just as it is
impossible to fit everyone into the same mold, techniques emerge freely from within the
wide-ranging Aiki movements.
What is the difference between
"fundamental techniques" and "basic techniques"?
The fundamental techniques are
primary. If we draw a parallel with mathematics, the fundamental techniques would be akin to the
Five Principles of Euclid. Those fundamental principles are the basis of applied geometry. Since
the fundamental techniques are like maxims, there are no movements in Aikido that violate those
principles. Basic techniques are those techniques deduced from the fundamental techniques, and
during training the proof of the maxims is clearly demonstrated.
There are those who like to make up their own maxims, but this is not possible in Budo. All the
movements have to follow natural principles, and cannot be artificially constructed.
Here is an example: If you drop a stone it will fall to earth because of gravity, and that
principle can never be challenged. It is a maxim that must be observed, and once that is understood
as a base it can be utilized. From that fundamental maxim, the basic movements emerge, and from the
basic movements variations spring forth.
Isn't it a problem to remember so
many techniques?
There are those who want to
memorize every technique from the start, or have everything explained to them first before they try
it. If you think like that, however, it will be very difficult to learn by following the natural
flow of Aikido movements, and unifying body and mind. Excessive thinking will impede your progress.
When someone says, "I cannot remember the techniques I have been taught. What should I do?" the
reply is, “It is all right to forget. It is important to forget about your head, and learn directly
from your body."
Are there different schools of
Aikido?
To be sure, there are many systems
that claim to be "such-and-such Aikido," even without really knowing what Aikido is. And there are
some splinter groups that have been established by former students of the Founder, with a few even
going so far as to introduce organized competition, something that is totally contrary to the
spirit of Aikido. Regardless of how similar the techniques appear, if they are divorced from the
spirit of the Founder it is not Aikido.
We do not like to think that there are separate schools of Aikido. If we draw too many distinctions
between different interpretations of the techniques, the universal character of Aikido will be
degraded.
What is the purpose: of such
preliminary practices as furitama and torifune-undo?
Those practices are forms of
misogi, a traditional Shinto ritual for purifying the spirit and body, The Founder was; deeply
interested in esoteric Shinto, especially kototama , the science of sacred sounds, and he also
studied misogi under the Shinto shaman Bonji Kawazura ( 1862-1929). The Founder engaged in such
esoteric practices both before and after World War II, and some of his disciples emulated his
example.
To put it simply, misogi is a method of purifying the body and spirit. It is hard to see how such
simple movements can transform one's character, but if one practices the misogi ritual sincerely,
it will undoubtedly have an effect.
What is the Aikido approach to
etiquette?
Etiquette is a human creation, and
it is found nowhere else in the animal kingdom. The notion of what is “proper" etiquette varies
greatly from culture to culture, and it is impossible to state that one particular standard of
behavior is the correct one. The Aikido approach is to let a sense of etiquette develop naturally,
through regular training, and there are no elaborate rules of etiquette at the Headquarters Dojo.
Here is an example: children training at an Aikido dojo in Hawaii were never told to put their
shoes in order before stepping onto the mat. However, after a few months, even the messiest of the
children were arranging their shoes neatly, something that greatly surprised (and pleased) their
parents. The children naturally came to realize the importance of etiquette without being told by
the instructor.
Any kind of etiquette that has to be rigidly enforced, is not true etiquette. “Budo training begins
and ends with respect" is a common saying but even this does not have to be expressly stated. In
Aikido, the best etiquette is the one that is most natural.
What is the most important
relationship between Aikido training and everyday life?
One must, for example, maintain
good Aikido posture and movement throughout the day. More important, however, is to maintain a
modest attitude, and harmonize mind and body. In the realm of human relationships, one must avoid
conflict and resolve problems in a harmonious Aikido fashion. In order to do this well, one must
above all be modest and humble.
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