Takiotoshi Nagare :: Sharing with Knowledge, Spirit, and Harmony

What is Aikido?

Aikido is the way of harmony. The techniques and philosophy of Aikido, a Japanese martial art, were formulated by Morihei Ueshiba, 1883-1969. More commonly referred to as O-sensei (great master), he was a true visionary who saw Aikido not only as effective self-defense, but also as a more powerful, loving way of life. Aikido emphasizes active, nonresistance in which you blend with the energy of an attacker rather than fight it. Using Aikido techniques, the force of the attacker can be redirected, resulting in a throw or a take-down. These techniques of attack and defense are practiced in a positive atmosphere that is noncompetitive and non-aggressive. In addition to self-defense, Aikido is excellent for physical exercise, emotional well-being, and spiritual development. Is Aikido better than karate/judo/any other martial art?

This is an extremely controversial question and has generated much heated debate in forums such as the rec.martial-arts newsgroup. The answer to this question is very subjective - students of any particular martial art tend to favor that one over any other (otherwise they would probably be studying the other martial art). There are many different but equally valid reasons for studying any martial art, such as for self defense, for spiritual growth or enlightenment, for general physical health, for self-confidence and more. Different martial arts, and even different styles within a particular martial art, emphasize different aspects. Hence 'better' really depends on what it is you want out of a martial art. Even given this distinction, it is still a very subjective question so perhaps a better one would be 'Is Aikido better than any other martial art *for me*?' This can only be answered by the individual asking the question. The rest of this FAQ may help you in some way towards finding that answer. An alternative way to answer this question is to simply say, 'No, Aikido is not 'better' or 'worse' than any other martial art. It is simply different.' What are the different styles in Aikido?

Aikido was originally developed by one man, O Sensei. Many students who trained under O Sensei decided to spread their knowledge of Aikido by opening their own dojos. Due, among other things, to the dynamic nature of Aikido, different students of O Sensei interpreted his Aikido in different ways. Thus different styles of Aikido were born. The more common are listed here along with a brief explanation of what is different about the style. Each style has its own strengths and weaknesses, but all are firmly rooted in the basic concepts which make Aikido the unique art that it is. None should be considered superior or inferior to any other, but rather an individual must find a style which best suits him or her. Outside factors such as geographic location may of course limit one's options. No matter which style you choose, you are going to be taught that particular instructors interpretation of it, and you yourself are going to develop your own particular Aikido. One might say that there are as many different styles of Aikido as there are practitioners. Since this list is going to be challenging enough without looking for extra work, we'll restrict our definition of Aikido to mean styles that clearly trace their lineage to Ueshiba O Sensei. The classification into categories is fairly arbitrary. Can Aikido be used for self-defense?

Yes, Aikido can be a very effective form of self-defense However, it can take considerable time and effort before Aikido (or any martial art) can be used effectively in a self-defense situation. At the other end of the age spectrum, how old can I be and still train in aikido?

Theoretically, there is no age limit. You just need a body that can be trained in some way. You're training just means that you respect where your abilities are in the moment. Just because you can't do something now doesn't mean you won't be able to do it eventually. People of all ages train at Takiotoshi Nagare Budokan, some of them what people call "senior citizens." They do fine, as long as they take it easy when they start, and then build up to whatever level they build up to. How non-athletic can I be?

At Takiotoshi Nagare Budokan, we take people from whatever starting place they are at, and if they train with some dedication and focus, they can change from their starting place pretty dramatically. They key thing is to not force or strain. If you're just starting, you should enjoy being a beginner. Why should I train in aikido rather than another martial art?

Aikido appeals to students who are looking for a non-competitive martial art. There is no competition structure in aikido. While some people prefer a competitive environment, in aikido the training is really an on-going thing, and the victory we're looking for is a kind of self-victory. In aikido, we're working towards overcoming parts of ourselves that keep us from meeting our full, potential being. The philosophy is one of nonviolence and non-resistance. How does is aikido different from other martial arts?

As regularly practiced, aikido teaches you to deal with an attack without punching and kicking. It doesn't mean that you can't punch or kick as part of the technique, but the ideal in aikido is to be able to redirect the force of an attack by blending, or becoming one with it, and then redirecting the energy from the attack back on the attacker smoothly, and even humanely, if possible. A punch or a kick in the middle of that practice would stop the flow. It doesn't mean you can't do it, and to some degree, if you understand the principles of aikido. It's not something we practice or emphasize. Aikido is noncompetitive, so there are no matches or tournaments. The training itself is really training to find a balance with oneself is the major pursuit at Takiotoshi Nagare Budokan. The techniques of aikido work off of achieving that state of being in balance with one's self. The actual spectrum of the movement and the efficiency of the technique is connected to achieving that balance. Also, most aikido techniques are practiced with a partner. There aren't forms where you stand by yourself and go through movements by yourself. The processes of centering and balancing are learned while under pressure. So you're working with a partner almost from the beginning of your training. Can I train an additional martial art while training Aikido?

Yes. There is no problem in training several martial arts at the same time, but there is one thing to watch out for. If you have not gotten yourself a solid base in one martial art first you are going to confuse yourself when you start your second art. The result is (very likely) that your progress in both martial arts is going to be slower than if you trained first one and then another. What kind of martial art you choose to train in addition to Aikido is of course entirely up to what you yourself like and feel comfortable with. A suggestion is that if you start to train an additional art early, the more different from Aikido the better, as you'll probably not be too much confused then. Does Aikido have competitions?

It is often said that Aikido does not have any competitions. It is true that the founder of Aikido (Morihei Ueshiba, or O Sensei) felt that competition was incompatible with Aikido, but that does not mean that everyone agrees. One popular style, Tomiki Aikido, does have competition. It is not however considered to be a fundamental part of the style. On the other hand, the majority of Aikido schools do not have any competition. Most Aikido training, even in schools with competitions, is of a cooperative rather than antagonistic nature, with both thrower (nage) and throwee (uke) working as partners and trying to optimize the experience of the other. This "working partnership" is also necessary to a) minimize the chance of injury from practicing (potentially dangerous) Aikido techniques, and b) to develop both partners' capacity to "take ukemi" - to be relaxed and able to take care of oneself when responding to "falling" or being thrown in a martial situation.