guide to tenchi bogyo ryu aikido

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Aikido

Aikido

Traditional Tenchi Bogyo Ryu Aikido Club (N.I. & R.O.I.)Int Tel: +44 (0) 7854653963 From R.O.I. Tel: +44 (0) 7854653963

http://tenchibogyoryuaikido.sports.officelive.com/

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IntroductionAikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a combination of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying (with) life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Aikido was created as an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from serious injury. On a purely physical level it is an art involving some throws and joint locks that are derived from Jujitsu and some throws and other techniques derived from Kenjutsu. Aikido focuses not on punching or kicking opponents, but rather on using their own energy to gain control of them or to throw them away from you. It is not a static art, but places great emphasis on motion and the dynamics of movement.

Upon closer examination, practitioners will find from Aikido what they are looking for, whether it is applicable self-defense technique, spiritual enlightenment, physical health or peace of mind. O Sensei emphasized the moral and spiritual aspects of this art, placing great weight on the development of harmony and peace.Aikido is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on. This requires very little physical energy, as the aikido practitioner "leads" the attacker's momentum using entering and turning movements. The techniques are completed with various strikes, off balancing, throws or joint locks."The Way of Harmony of the Spirit" is one way that "Aikido" may be translated into English. This is still true of Aikido today, although different styles emphasize the more



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spiritual aspects to greater or lesser degrees. Although the idea of a martial discipline striving for peace and harmony may seem paradoxical, it is the most basic tenet of the art.

Aikido derives mainly from the martial art of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, but began to diverge from it in the late 1920s, partly due to Ueshiba's involvement with the Ōmoto-kyō religion. Ueshiba's early students' documents bear the term aiki-jūjutsu.



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Aikido

Etymology and basic philosophyThe word "aikido" is formed of three kanji:

• 合 - ai - joining, harmonizing

• 気 - ki - spirit, life energy

• 道 - dō - way, path

The term dō connects the practice of aikido with the philosophical concept of Tao, which can be found in martial arts such as judo and kendo. The term aiki refers to the martial arts principle or tactic of blending with an attacker's movements for the purpose of controlling their actions with minimal effort. One applies aiki by understanding the rhythm and intent of the attacker to find the optimal position and timing to apply a counter-technique. Historically, aiki was mastered for the purpose of killing; however in aikido one seeks to control an aggressor without causing harm. The founder of aikido declared: "To control aggression without inflicting injury is the Art of Peace." A number of aikido practitioners interpret aikido metaphorically, seeing parallels between aikido techniques and other methods for conflict resolution.

Aikido



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History

Morihei Ueshiba (14/12/1883 – 26/04/1969), founder of aikido.

Aikido was created by Morihei Ueshiba, referred to by aikido practitioners as Ōsensei ("Great Teacher"). Ueshiba envisioned aikido not only as the synthesis of his martial training, but also an expression of his personal philosophy of universal peace and reconciliation. During Ueshiba's lifetime and continuing today, aikido has evolved from the koryū (old-style martial arts) that Ueshiba studied into a wide variety of expressions by martial artists throughout the world.



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Aikido

Initial development

Takeda SokakuUeshiba developed aikido primarily during the late 1920s through the 1930s through the synthesis of the older martial arts that he had studied. The core martial art from which aikido derives is Daitō-ryū aiki-jūjutsu, which Ueshiba studied directly with Takeda Sokaku. The art of Daitō-ryū is the primary technical influence on aikido. Along with empty-handed throwing and joint-locking techniques, Ueshiba incorporated training movements with weapons, such as those for the spear (yari), short staff (jō). However, aikido derives much of its technical structure from the art of swordsmanship (kenjutsu).

Aikido



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TrainingIn aikido, as in virtually all Japanese martial arts, there are both physical and mental aspects of training. The physical training in aikido is diverse, covering general physical fitness and conditioning, as well as specific techniques. Because a substantial portion of any aikido curriculum consists of throws, the first thing most students learn is how to safely fall or roll. The specific techniques for attack include both strikes and grabs; the techniques for defense consist of throws and pins. After basic techniques are learned, students study freestyle defense against multiple opponents and techniques with weapons. Also lots of kneeling techniques (suwari waza), including knee-walking (shikko) exists in aikido.

Fitness

Physical training goals pursued in conjunction with aikido include controlled relaxation, flexibility, and endurance, with less emphasis on strength training. In aikido pushing or extending movements are much more common than pulling or contracting movements. This distinction can be applied to general fitness goals for the aikido practitioner.Certain anaerobic fitness activities, such as weight training, emphasize contracting movements. In aikido specific muscles or muscle groups are not isolated and worked to improve tone, mass, and power. Aikido related training emphasizes the use of coordinated whole body movement and balance similar to yoga or pilates. For example each class starts with warm-up exercises, which may include stretching and break falls.

Roles of uke and nage

Aikido training is based primarily at the beginning on two partners practicing pre-arranged forms (kata) rather than freestyle practice. The basic pattern is for the receiver of the technique (uke) to initiate an attack against the thrower ( nage, also referred to as ) tori, or shite, depending on aikido style), who neutralises this attack with an aikido technique.Both halves of the technique, that of uke and that of nage, are considered essential to aikido training. Both are studying aikido principles of blending and adaptation. Nage learns to blend with and control attacking energy, while uke learns to become calm and flexible in the disadvantageous, off-balance positions in which nage places them. This "receiving" of the technique is called ukemi. Uke continuously seeks to regain balance and cover vulnerabilities (e.g., an exposed side), while nage uses position and timing to keep uke off-balance and vulnerable. In more advanced training, uke will apply counter techniques ( kaeshi-waza) to regain balance and pin or throw nage.

Initial attacks

Aikido techniques are usually a defense against an attack; therefore, to practice aikido with their partner, students must learn to deliver various types of attacks. Many of the strikes of aikido are often said to resemble cuts from a sword or other grasped object,



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which may suggest origins in techniques intended for armed combat. Other techniques, which appear to explicitly be punches (tsuki), are also practiced as thrusts with a knife or sword. Kicks are generally reserved for upper-level variations.Some basic strikes include:Front-of-the-head strike (shōmen uchi) a vertical knifehand strike to the head. Side-of-the-head strike (yokome uchi) a diagonal knifehand strike to the side of the head or neck. Chest thrust (mune-tsuki) a punch to the torso. Specific targets include the chest, abdomen, and solar plexus. Same as "middle-level thrust" (chūdan-tsuki), and "direct thrust" (choku-tsuki). Face thrust (ganmen-tsuki) a punch to the face. Same as "upper-level thrust" (jōdan-tsuki). Beginners in particular often practice techniques from grabs, both because they are safer and because it is easier to feel the energy and lines of force of a hold than a strike. Some grabs are historically derived from being held while trying to draw a weapon; a technique could then be used to free oneself and immobilize or strike the attacker who is grabbing the defender. The following are examples of some basic grabs:Single-hand grab (katate-dori) one hand grabs one wrist. Both-hands grab (morote-dori) both hands grab one wrist. Both-hands grab (ryōte-dori) both hands grab both wrists. Same as "double single-handed grab" (ryōkatate-dori). Shoulder grab (kata-dori) a shoulder grab. "Both-shoulders-grab" is ryōkata-dori.Chest grab (mune-dori) grabbing the (clothing of the) chest. Same as "collar grab" (eri-dori).

Examples of Techniques.

The following are a sample of the basic or widely practiced throws and pins.

First pinning technique - ikkyō - OSHI TAOSHI –UDE OSAE - a control using one hand on the elbow and one hand near the wrist which leverages uke to the ground. This grip also applies pressure into the ulnar nerve at the wrist. Sokaku Takeda (the Daitoryu Aiki-jujutsu master who taught Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of modern Aikido) taught this technique first for a reason. And he numbered it first. It was his Technique #1 because he thought it so important. In turn, Ueshiba also though it most important and labeled it Ikkyo, which means First Technique or First Lesson.The reason they thought it so important was that if you learn to do both the omote and ura versions of it (in Aikikai terminology, the irimi and tenkan versions) then you grasp how to both trick your opponent into moving in ways that you want, as well as how to not fight your opponent and always move with his motion.It also teaches you both up-and-down kuzushi (breaking of balance) as well as backward-and-forward breaking of balance. And it shows you the importance of not mentally or physically fixating on any given technique or movement.



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Second pinning technique –nikyō- KOTE MAWASHI - a pronating wristlock that torques the arm and applies painful nerve pressure. (There is an adductive wristlock or Z-lock in ura version.) Third pinning technique – sankyō - KOTE HINERI - a rotational wristlock that directs upward-spiraling tension throughout the arm, elbow and shoulder.

Yonkyo (tekubi-osae) 四教 (手首押さえ) Wrist Pin

Fourth pinning technique - yonkyō - TEKUBI OSAE - a shoulder control similar to ikkyō, but with both hands gripping the forearm. The knuckles (from the palm side) are applied to the recipient's radial nerve against the periosteum of the forearm bone. Gokyo (ude-nobashi) 五教 (腕伸ばし) Arm Stretch

Fifth pinning technique – gokyō - UDE NOBASHI - visually similar to ikkyō, but with an inverted grip of the wrist, medial rotation of the arm and shoulder, and downward pressure on the elbow. Common in knife and other weapon takeaways (dori).

Four-direction throw (shihōnage) The hand is folded back past the shoulder, locking the shoulder joint. Forearm return (kotegaeshi) a supinating wristlock-throw that stretches the extensor digitorum. Breath throw (kokyūnage) a loosely used term for various types of mechanically unrelated techniques, although they generally do not use joint locks like other techniques.Entering throw (iriminage) throws in which nage moves through the space occupied by uke. The classic form superficially resembles a "clothesline" technique. Heaven-and-earth throw (tenchinage) beginning with ryōte-dori; moving forward, nage sweeps one hand low ("earth") and the other high ("heaven"), which unbalances uke so that he or she easily topples over. Hip throw (koshinage) aikido's version of the hip throw. Nage drops his or her hips lower than those of uke, then flips uke over the resultant fulcrum. Figure-ten throw (jūjinage) or figure-ten entanglement (jūjigarami) a throw that locks the arms against each other.Rotary throw (kaitennage) nage sweeps the arm back until it locks the shoulder joint, then uses forward pressure to throw.

Chin Kon Ki Shin

Chinkon is defined as... to settle down and calm the spirit and Kishin is defined as... returning to the divine or kami, which refers to achieving a profound contemplative state where one is grounded to the divine universe. Chinkon and kishin are generally practiced together where the first part, chinkon, involves revitalization of the senses and the gathering of spirit, while the second part, kishin, involves an alert meditative state. It's been said that chinkon and kishin together form a method of achieving unity with the divine, although each has it's own function. Chinkon is said, by some, to gather the spirits of the souls wandering the ether into the tanden (abdominal center) while kishin activates those spirits.



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Chinkon-kishin has ancient roots that are referenced in the old Shinto texts such as the Kojiki. The shamanistic practice of mystical breathing and meditation of uniting the divine and human spirits was often used in old times in the preparation of waterfall misogi, an ascetic practice of standing under a freezing waterfall for long periods of time, in meditation, with the objective of cleansing the mind, body, and spirit. O Sensei often practiced this kind of misogi (spiritual cleansing), but to O Sensei, aikido was his daily misogi practice. For this reason the founder would prepare for the misogi of his aikido training by performing chinkon-kishin techniques in his warmups.The practice of traditional chinkon-kishin largely fell out of practice in the Shinto tradition until Onisaburo Deguchi and revived the practice within the Omoto Kyo Shinto religious sect, in the early 1900's. When O Sensei met Onisaburo and embraced the Omoto religion he also embraced the practice of chinkon-kishin as taught and practiced by Onisaburo. O Sensei had embraced the rich Shinto culture and mythology since his childhood. Omoto Kyo, as a new form of an ancient religion and the charismatic leadership of Onisaburo, had a profound effect on O Sensei's spiritual path. The founder and another Omoto follower are show here practicing kishin meditation with their hands folded into various mudra or hand postures.According to Yasuaki Deguchi, grandson of the Omoto leader Onisaburo Deguchi, Onisaburo's received his knowledge of chinkon-kishin from a revelation he had while engaging in ascetic practices on Mt. Takakuma. He also referred to a method of kishin mentioned in the section concerning Emporor Chuai in the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters) and in the record of Empress Jinko in the Ni-honshoki (Chronicle of Japan). In later years the practice of chinkon-kishin was abandoned in the Omoto Kyo religion because of the profound and often surprising effect it had on its practitioners. However, the practice was never abandoned by O Sensei and is found mixed into aikido warmups in dojo everywhere today.There are several forms of chinkon-kishin that O Sensei integrated into the warmups of aikido training. These exercises, although generally not clearly understood, even by uchideshi of O Sensei, are still practiced in many aikido dojo around the world. They are practiced largely for their obvious physical benefits. They are also practiced, in part, for their historical significance. The founder's students who retained the practice differ significantly in the details as well as the level of importance they place on this practice, and most of them profess not to understand it. One student of O Sensei said... "We practice it because it is very important... Sensei said that we would discover the meaning of these techniques for ourselves."

Tori Fune

We do “Tori Fune” exercise in the begining of every class. Some people call it the rowing exercise or Funakogi Undo. It’s quite simple (on a physical level):



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Stand with your left foot in front, hips and shoulders square to the front. Curl your wrist and hold them at hip level.

Move your hips forward slightly. Smoothly extend your wrists out.

Leaving your arms extended, start to move your hips back.

Keeping your wrists curled, bring your arms back to your sides. Repeat steps 2-4 several times, then switch sides.

While doing it you have to:

• Keep your chest out, your eyes (and mind) forward, • Leave your hands open as you extend your arms forward. Close them into a light

fist as you bring them back to your sides. ..

Furitama

Furitama: "soul shaking", "settling the ki", or "vibration of the spirit" Furitama is practiced standing with the legs shoulder-width apart. The hands are placed together with the right hand over the left. A small space is left between the hands. The hands are placed in front of the abdomen and shaken vigorously up and down. Inhale to the top of the head rising up naturally. Then exhale to the bottom of your feet as you continue shaking your hands up and down. The exercise if finished in silent and still meditative kishin.This chinkon exercise was intended to gather the spirits of the divine into ones center... calming the spirit... vibrating the soul. It's an effective way to gather your thoughts, center your mind and focus your intention.Another form of "vibration of the spirit" can be seen in the practice of raising the hands over your head, shaking them vigorously while fingers are extended. Then throwing the hands down toward the ground. The founder would speak of shaking the dust from the joints when referring to this wrist loosening exercise. For him it was a vitalizing



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movement to shake the impurities from the body... a form of misogi to prepare for aikido practice.There is this quote by Tamura Shihan: “Furitama is important because every class I followed with O Sensei he did it. Consequently, his pupils, including myself and you, must do it to find our its meaning for ourselves. What O Sensei said, for instance, was `You are standing with one foot put on the rock of the sky, the other foot on the rock of the earth’. This means you are standing in the center of the universe, You receive the ki from the sky and the ki from the earth at the point of unification (where the hands come together, left on top) and you move your hands because it is the mixing point. And that is where the energy takes life.”And another quote - Seiseki Abe Sensei:Torifune no gyo is one of the eight “gyo” (literally – austere training methods) or practices of Misogi-no-Gyo (austere training methods/practices of Misogi), as taught by O-Sensei. Many people use misogi as a spiritual practice. Although there is this aspect, it is only part of the picture. The actual reason is not a mystical practice by any means. There is a real basis for this practice, one rooted in a physical science and training directly related to our aikido training. Simply it is used to develop “Kokyu” or breath power. Kokyu is made up of two Kanji, “Ko” – meaning to breath out, and Kyu” – to breath in. There is also an advanced “bugei” aspect having to do with “hiding” ones breath from one’s opponent. However, this is an advanced level of this training accomplished after years of companion breathing exercises.

The eight Misogi are: (in our class we do #2 and #3)

1. Misogi-no-gyo (purification and breath training with cold water) 2. Torifune-no-gyo (rowing exercise to “actively” train the breath during

movement) 3. furitama-no-gyo (shaking hands in front of hara to passively train the breath

while in standing meditation) 4. Norito-no-gyo (chanting of long prayers to further train the breath) 5. Otakebi-no-gyo (Lifting the hands over the head, and body up on the toes,

bringing hands back down to below the tanden while shouting “eee-aaaay” and forcing all the breath from the body, again, breath training.

6. Okorobi-no-gyo (two different practices using tegatana “two-fingered sword” cutting, shouting “eee-aaaay” and forcing all the breath from the body, for breath training.

7. Chinkon Kishin-no-gyo (seated meditation, with specific hand postures, hand gestures, and specific meditative visualizations)

8. Shokuji-no-gyo (specific dietary measures designed to distinguish the body’s physical power and change the blood from acidic (typical) to alkaline [to promote proper breathing, and correct mind/attitude/heart - kokoro-e])

With specific regards to Torifune, there are three different components or movements. Each are to be followed by furitama, thus creating a pattern of “active/passive” breath training.



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In the first movement, While moving the hips forward, the emphasis is on moving the hands forward very quickly (fingers active with “ki” and pointed down to the ground, wrists are bent – note the rotation of the forearm from the ready position to the forward position) while exhaling (kiai) with the compound vowel sound “Eeee-Aaaay”. As the hips move back, the wrists follow (soft movement) with the vowel sound “ho”. This 2-part sequence of forwards and backwards should be repeated upwards of twenty times. This is the male aspect, or giving “ki” exercise or “Irimi/Kokyu-ho” (triangle/square) based techniques.You should notice that you are breathing hard as you change to furitama-no-gyo exercise.The second Torifune exercise reverses the emphasis, starting with a forward hip movement, a soft hand movement and kiai with “ho” followed by the return of the hips, quick hand movement, while exhaling (kiai) with the compound vowel sound “Eeee-Aaaay”. Then furitama-no-gyo. This is female, or accepting ki exercise or “tenkan/Kokyu-ho” or (circle/square) based techniques.The third exercise changes the hand movements from ones that are hip level to ones that are chest level. Starting with palms up (at your sides and chest level) begin with the forward hip movement, moving the hands forward very quickly, turning the palms down to the ground, and exhaling (kiai) using the pronouncing “saaaaaah” this is followed by returning the hands to their original position, again moving the hands backward very quickly, this time exhaling (kiai) using the pronouncing “Eeee-Aaaay.” Again, the emphasis is on both, moving the hands forward very quickly and back just as quickly. However, it is important to note that you should try this exercise in one breath, pushing all of your breath out as you move forward and back until you can not kiai any longer. This is the male/female or female/male aspect, for giving/receiving or receiving/giving “ki” exercise or “Irimi/Kokyu-ho” (triangle/square) or “tenkan/Kokyu-ho” (circle/square) based techniques. This is followed again by furitama-no-gyo.

Generally, furitama-no-gyo is practiced to warm the body up before Misogi-no-gyo. Then after misogi, the above routine is followed. This is a daily practice, and should be done four times a day (early morning, late morning, early afternoon, and late afternoon – not at night).

Unsoku“Unsoku” – The foot movements. Having completed a warm-up, students line-up in order to perform the Unsoku, sometimes referred to as the foot movements. Like many of Aikido’s exercises, these movements may seem meaningless but there are a number of important things happening during the Unsoku. The practitioner is learning to power off one foot into a stance suited to performing a technique. Whilst moving, the student should maintain their posture, back straight, head-up and arrive in a strong stance. Beginners wrongly tend to lean, keep their legs straight, or only move one leg. For any given movement, both feet should arrive in a different position from where they started. Both legs should be relaxed.



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The unsoku are a form of plyometric training. Some sports scientists would maintain that the Russians were the first people to develop plyometrics which they called “shock training”. The idea behind this training is to develop the power of the user to move in a ballistic way from one place to another with as much speed, power, explosiveness, posture and balance as possible. This ability is developed through the phenomenon of the Stretch Shorten Cycle (SSC). Simply put, this means that when the muscle is stretched before it is made to contract, it can be contracted faster and more powerfully. Thus it is best to bend at the knees considerably or more appropriately, relax (in order to stretch the quadriceps and abductors), before exploding into the next position. Beginners will advance much more quickly if they practice the Unsoku by themselves in their free time.

When performing the foot movements, some Aikidoka race through the sequence out of time with the count. As good plyometric training is best performed in response to a stimulus, students are encouraged to wait for the count and then move. For example, the instructor shouts “ichi” where upon you move forward into left stance. Wait until the instructor counts “ni” before moving back. Wait again until the instructor calls “san” before moving back again. As soon as you hear “shi” power back into the position you were in at the start which is called “shizentai” or neutral posture.



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“Tegatana- dôsa” – The hand and foot movements. Tegatana literally means hand-blade,

whilst dôsa means movement. The tegatana is very important in Aikido as it is used for

re-directing (blocking) an attack and often for striking. The tegatana is basically the ulna

bone, but in practice, the hand-blade runs from the outside of the little finger all the way

to the point of the elbow. Although the Japanese terminology refers to moving the hand-

blade, in this exercise the practitioner moves their feet and their hand-blade in co-

ordination. Like the Unsoku (foot movements), this exercise should be performed

dynamically. The movements come from sword cuts and this should be kept in mind. In

many “traditional” Aikido clubs or other martial arts like Chinese Tai-chi, practitioners

move quite slowly. Having only trained in the dojo/ club at a slow speed, when faced

with a real or fast attack, you won’t suddenly become fast. The physiological

development will not have taken place. If you wish to move fast, you must train fast!

Students who also practice Tegatana-dôsa by themselves in their own time will progress

in Aikido much faster than those who don’t. A great way to improve such movements is

with a “bokken” wooden sword. Most people are right-handed and train mostly against

right-handed attacks. To compensate for this bias, the unsoku (foot movements) and the

tegatana dôsa (hand and foot movements) both begin by moving into a left stance. Thus,

the tegatana dôsa begin by moving into a left stance and striking an imaginary opponent

between the eyes with the left hand-blade. In reality, in feudal Japan there were no left-

handed swordsmen, as left-handed samurai/ people were regarded with great suspicion!

All sword cuts with an actual sword or bokken should be performed with the right hand

above the left.

It may be best when performing tegatana dôsa to imagine you have an opponent in front

of you. When you deliver the cutting action it should be to a specific target. The

imaginary target you should aim for will be shown in the following tables. Always keep

your hand in your centre.



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Number 1 (Shomenuchi) Repeat twice



Count Stance/ Movement Target

“ichi”

Bring your left hand-blade directly above your head and bring it straight down to the target on the

right.

“ni”Drive back off your left foot so that you are in

basic left stance.

“san”

Bring your left hand-blade straight up from your centre toward the

target on the right.

“shi” Return to “shizentai” natural posture.

“go”

Bring your right hand-blade directly above your head and bring it straight down to the target on the

right.

“roku”Drive back off your right

foot so that you are in basic right stance.

“shich”

Bring your right hand-blade straight up from your centre toward the


“hach” Return to “shizentai” natural posture

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Number 2 (Yokomenuchi) repeat twice

“ichi”

Bring your left hand-blade directly above your head and bring it cutting down to the


“ni” Bring your left hand-blade directly above your head.

“san”Bring your left hand-blade cutting down toward the



“go”

Bring your right hand-blade directly above your head and bring it cutting down to the


“roku” Bring your right hand-blade directly above your head.

“shich”Bring your right hand-blade

cutting down toward the target on the right.




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Number 3 (Tsuki) Repeat twice

Number 4 (180° Hip Rotation/ side cut) Repeat twiceTraditional Tenchi Bogyo Ryu Aikido Club (N.I. & R.O.I.)

Int Tel: +44 (0) 7854653963 From R.O.I. Tel: +44 (0) 7854653963http://tenchibogyoryuaikido.sports.officelive.com/

“ichi”

Bring your left hand-blade straight up from your

centre toward the target on the right. (Back of the hand

facing up).

“ni”Drive back off your left

foot so that you are in basic left stance.

“san”


centre toward the target on the right. (palm up).


“go”

Bring your right hand-blade straight up from your

centre toward the target on the right. (Back of the hand

facing up).

“roku”Drive back off your right

foot so that you are in basic right stance.

“shich”


centre toward the target on the right. (palm up).


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Number 5 (180° Hip Rotation/ cut behind and back diagonal cuts)



“ichi”

Slide your right foot forward and simultaneously put your left hand (palm up) straight out in front of you.

“ni”

Turn your hips through 180° whilst maintaining your left hand in your

centre. The left hand blade turns as you cut so that the back of the hand faces up.

“san”

Cut back again to the position you were in at

“ichi”, having made sure your hips have rotated

through a complete 180°.


“go”

Slide your left foot forward and simultaneously put your

right hand (palm up) straight out in front of you.

“roku”

Turn your hips through 180° whilst maintaining your right hand in your

centre. The right hand blade turns as you cut so that the back of the hand faces up.

“shich”

Cut back again to the position you were in at “go”, having made sure your hips have rotated

through a complete 180°.


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Randori Workout



“ichi”

Slide right foot forward half step, same time point left finger tips to right foot. Bring left hand blade up through centre above the

head.

“ni”

Rotate hips so that you are in basic left stance. Then draw left foot back so that

you are in shizentai.

“san”

Slide left foot forward half step, same time point right

finger tips to left foot. Bring right hand blade up through

centre above the head.

“shi”

Rotate hips so that you are in basic right stance. Then draw right foot back so that

you are in shizentai.

“go”

Bring your left hand to the knot of your belt whilst driving back off the left

foot, right foot draws back to back left corner.

“roku”

Bring your left hand blade directly above your head and cut down to the target

on the right.

“shich”

Bring your right hand to the knot of your belt whilst

driving back off the right foot, left foot draws back to

back right corner.

“hach”

Bring your right hand blade directly above your head and cut down to the target

on the right.

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During the one-hour randori workouts the following sequence of drills is typical. The

person holding the knife is called the tanto (after the fact that a dagger in Japanese is

called a tanto.) The unarmed person is referred to as the toshu (literally unarmed) player.

1) One-on-one taisabaki. Each person in a pair takes turns stabbing at the other. Maybe

30 seconds each. Overhand as well as normal stabs. Several rounds are played. In the

first, tanto cannot feignt, and toshu cannot use his arms to help block. In the next, tanto is

still prevented from feignting, but toshu can uses his arms to block. In the third, the

intensity and reality of the drill are kicked up, with tanto allowed to feighnt and do

multiple stabs and toshu allowed to block.

2) Two-on-one taisabaki. Here, groups of three are formed. Two get knives and take

turns stabbing at the third person. Little time should elapse between sucessive stabs so

that toshu really has to dance, constantly having to face a new attacker just after having

avoided the previous one. This is done for maybe 45 seconds before the players rotate

rolls.

3) The two tanto hijimochi no tsukuri drill. Here pairs are formed. But one person is

given two tantos, one for each hand. They then face off and the person with the tantos

stabs. The other grabs one arm, and attemps one of the hijimochi no tsukuri grabs (elbow

control grabs) against that arm. Not only is the grab made and a hijimochi no tsukuri

attempted, but the attempt is also made to use the drip to drive the stabber off the mats.

The stabber is required to push back, constantly trying to circle back towards the center

so as to not be driven off of the mats. He can also after a few seconds attempt to put the

other tanto onto toshu’s chest. If this happens, toshu is to quickly switch arms and do a

hijimochi no tsukuri against this other arm. This is done for maybe one minute before the

two people switch rolls.

4) Kakari geiko. Maybe 60 seconds each side. This is essentially sparring with no

resistance.

5) Hiki tate geiko. Maybe 60 seconds each side. This is light sparring with moderate

resistance. Tanto only goes down if good aikido is being done (good posture, good Traditional Tenchi Bogyo Ryu Aikido Club (N.I. & R.O.I.)

Int Tel: +44 (0) 7854653963 From R.O.I. Tel: +44 (0) 7854653963http://tenchibogyoryuaikido.sports.officelive.com/

P a g e | 25

timing, etc.) This drill can be repeated so that renzoku waza (multiple techniques in

sequence) are practiced. If so, then tanto never goes down on the first technique that

toshu attempts, thereby forcing toshu to try a second or even a third technique so as to

practice combinations.

An Atemi Waza Timing Drill Against Tanto Stab

This drill is to develop timing for atemi waza strikes. It is done in itterations, each

building upon the previous one.

For instance, suppose that tori wants to practice his timing for shomen ate.

Uke and tori start at proper distance (ma-ai.) They are both standing in neutral posture

(shizen-tai), with neither foot forward—that is, in neither a left-foot-forward nor a right-

foot forward stance.

Suppose that uke has the knife in his right hand. He first pounces down into a right-foot-

forward stance (migi-gamae). He lower his center and prepares to spring forward and

stab. He is ready like a cat about to pounce!

He then springs forward and stabs. Tori just stands there and gets stabbed with the rubber

knife.

This first itteration is just so that tori can get used to the timing of a stab.

On the second itteration, uke goes into the pounce but does not get the chance to stab,

because as uke is going into the right-foot forward pouncing position, tori slides forward

into the right-foot-forward position for shomen-ate. Tori enters and just barely touches

uke. There is no throw on this itteration. But the timing must be right: tori slides forwars

as uke is transitioning from the neutral stance into the pounch. That is, tori enters as uke

is preparing to stab. This is sen no sen.

On the third and final itteration, tori not only slides forward for shomen-ate as uke

transitions into the pouncing position, he also finishes the technique and throws uke.



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So on the first itteration, tori stands there and gets stabbed, learning how uke moves. On

the second, tori slides into position for shomen ate as uke goes into the right-foot-forward

pouncing position (knees bent, center lowered.) And then on the third itteration, tori not

only moves forward as uke goes into the pouch but finishes things up but completing the

throw.

Naturally, this three-itteration drill can be done for any of the atemi waza.

But notice that the version I just described involves sen no sen, or tori moving

simultaneously with uke. You can also practice this drill as a go no sen drill, or one in

which tori moves second.

In this version, tori moves in for the technique after doing a tai sabaki to avoid the stab.

So the order is uke stabs, tori moves out of the way using good taisabaki, uke pulls back

(after stabbing) and then tori moves in towards uke as uke pulls back and then throws uke

at that point in time. This is go no sen because tori definitely moves second, after uke

stabs.

This drill is also done using three itterations.

First, uke stabs and tori just does a taisabaki to get out of the way and then stays still as

uke pulls back after the stab. Uke should not only pull is arm back, but should also slide

backward with his feet as well. (But keeping the same stance, so that if he is in a right

foot forward stance after finishing the stab, he slides backward still in a right-foot-

forward stance.) The pouncing routine is also the same. Both start in shizen tai, uke goes

into a right-foot-forward pouncing position, and then stabs. But now, after stabbing, uke

pulls back.

On the second itteration, uke stabs, tori gets out of the way, but then follows uke in as

uke slides back. As tori slides forward, he moves into the proper position for an

appropriate atemi waza technique. But he does not finish the throw.



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On the third itteration, tori finishes the throw, with the proper timing being that tori adds

to uke`s backward sliding motion, so that the atemi waza is very easy to apply

effectively.

A final version of this drill involves second stabs. That is uke stabs straight forward at

tori, tori does a taisabaki, uke points his center at wherever tori is now standing,　goes

into a pouncing position and then takes a second stab at him.

On the first itteration, tori gets out of the way of the first stab but not the second.

On the second itteration, tori gets out of the way of the first stab, and then enters to do an

atemi waza as uke gets ready to pounce for the second stab. Uke never gets the second

stab off because tori is already coming in at him. But there is not throw on this second

itteration.

On the third itteration, the throw is made.

Tegatana Awase

Here, both people stand in matching stances (both people standing right-foot forward, for

instance.) They then raise tegatana arms to match (right arm if the right foot is forward.)

They touch tegatana blades, and then move smoothly around the dojo, using good sliding

feet footwork, making sure to keep the same foot always forward, and never bending

their tegatana arms. The whole point of the drill is to maintain proper distance as you

move together.

Make sure you switch, and do a round both with the left leg and hand forward as well as

the right leg and hand forward.

A variation of this drill is to do it without the arms. You start off touching arms to get the

distance right, but then lower your arms and then move around, staying square to each

other, and at proper distance.



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Tegatana Bogyo

Bogyo means defense. In this drill, the two partners take turns being attacker and

defender. They start as in tegatana awase and move around smoothly, but then one of

them (pre-designated as the attacker) either raises the opposite arm to begin a strike or

raises a leg to begin a kick. Since it is a drill, you don’t finish the strikes or kicks. Please

note that it is the opposite arm that goes to strike. That is, if you are doing the tegatana

awase with your right arm forward and touching your partner’s right arm, you will raise

your left arm as if to strike.

For the person defending, as soon as he senses a strike coming, he pushes in with his stiff

tegatana arm right towards the attacker’s throat. To aid in the drill, the attacker allows his

tegatana arm to collapse at the elbow so that his own tegatana hand gets squished

between own his throat (or upper chest) and the defender’s tegatana arm, which is of

course pushing in at his throat. The point of the drill is to move in quickly and push the

attacker off balance. It is, foremost, a timing drill, to teach you to react immediately when

attacked. It also teaches you that the best first thing to do when attacked is to break your

opponent’s balance.

As you do the drill, each person should make three attacks before switching attacker and

defender. This is a nice alternation scheme, since you don’t spend too much time as either

attacker or defender and you learn to move smoothly and be alert equally well in either

role. Make sure you do both left and right sides.

Gassho no Bogyo

This drill is also sometimes called Gassho no renshu. A gassho is a pray position, with

the palms pressed together. In this drill, you again work on your timing and moving

smoothly and quickly when attacked. Here, the pre-designated attacker either goes for an

overhead temple strike to the head (migi men or hidari men), or raises a knee as if to

begin a kick.



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If an overhead strike is initiated, the defender moves forward smoothly and raises up his

tegatana arms in a gassho position, putting them hands right up near the attacker’s face.

This will block the strike and get you used to moving towards an attacker—as

paradoxically this is often the safest place to be.

If the attacker raises up a knee as if to strike, the defender blocks it by moving smoothly

forward and putting out both tegatana to block the leg on the thigh, just above the knee.

The key point here is to keep your back vertical and also to keep looking at the attacker’s

face. Do not look at the leg! You should also end up pretty low, as to block properly, you

have to extend a leg forward. This will naturally lower your center.

As you do this drill, you and the other person should be circling each other. This makes it

much more natural, and well as much more challenging. The attacker should feel free to

attack either right or left handed or right or left footed, alternating at will. Mixing it up

this way makes it much more realistic for the defender.

Ippon no Bogyo

Ippon means one long cylindrical thing. In this case it refers to one arm. So this drill is

the one-armed defense drill.

It is essentially the same as Gassho no Bogyo from the perspective of the person

attacking. He or she either goes for hidari men or migi men (overhead temple strikes with

the tegatana blade) or raises a knee up as if to go for a front snap kick.

As for the defender, he is now only allowed to block with one arm. For overhead strikes,

he should meet them blade to blade, by which I mean that the blade side of his blocking

tegatana arm (the pinkie finger side) should clash up against the blade side of the

attacking tegatana arm. Also, he should move his whole body so that at the moment of

contact, this blocking arm is right on his own center line. Between each block, the arms

return to dangle loosely at the side. You should also be relaxed and well balanced as you

await the next strike.



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Now, if a kick comes, you have to again block it—but with only one tegatana blade this

time (unlike in gassho no bogyo, where you blocked using both arms simultaneously).

Block with the shote (base of the hand), with the thumb rotated so that it points back

towards you. (The arm is extended as you block; it is still a tegatana.) You do not want to

bock with the thumb side as you’ll quickly end up spraining or breaking a thumb. As with

blocking kicks in Gassho no bogyo, keep your back straight and keep looking at the

attacker’s eyes.

Circle each other as you do the drill.

Shote Awase

This is the drill where you push on each other using fully extended tegatana arms. You

shouldn’t be doing it very hard and that uke (the person being pushed backwards) should

not fight the other person very hard. The uke should help by keeping both of their

pushing hands in their mutual center and should give way reasonably, only mildly

challenging the pusher. This allows the pusher to work on subtle balance breaking skills.

Ushio Kara Ryote Dori no Bogyo

This is the double handed wrist grab from behind drill, where uke grabs one of tori’s

wrists using both of his own hands. The point is to grab and then push up and forward to

break tori’s balance. Since you’ve probably already done this drill as well, I will only add

that uke should definitely try to lift the arm, and that tori should get very good at

suddenly dropping his weigh to break uke’s balance.

At the moment that uke grabs, you extend your fingers, form a tegatana, and drop your

weight. Starting in a fist and then extending to a tegatana gets you in the habit of instantly

going to tegatana no matter what position your hands are normally in. Put differently, you

wouldn’t normally have your arm in a tegatana when grabbed. So this makes you practice

having to initiate a tegatana immediately after being attacked.



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Sandziu hon Nage Kuzushi Waza

These are the Nine Basic balance breaking drills. The first two are against high level

grabs from aigamae (matching stances) and gyakugamae (opposite stances), the second

two are mid level grabs from aigamae and gyakugamae, and the third two are low level

grabs from aigamae and gyakugamae. (The seventh and eighth are then both double

landed wrist grabs from behind and nineth – double grab from the front.)

Actually, though, calling them high level, mid level and low level grabs somewhat

muddles things. What’s really happening is that after you are grabbed, you perform either

high level balance breaking (where you raise the attacker up onto his toes), mid level

balance breaking (pushing the uke sideways off balance), or low level balance breaking

(where you push the attacker forward and down form his perspective to bend him over at

the waste and break his posture).

With your first partner, you are given just enough time to do them twice each both left

and right handed. Then you rotate to another partner, and do them twice each both left

and right handed. As you go through them, alternate. That is, you grab my right wrist for

the set of nine, then I grab your right wrist for the set of nine, and then you grab my left

wrist for the set of nine, and then I grab your left wrist for the set of nine, etc.



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Weapons

Disarming an attacker using a "sword taking" (tachi-dori?) technique.

Weapons training in aikido traditionally include the short staff (jō), wooden sword

(bokken), and knife (tantō). The founder developed much of empty handed aikido from

traditional sword and spear movements, so the practice of these movements is generally

for the purpose of giving insight into the origin of techniques and movements, as well as

vital practice of these basic building blocks.

Multiple attackers and randori

Technique performed against two attackers.



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One feature of aikido is training to defend against multiple attackers. Freestyle (randori,

or jiyūwaza) practice with multiple attackers is a key part of most curricula and is

required for the higher level ranks. Randori exercises a person's ability to intuitively

perform techniques in an unstructured environment. Strategic choice of techniques, based

on how they reposition the student relative to other attackers, is important in randori

training.

Mental training

Aikido training is mental as well as physical, emphasizing the ability to relax the mind

and body even under the stress of dangerous situations. This is necessary to enable the

practitioner to perform the bold enter-and-blend movements that underlie aikido

techniques, wherein an attack is met with confidence and directness. Morihei Ueshiba

once remarked that one "must be willing to receive 99% of an opponent's attack and stare

death in the face" in order to execute techniques without hesitation. As a martial art

concerned not only with fighting proficiency but also with the betterment of daily life,

this mental aspect is of key importance to aikido practitioners.



P a g e | 35

Uniforms and rankingAikido practitioners, commonly called aikidōka, progress by promotion through a series

of "grades" (kyū), followed by a series of "degrees" (dan), pursuant to formal testing

procedures. Various belt colors are used to distinguish rank.

rank Belt Colour Minimum Requirements

10th kyū Yellow More than 20 hours practice after starting, techniques as in grading syllabus

9th kyū First Orange More than 20 hours practice after 10th kyu, techniques as in grading syllabus

8th kyū Second Orange More than 20 hours practice after 9th kyu, techniques as in grading syllabus

7th kyū First Red More than 40 hours practice after 8th kyu, techniques as in grading syllabus

6th kyū Second Red More than 40 hours practice after 7th kyu, techniques as in grading syllabus

5th kyū First Green More than 40 hours practice after 6th kyu, techniques as in grading syllabus

4th kyū Second Green and hakama

More than 60 hours practice after 5th kyu, techniques as in grading syllabus

3rd kyū First Blue More than 60 hours practice after 4th kyu, techniques as in grading syllabus

2nd kyū Second Blue More than 60 hours practice after 3rd kyu, techniques as in grading syllabus

1st kyū Brown1/5 year training or 100 hours after 2nd kyu (which comes last), techniques as in grading syllabus

1st dan Black 1 year training after 1st kyu, techniques as in grading syllabus

The uniform worn for practicing aikido is similar to the training uniform used in most other modern martial arts; both thick ("judo-style”) and thin ("karate-style") uniforms are



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used. A pair of wide pleated black trousers called a hakama is reserved for practitioners ranked 4th kyu and above. Woman can wore white hakama from very beginning.CARE OF GI AND HAKAMA

GI folding: lay flat on the back; fold sides at the seam; overlap front collar; fold right third in, then fold excess sleeve back out; fold left third in, then fold excess sleeve back out; fold the lower third up, then the next third

HAKAMA folding: hold up from the back, push the partition inside to the right and lay flat on the floor with back side up; fold HIDA so that they overlap; turn HAKAMA over; straighten the sides at the seams, then fold the front HIDA; fold the sides in to the width of DOGU BUKURO; fold the lower third up, then the next third; flip over, then tie the HIMO



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Aikido

Contact Details:

Northern Ireland:

Warrenpoint Aikido ClubShinken Shobu Ryu Dojo

WIN Buisness ParkNewry RoadWarrenpoint

Co DownTel: 07854653963

E: [email protected]

Republic Of Ireland:

Dundalk Aikido ClubBlackrock Community Centre

BlackrockCo Louth

Rep. of Ireland R.O.I Tel: (+44) 7854653963E: [email protected]

Last update 7/11/08



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guide to tenchi bogyo ryu aikido

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