| Aikido is a unique form of martial art. Its emphasis | | | | shoulder control technique with both hands gripping |
| lies on the harmonious fusion of mind and body | | | | the forearm; goky is another variant of |
| with the natural laws of Nature. Aikido focuses on | | | | ikkywherein the hand gripping the wrist is inverted |
| accepting and respecting the energy of life and | | | | and is quite useful in weapon take-aways; |
| nature and channeling this harmony onto | | | | shihnage or the four-direction throw; kotegaeshi |
| techniques that expresses this energy in physical | | | | or wrist return which involves a wristlock-throw |
| forms. | | | | that stretches the extensor digitorum; kokynage |
| Aikido is often viewed as more of a defensive | | | | also known as breath throws or timing throws; |
| martial art since its techniques and teachings are | | | | iriminage or entering-body throws which |
| designed for you to avoid or get out of trouble. | | | | resembles a "clothesline" technique; tenchinage or |
| On the contrary, Aikido's techniques are very | | | | heaven-and-earth throw; koshinage or the Aikido's |
| powerful and effective. | | | | version of the hip throw; jinage or the |
| Basically, there are four levels of technique in | | | | shaped-like-'ten'-throw; and kaitennage or rotation |
| Aikido training. These are the katai which refers | | | | throw wherein the nage sweeps the arm of the |
| to the basic training and is intended to build the | | | | uke back until it locks the shoulder joint after |
| foundation of body movements and breathing; | | | | which the nage applies forward pressure to throw |
| the yawarakai trains the defendant to deflect | | | | the attacker. |
| attacks and fuse movements to take control of | | | | These are just basic techniques and from the list |
| the attacker or situation; the ki-no-nagare which | | | | thousands of possible implementations or |
| involves training the defendant to defend or | | | | combinations can be drawn by the aikidokas. In |
| counter attack by merging his movement with | | | | Aikido, the strikes employed during the |
| the attacker even before the latter makes | | | | implementation of the Aikido technique are called |
| contact; and the ki which is the absolute Aikido | | | | atemi. For beginners, grabs are the first ones to |
| technique and involves establishing a link of ki or | | | | be taught. It is safer and the aikidoka can easily |
| spirit from the defender to the attacker. | | | | feel the energy flowing from the uke to the nage. |
| When training for Aikido, you need a sparring | | | | Among the basic grab techniques are the |
| partner. The uke and the nage. The Uke is the | | | | katate-dori or single-hand-grab which involves |
| initiator of the attack and receives the Aikido | | | | using one hand to grab one wrist; morote-dori or |
| techniques, while the Nage is the defender and | | | | both-hands-grab which uses both hands to grab |
| the one that neutralizes the attack. | | | | one wrist; ryte-dori another both-hands-grab |
| Aikido basic techniques include ikky which involves | | | | technique wherein both hands are used to grab |
| control an attacker by placing one hand on the | | | | both wrists; kata-dori or the shoulder-grab |
| elbow and one on near the wrist giving an | | | | technique; and the mune-dori or chest-grab which |
| opportunity to throw the attacker to the ground; | | | | involves grabbing the clothing of the chest of the |
| the niky which draws in the uke using a wristlock | | | | attacker. |
| and twists the arm while applying painful nerve | | | | Mastering each technique involves discipline and |
| pressure; sanky which is a rotating technique | | | | dedication. To be a good aikodoka, one must |
| aimed at applying a spiraling tension on the whole | | | | master both the techniques and principle of the |
| arm including the elbow and shoulder; yonky a | | | | marital art. |