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the hips.
When I began Aikido my teacher instructed me mostly from the kneeling positions. This
lasted for two years. Because of this I got a good idea of the use of the hips in Aikido. Later on,
after practising these postures which can be seen in Plates 51 and 52, try the actual knee walking.
Start with one knee resting on the mat, keeping your feet underneath your buttocks. The other
knee is bent. Keep your hands on top of your knees. Now lower the knee that is bent onto the
mat and spin on your knee until you are in the opposite direction, bringing the other knee into
the bent position. Continue this move - alternatively changing knees and turning from side to
side. Keep your shoulders relaxed, the small of your back straight and your toes bent uppermost.
Practise until you are able to move in all directions with a smooth rhythm. Then practise the
technique with a partner - sometimes techniques should be practised with one of your kneeling
and the other standing. Occasionally practise with both of you kneeling.
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Each technique is done to counter a particular attack on form. The form in which your
partner attacks you is described in each technique to help the student.
6. Dress of Aikido
The Aikido dress varies according to whether one is a Dan or Kyu grade. All Kyu grades
wear trousers, jacket and belt of the Kimono style. These clothes are suitable for the art because
of the freedom of movement and the strength of material.
Dan grades wear Hakamas. This dress has been kept from the old days in Japan when the
Samurai used to wear them. The dress has the other advantage that it teaches the student to move
properly by keeping the feet closer to the mat.
Cleanliness is very important in Aikido as well as the other fighting arts. Not only is it
very important to keep your body and clothes clean but also your mind. Aikido's aim is to make
harmony and this will not be achieved if one person in the Dojo is clean and another dirty. You
will find that no one will want to practise with the dirty club member. This can cause bad feeling
in the Dojo. Harmony will thus disappear.
In Aikido toe and finger nails can be very dangerous so these should be kept trimmed.
When stepping on to the mat, the student should bow to it. This is to give thanks to the mat
because without it one would not be able to practise. Therefore we respect it for being there and
it teaches us not to take things for granted.
Slippers should always be worn to the edge of the mat and when they are removed one
should step straight onto the mat. This prevents any dirt or grit getting onto the mat. One should
never walk on a mat wearing ordinary shoes.
When practising try not to have the same partner all the time as you will find that you
get too used to each other. Everyone is different in build, weight and height. Your techniques
becomes more adjustable if you change your partners.
One should not have stupid strength contests with each other or fool about. Try to help
to understand each other and help one's partner wherever possible.
7. The Basic Principles of Aikido
The basic techniques of Aikido are very important to learn thoroughly. In this book I
cannot give you all of them as they are too numerous. But I have tried to give you a good overall
guide. It is difficult to learn true Aikido from a book and the best way is to practise in a club
under a good teacher. But use this book in conjunction with your training.
This book, I hope, will help you to understand the real meaning of Aikido.
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If you can imagine that you are like a spinning top and if someone or something attacks
you, they will fly off from you and not be able to enter into your body. In Aikido all movements
must be 'circular' - not 'triangular'. Thus if you are spinning like a top and your opponent is on
the outside, he is controlled not by strength but by your movement. At the same time your body
and mind must be relaxed. We then have a posture which is completely alert.
Always practise with good feeling and spirit. An excessive amount of talking on the mat
is a waste of time. Your breathing should be through your nose with your mouth closed. By this
method you will learn to control your breathing. This will in time enable you to practise at least
three hours a week. At the leading clubs in this country, most pupils practise five hours a week
and Dan grades ten hours a week. At the Aikikai, they have a system whereby the pupils live in
and devote their lives to Aikido. They train up to six hours a day for seven days a week. After
a certain number of years - usually ten - they are sent out as apostles of Aikido to teach the Art
to all parts of the world.
8. The Power of Ki and Kokyu
When listening to people talk about Aikido, you will hear about the power of Ki (Spirit)
and Kokyu (Breath control). Both are things that cannot easily be explained as they are spiritual
feelings. I am still trying to acquire these powers fully. I have found that these powers in Aikido
are only possible when one is fully relaxed. So if one loses one's temper one will never find this
power. This is why I feel sure that it is important to practise not only the technical side of Aikido
but also to discipline the mind and accept the ceremony which is associated with the Art.
9. The Ceremony in Aikido
The ceremony in Aikido is similar to that in the other Martial Arts.
The pupils bow to the teacher before and after practice. They also bow to each other [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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