Aikido
How is Aikido practiced ?
Aikido is in comparison with other martial arts no sports for competition with winners and losers. The concept of Aikido is based on a scheme of attacker and defendant, who are steadily changing roles. The exercises have the effect to be round , in harmony, nearly like dancing. A basic principle of Aikido is giving way to an attack and leading the energy over into the air. In order to disequilibrate the offender the attacker will be lead into a spiral movement until he loses control over his own movement. The defence will be made in a way not to injure the offender. For rehearsing the defence techniques stylized attacks will be used. The goal is not to learn a specific defence technique for a specific attack, it is more to practice to absorb the attacking energy. Each attack is different from the other. The Aikidoka has to develop a mental stance in every place, at every time in every situation to react adequately. The techniques however develop their their full effect after several years of serious training.
How is Aikido taught ?
In the beginning the muscles are getting stretched and warmed up to keep sinews and ligaments away from being hurt. The next step is to rehearse special sequences of steps which are used in all Aikido techniques. Meditative deep-breathing exercises in the beginning and at the end of each training session are practiced to collect physical and psychic energy.
The energy of breathing (kokyu) and the mental power (ki) belong to the techniques to the same extent as well as mere physical exercises. In all the Aikido techniques the Ki is flowing from attacker to defendant and the other way round and gives each technique a reinforcing energy.
When falling the attacker are absorbing the defence energy The right way of falling is a means to keep safe and is getting a security technique.
