AIKIDO
HOW DOES IT WORKS?

By the very nature of the principles and the way of practicing, aikido is opposed to all forms of competition wich prevails in many aspects of everyday life.

In aikido we are not confronted with an adversary: "tori" accepts and redirect the attack of the partner called "aité". The objective is to adapt to the force and speed of the attack without opposing it, without the use of muscular force, and to follow the natural direction of the force in order to unbalance the partner and bring him in a controled state.

Since there is no courses for beginners, the most experimented will, when receiving the attack, help the neophyte in its movements, and while attacking, control it's own movements to preserve the physical integrity of the partner.

Aikido founder, Maître Moriheï Ueshiba (1883-1969), used to say: "The objective of aikido is not to control others, but to master yourself". He therefore elaborated a martial art in adequation with his philosophy. We use to say that aikido is a "physical philosophy".

The same principles are to be found in every technique. If one of them is absent, then the technique is inneficient and loses all signification.
When working on a technique it is the whole discipline we are working on. The objective is not to learn or practice a technique, but to learn aikido.

The aikido weapon training is an excellent mean to learn the basis and avoid errors.
In weapon training we see clearly that we must stay the center of the movement and not to turn around the opponent.

• All techniques have the same centripedal spiral principle. The objective is to deviate the opponent attack and amplify it until the required position is reached. The movement must be centered around tori, the aite (uke) must be the one who moves the most, then he is kept in movement and unstable. Tori, by keeping the center, stays stable and controls his surroundings. This principle is similar to natural laws, like in astronomy, where by example the sun is in the center and the other celestial objects are moving around.
  
• Since every movement takes time, long techniques will take time and therefore become ineffective, cause in a martial situation time is precious. We must react in a second. Movement must therefore be reduced to minimum in order to be fast and effective.
• Ma-ai (space-time concept) is common to every martial art. To keep the right distance.
• Shisei-Kamae. A straight and strong posture, physicaly and mentally.
• Ki No Nagare and Ki Misubi. These are proper to aikido. They mean to go in the same direction, to follow the movement.
• Ikkyo Undo. To push using the lower belly and to keep body and limbs in right position
• Kokyu. Means breathing. Aikido requires to have muscles relaxed. Tension in the body cuts the breath. relaxed muscles helps to breath regularily.
• Tai Sabaki. To move freely, to be able to move in every direction without taking to much place.
• Te Odoki. to be able to get free of holds.
• Atemi. To be able to hit at a precise vital point at every moment of the technique.