Aikido techniques
Aikido techniques are frequently referred to as waza 技. Aikido training is based primarily on two partners practicing pre-arranged forms rather than freestyle practice. The basic pattern is for the receiver of the technique to initiate an attack against the person who applies the technique—the 取り tori, or shite 仕手, also referred to as, who neutralises this attack with an aikido technique.
Both halves of the technique, that of uke and that of tori, are considered essential to aikido training. Both are studying aikido principles of blending and adaptation. Tori learns to blend with and control attacking energy, while uke learns to become calm and flexible in the disadvantageous, off-balance positions in which tori places him. This "receiving" of the technique is called ukemi. Uke continuously seeks to regain balance and cover vulnerabilities, while tori uses position and timing to keep uke off-balance and vulnerable. In more advanced training, uke may apply reversal techniques to regain balance and pin or throw tori.
Ukemi refers to the act of receiving a technique. Good ukemi involves attention to the technique, the partner and the immediate environment - it is an active rather than a passive "receiving" of Aikido. The fall itself is part of Aikido, and is a way for the practitioner to receive, safely, what would otherwise be a devastating strike or throw and return to a standing position in one fluid movement. The person throwing must take into account the ukemi ability of his partner, as well as the physical space: walls, weapons on the tatami, and the aikido practitioners nearby.
Uke must attack with a strength and speed appropriate to the skill level of the tori; in the case of beginners, this means an attack of far less severity than would be encountered in a real-life self-defense situation.
Training techniques
- Boat-rowing exercise / Rowing the boat teaches movement from the hip rather than relying on muscle strength of the arms
- First teaching exercise trains students to enter with both arms forward in the tegatana position.
- Body change altering the direction of an incoming attack
- Seated breathing method / Breathing action / 'Breathing dantian breathing is important in the execution of all aikido techniques. Here "breathing" has an additional meaning of "match with" or "accord," as the efforts of tori must agree with the direction and strength with which his wrists are held by uke''.
Initial attacks
Many of the strikes of aikido are often said to resemble cuts from a sword or other grasped object, which indicates its origins in techniques intended for armed combat. Other techniques, which appear to explicitly be punches, are also practiced as thrusts with a knife or sword. Kicks are generally reserved for upper-level variations; reasons cited include that falls from kicks are especially dangerous, and that kicks were uncommon during the types of combat prevalent in feudal Japan. Some basic strikes include:
- Front-of-the-head strike a vertical knifehand strike to the head. In training, this is usually directed at the forehead or the crown for safety, but more dangerous versions of this attack target the bridge of the nose and the maxillary sinus.
- Side-of-the-head strike a diagonal knifehand strike to the side of the head or neck.
- Chest thrust a punch to the torso. Specific targets include the chest, abdomen, and solar plexus. Same as "middle-level thrust", and "direct thrust".
- Face thrust a punch to the face. Same as "upper-level thrust".
- Sword-taking Being attacked with a sword or bokken, usually reserved for upper level practitioners.
- Knife-taking Being attacked with a tantō, usually a wooden one.
- Staff-taking Being attacked with a jō. Being attacked by any wooden staff is called bōtori or tsuetori
- Single-hand grab one hand grabs one wrist.
- Both-hands grab both hands grab one wrist. Same as "single hand double-handed grab"
- Both-hands grab both hands grab both wrists. Same as "double single-handed grab".
- Shoulder grab a shoulder grab. "Both-shoulders-grab" is ryōkata-dori. It is sometimes combined with an overhead strike as Shoulder grab face strike.
- Chest grab grabbing the chest. Same as "collar grab".
- Rear chokehold
- Rear both shoulders grab
- Rear both wrists grab
Techniques
- First teaching 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.
- Second teaching kote mawashi, a pronating wristlock that torques the arm and applies painful nerve pressure.
- Third teaching kote hineri, a rotational wristlock that directs upward-spiraling tension throughout the arm, elbow and shoulder.
- Fourth teaching kote osae, a shoulder control similar to ikkyō, but with both hands gripping the forearm. The knuckles are applied to the recipient's radial nerve against the periosteum of the forearm bone.
- Fifth teaching 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 take-aways.
- Sixth teaching also called Elbow arm-barring pressure
- Arm-spraining second teaching an elbow lock generally used for knife thrusts or straight punches.
- Four-direction throw The hand is folded back past the shoulder, locking the shoulder joint.
- Forearm return a supinating wristlock-throw that stretches the extensor digitorum.
- Breath throw a loosely used term for various types of mechanically unrelated techniques, although they generally do not use joint locks like other techniques.
- Entering throw throws in which tori moves through the space occupied by uke. The classic form superficially resembles a "clothesline" technique.
- Heaven-and-earth throw beginning with ryōte-dori; moving forward, tori' sweeps one hand low and the other high, which unbalances uke so that he or she easily topples over.
- Hip throw aikido's version of the hip throw. Tori drops his or her hips lower than those of uke, then flips uke over the resultant fulcrum.
- Figure-ten throw or figure-ten entanglement a throw that locks the arms against each other.
- Rotary throw tori'' sweeps the arm back until it locks the shoulder joint, then uses forward pressure to throw.
- Corner drop
- Arm extension throw from behind tori extends uke's arm slightly downwards and places the other arm under tori's upper arm, then moves whole body forward.
- Arm entanglement
- Shoulder drop
- Body drop
- Large Hip
- Shoulder wheel
Yoshinkan terminology
- 一ケ条 Ikkajo
- 二ケ条 Nikajo
- 三ケ条 Sankajo
- 四ケ条 Yonkajo
Implementations
Additionally, an "inside" technique takes place in front of uke, whereas an "outside" technique takes place to his side; a "front" technique is applied with motion to the front of uke, and a "rear" version is applied with motion towards the rear of uke, usually by incorporating a turning or pivoting motion. Finally, most techniques can be performed while in a seated posture. Techniques where both uke and tori are sitting are called suwari-waza, and techniques performed with uke standing and tori sitting are called hanmi handachi.
Thus, from fewer than twenty basic techniques, there are thousands of possible implementations. For instance, ikkyō can be applied to an opponent moving forward with a strike, or to an opponent who has already struck and is now moving back to reestablish distance. Specific aikido kata are typically referred to with the formula "attack-technique". For instance, katate-dori ikkyō refers to any ikkyō technique executed when uke is holding one wrist. This could be further specified as katate-dori ikkyō omote, referring to any forward-moving ikkyō technique from that grab.
Atemi are strikes employed during an aikido technique. Some view atemi as attacks against "vital points" meant to cause damage in and of themselves. For instance, Gōzō Shioda described using atemi in a brawl to quickly down a gang's leader. Others consider atemi, especially to the face, to be methods of distraction meant to enable other techniques. A strike, whether or not it is blocked, can startle the target and break his or her concentration. The target may also become unbalanced in attempting to avoid the blow, for example by jerking the head back, which may allow for an easier throw.
Many sayings about atemi are attributed to Morihei Ueshiba, who considered them an essential element of technique.