Levels of Training
David Alexander Sensei spent over 10 years training in Iwama under Saito Sensei, in the old days when understanding was obtained from vigorous and rigorous practice. In an article he explains the four levels of technique in Aikido training:
1. KATAI (rigid)
Also known as Kihon (basic) it is what builds the foundation of tai-sabaki (body movement) and kokyu-rokyu (abdominal breath power).
2. YAWARAKAI (flexible)
Like bamboo bending in the wind,the Yawarakai level emphasises the principle of awase and requires the defender to give in resiliently to deflect the attack in a direction that he can merge into the movement and take control. Yawarakai technique is intermediate between Katai and Ki-no-nagare.
3. KI-NO-NAGARE (flowing)
In Ki-no-nagare technique, the defender does not wait for the attacker to obtain a grip, but begins merging into the attacker’s movement before contact is made.
4. KI (spirit)
Saito-Sensei explained in his book, Traditional Aikido Vol. 5, on page 36 that: “Aikido is generally believed to represent circular movements. Contrary to such belief, however, Aikido, in its true Ki form, is a fierce art piercing straight through the center of opposition”.
For Alexander Sensei’s full article see Levels of Technique in Aikido Training.
Elegance in Aikido
David Alexander Sensei was my sempai when I trained at Iwama in 1980. He had the rare experience of spending over 10 years training under Saito Sensei, in Iwama while Saito Sensei was in his prime. He also gave me my “sayonara nikkyo”, when I returned home. He explains his idea of elegance in Aikido technique:
“After training under a good teacher for several years, it is possible to develop “Kokyu ryoku” (loosely translated as “abdominal breath power”).
“Most trainees do not get Kokyu, especially if they omit “Katai” (rigid) training and practice “Ki no Nagare” (flowing style) exclusively. If many of them are grabbed with strong power, they can’t even move. On the contrary, in Iwama in the 70′s, getting Kokyu was almost a given.
For someone with good, clean technique and Kokyu Ryoku, he or she is able to perform a technique effortlessly against a strong person who is resisting with full power. This is real Aikido, and would make O-Sensei proud.
So, this is my definition of elegance in technique; “Effortless against full power”.
For more of Alexander Sensei’s interesting anecdotes, see Iwama wisdom.
Relax when you Throw
Some years ago, when struggling to gain insight into how to powerfully perform morote dori kokyu nage (the basic form practised at the start of every keiko) I cam across an article by Koichi Tohei in Aikido Journal (Vol. 24, No. 2 1997).
Tohei Sensei 10th dan, the previous dojo-cho of the Aikikai Honbu Dojo and founder of the Ki no Kenkyukai (Ki Society organisation) teaching Aikido with Mind and Body Coordinated, is known throughout the Aikido world. (Tohei Sensei passed away at the age of 91, on 19 May 2011). So the comments he made in this article were both memorable and instructive. He gave this history:
“In 1940, Mr. Shohei Mori introduced me to Ueshiba Sensei and I became his student. I was terribly impressed with the way Ueshiba Sensei would throw people without any strength at all. I went to the dojo for every practice, but I found that I couldn’t even measure up to the high school students who were training there. After a while, however, I noticed that whenever I came to aikido practice completely exhausted after a session at the Ichikukai, nobody could move me. I also noticed that when I threw people while in that exhausted state, they would really go flying. These two phenomena made me realize that the trick was to let go of strength. On the other hand, Ueshiba Sensei was always telling us to use strength in the techniques. So I experimented in various ways with both using strength and then letting it drop away, then using it again and so on. … At that point I realised that relaxation was an important key, although I also noticed that there were things that I could not do simply by relaxing. I felt that the reason must be something I was doing wrong. … When I returned from the war, I found that whereas Ueshiba Sensei could throw me very easily, other people’s techniques were completely ineffective. There was obviously some difference between the two applications of technique. Others said that it was simply that Ueshiba Sensei had ‘the strength and skill of a thousand men,’ but I wondered if it were really true that despite both of us being human, Sensei could do and I could not do. … It was around that time that I discovered Tempu Nakamura Sensei. He taught me that ‘the mind leads the body’. The mind is the upstream and the body is the downstream. If the upstream is muddy, so will be the downstream. From Nakamura I learnt that unification of mind and body is possible through purifying the mind and allowing it to influence the body. I had already experienced this on the battlefield, but I had not connected that experience with this principle. I think the same can be said of aikido. Looking back on what Ueshiba Sensei did, it is clear that he would apply his techniques only after leading his opponent’s mind. By contrast, we were all trying to lead our opponents’ bodies, and then trying to figure out how to throw them. Naturally they would resist and become impossible to throw.
In order to lead your opponent’s mind, you must first have complete control over your own mind. If you can’t control your own mind, you can’t expect to be able to lead the minds of others.”
Of the teaching he received from O’Sensei, Tohei Sensei remarked: ”The only thing of true value he taught was how to relax.” And he added: “Even the relaxation Ueshiba Sensei taught was not explained in words, but rather something he demonstrated with his body.”
Aikido – the struggle to Understand
Aikido is difficult to learn – the path is long and winding. As with many endeavours one constantly struggles with levels of understanding. Each achievement leads to further questioning and uncertainty.
Don’t be square, be hip!
When entering or turning which move first, the hips or the feet?
O’Sensei’s Kuden (Saito, M., Traditional Aikido, Vol 1, p. 4) says:
The rotation of the hips determines the movement of both feet, The movement of the head determines the movement of both hands.Saito Sensei’s comment on the Kuden adds:
“However, the hips move before the feet. Do not be aware of only moving the feet. It is good practice to rotate the hips to evade an opponent’s thrust.”A simple application of this form is in the second suburi. Saito Sensei describes this technique as follows (Saito, M., Traditional Aikido, Vol 1, p. 27):
“The right foot steps back as the sword is raised overhead. At the same time, twist your hips to move your body out of the line of attack. As the strike is made, a step is taken with the right foot, and the right hip is thrust forward.”
Both O’Sensei and Saito Sensei emphasise the importance of initiating our moves with the hip. Not only do we start with hip rotation but we finish with a hip thrust. Do not lead with the feet but with the hip.
Remember the old saying from the 60′s:
Don’t be square, be hip!
Why sweat the small stuff
Students often say, “why is it important to do the technique ‘precisely’ surely everyone is different – we can do it in our own way”, or particularly for westerens “near-enough is good enough”.
Saito Sensei commented in his “Dos and Don’ts while training” (Volume 5 – Training Works Wonders page 41):
Perform Exercises Accurately
There is a saying that the slightest deviation renders a technique renders a technique ineffective. There is no need to conduct basic exercises with undue speed. Care should be taken not to leave out the cardinal points of the exercises and form a peculiar habit as a result of too hurried an approach. You are advised to follow faithfully the “Kuden” (Secrets of Aikido orally bequeathed by the Founder), which casts light on these cardinal points.Hitohiro Saito Sensei explained in an interview with Aikido Journal:
AJ: The precision needed for blending is a valuable point.
“Saito : Anyone can blend in a general sense, but one should begin with more specific forms which will ultimately expand to the universal harmony the founder spoke of. First you learn how to blend with your partner “toe to toe ,” then how to pivot on your front foot. When you know how to pivot properly you will be able to execute an urawaza technique. One cannot express these things verbally; they can only be mastered by training. The founder said, “Practice comes first.” It is not that your partner blends with you, but that you should blend with him in everything: “Move, open, then take the lead. ” This is what O-Sensei taught Saito Sensei. A mistake of one centimeter could make it impossible to execute a technique successfully. You can’t change the technique willy-nilly to suit yourself. There is a definite way to do each technique. Anyone, not just the physically strong, should be able to apply the techniques. Unfortunately, people neglect tai no henko. I can tell by watching people practice tai no henko and morotedori kokyuho what kind of practice they have been doing at their dojos. I do not need to see more. I think all the basics of the founder’s taijutsu are contained in these two techniques and ikkyo. It is hard to find anyone who is able to execute a perfect ikkyo technique. I know this may sound insolent, but I think you cannot understand aikido without starting properly from these techniques. If you have not mastered tai no henko, you will always end up clashing with your opponent in the other movements. The basic training it to enable you to solve the problems caused by wrong body movement. This is impossible to explain in words, as it has a deeper meaning, but I feel the only way to learn is to allow your partner to hold you firmly.”Why sweat the small stuff – because it matters!
Systematising your Aikido training
Bill Witt shihan 7th dan, was one of the first foreign students to train with Saito Sensei at the Iwama Dojo. He tells a story about Saito Sensei’s systematic approach to Aikido instruction:
One day, I walked out of the [Hombu] dojo and Saito Sensei was standing in front and he said to me: “How long have you been training?” I told him and then he said, “How do you like aikido?” I said, “I like it very much, but I don’t understand it.” Then he said, “Neither do I. I thought that was a pretty significant statement coming form an 8th dan. Then he told me that if I wanted to systematize my training I should make a chart where on one side I put down all the attacks I could think of an on the other side all of the throws. As you learn them you start checking them off and you begin to see that there are parallels. You start breaking them up into attacks and defenses instead of attack-defense techniques. [from Aiki News #6 September 1974. Interview with Stanley Pranin]A chart like this appears in Saito Sensei’s Third book, it is reproduced here:
For those who have enquired, the following remarks, appear at the bottom of the page:
1. Circle marks indicate the techniques discussed in this book.
2. TACHI or standing is an abbreviation for standing techniques. Similarly ZA is short for sitting techniques and HAN, which means half, is an abbreviation for sitting vs. standing techniques.
3. OMOTE is short for front techniques and URA for turning techniques.
4. Each technique involves two methods of training, one solid and the other fluid.
on the struggle to learn
A comforting and illuminating comment from the poet Leonard Cohen:
“Forget your perfect offering, there is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in”
Three techniques always taught in Iwama
Three techniques were always taught at the Iwama dojo. Tai no henko to start. Followed by morote dori kokyu nage. And keiko always ended with suwari waza kokyu dosa. Anyone who attended the Iwama dojo knows this was the way Saito Sensei taught. And those people have gone on to teach their own students the same way.
Stanley Pranin, the publisher of Aikido Journal has written of his time studying in the Iwama dojo:
Bill Witt shihan, one of the first to attend the Iwama dojo in 1969, found the same pattern. When interviewed for an Aiki News article (No.6 – September 1974) he related the following:
“Q.What is the atmosphere like in the dojo when Saito Sensei teaches?
V-e-r-y traditional. The first time I saw Iwama, I felt that this must be a significant center… O-Sensei lived here, the aikido shrine is here. There is a top teacher who lives here… the dojo itself has a Shinto shrine rather than a simple Tokonoma like at Hombu Dojo. There are festivals every month on O-Sensei’s birthday anniversary, on the 14th… O-Sensei was born on December 14th. So when Doshu comes out, there is a little festival where the food is cooked up to offer to the Kamisama (deities) and then you eat it and drink Sake. So there are all these traditional aikido customs that have grown up over the years that O-Sensei started and which are still held.And the training in the dojo itself?
Saito Sensei has three things that he always does during training. Tai No Henko, the basic blending exercise, then he does Kokyuho from the two-hand grab, and finally Kokyudosa. He considers those to be the three basic exercises that you should always do. He always finishes the practice with Kokyudosa and begins the practice with Tai No Henko and Kokyuho. He believes also in balancing Taijutsu training with training with the stick and sword, because, of course, a lot of aikido techniques were taken from the sword. Understanding how to swing the sword for instance should result in better technique.”Aikido – the Spiritual Dimension
O’Sensei was not only a Master of the martial arts but also a highly spititual man.
In 1918 O’Sensei joined the Omotokyo Religion that had been established by the Rev. Onisaburo Deguchi. The following year he moved his entire family to Ayabe where the Omotokyo Headquarters were located. In Ayabe, O’Sensei lived, studied with Deguchi and taught Aiki-jujitsu until 1926.
It was at Ayabe that O’Sensei spoke of experiencing a spititual awakening. It was in the spring of 1925, when O’Sensei was taking a walk in the garden after having just been engaged in a “fight” with a naval officer who had come to visit him. The officer who was a professor of fencing, was armed with a wooden sword whereas O’Sensei was unarmed. However, each time the officer tried to strike him, O’Sensei was able to avoid the weapon, until the officer gave up, totally exhausted. His son, Kissomaru Ueshiba wrote of O’Sensei recalling this experience in his book ”The Spirit of Aikido” (p. 39) as follows:
“It was nothing. Just a matter of clarity of mind and body. When the opponent attacked, I could see a flash of white light, the size of a pebble. flying before the sword. I could see clearly that when a white light gleamed, the sword would follow immediately. All I did was avoid the streams of white light.”
The incident had a profound effect on O’Sensei. Kissomaru Ueshiba writing in his book “Aikido” (p 154) recalled O’Sensei saying:
“I felt that the universe suddenly quaked, and that a golden spirit sprang up from the ground, veiled my body, and changed my body into a golden one.
At the same time my mind and body became light. I was able to understand the whispering of the birds, and was clearly aware of the mind of God, the Creator of this universe. At that moment I was enlightened: the source of budo is God’s love - the spirit of loving protection for all beings. Endless tears of joy streamed down my cheeks.
Since that time I have grown to feel that the whole earth is my house and the sun, the moon and the stars are all my own things. I had become free from all desire not only for position, fame and property, but also to be strong.
I understood, “Budo is not felling the opponent by our force; nor is it a tool to lead the world into destructions with arms. True budo is to accept the spirit of the universe, keep the peace of the world, correctly produce, protect and cultivate all beings in Nature.“
I understood, “The training of budo is to take God’s love which correctly produces, protects and cultivates all things in Nature, and assimilate and utilize it in our own mind and body“.