Aikido: Combat Stories – 12

-by Ishita Mondal

–Reading Time – 5 min Approx

masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi”– (“true victory, final victory over oneself, here and now”)

This is what Aikido is. The famous martial art practitioner who invented Aikido uttered this phrase.

Martial arts, especially Japanese martial arts are all about connecting body, mind, and soul together. Most of them focus on how to harness the mind of an individual for better combat. Aikido is a special one among all of them. When it comes to harnessing the mind and utilizing the life force, Aikido is the best.

Since it was originated, it has been split into various styles. Combining his philosophy, religious beliefs, and knowledge of martial arts- a Japanese martial artist named Morihei Ueshiba, invented this exceptional martial art form. It was invented to protect the opponent from injury while defending oneself. Instead of involving violence, it focuses primarily on improving one’s ability to defend himself.

Nowadays, it is practiced as a major technique in nearly 140 countries. After Ueshiba invented it, his students continued it with different approaches. As a result, now it is found in many different styles. Anyways, the major focus is always on keeping the opponent unharmed while attacking.

What is Aikido- The Meaning, Definition, and History:

With a wide range of techniques, Aikido is now popular in many martial art schools. But, when it comes to defining the term, many do not know it correctly. Let us share the etymological meaning of the martial art form.

“Ai” means harmony, while “ki” means energy or spirit. On the other hand, “do” means way or path. Aikido is defined as a unified way to drive the life force in the right direction. After all, every martial art form develops such unified techniques of keeping body and mind together.

As we said, Aikido was invented by Morihei Ueshiba. He was not only a great martial art performer but also a great teacher. During the late 1920s, Morihei developed it first. Later, it has been modified over time.

How Aikido is Performed- The Training and Weapons:

The game is about striking others without harming them. Basically, it is a series of soft strikes. Here we mention some of the basic strikes. They are- Front-of-the-head strike, side-of-the-head strike, chest thrust, and face thrust.

The Training:

The first type of strike is usually targeted at the forehead or the bridge of the nose. On the other hand, the second type is a diagonal strike that aims at the neck or head.

Chest thrust hits the torso. The opponent’s chest, abdomen, and solar plexus are the major targets most of the time. Face-thrust is also known as upper-level thrust. It is a punch to the face.

Along with strikes, the practitioners use grabs like single-hand grab, shoulder grab, both-hands grab, etc. There are nearly 13 techniques practiced under the martial art forms.

The techniques largely include different types of wristlocks, four-direction row, forearm return, breath throw, entering throw, heaven-and-earth-throw, hip-throw, rotary throw, etc. The popular figure-ten throws or figure-ten entanglement is also there.

Well, so you have got an idea about how it is performed. We have mentioned the major techniques used in the sport. But, without weapons can you implement them? No, you can’t!

So, here, we will discuss the weapons used in the game of aikido. Let’s see what are the weapons used here.

The Weapons:

The major weapons are the wooden swords called bokken and knife or tanto. Often, different weapons are used when it comes to defending yourself from multiple attackers. The uniform used in the game is nothing different from what the martial art practitioners wear. The uniform includes a wraparound jacket, a pair of trousers, and cotton tops.

The Principles of the Game:

Well, when it is about aikido, not talking about the fundamental principles is like having dinner without salt. So, here it goes.

The principles are- “irimi” or entering into the game, “atemi” or striking, “kokyu- ho” or control over breathing, “sankaku-ho” or triangular principle, and “tankan” or turning movements. Thus, the principals together help in redirecting the opponent’s attacking movement.

The game of aikido is about mental training along with physical training. So, the movements in it signify the same.

Nowadays, in different schools, different styles of aikido are practiced. Many other different practitioners are Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Koichi Tohei, Morihiro Saito, Steven Seagal, etc. However, people enjoy watching and practicing diverse styles of aikido.

The game Morihei Ueshiba started, is now a popular choice for martial art lovers. However, we have shared how it was originated and practiced. Before we go, let’s learn some quick facts about this martial art form.

Aikido and the Facts you Didn’t Know:

When we learn about a game, we often miss many interesting details as we focus on core factors. This may be the case with our learning about aikido. Let’s learn more to get complete knowledge.

Here are the facts:

• Aikido is the only martial art technique allowed to be practiced in prison.
• Morihei defeated an opponent with the techniques of aikido using a single finger only.
• Steven Seagal is a black belt in this game.
• The relaxing arm is stronger than the fighting one.
• A person who practices aikido is called aikidoka.
• The pants that the practitioners wear are called “hakama”.
• Aikido was circulated from Japan to the rest of the world in the 1950s.

Aikido- the Way of Unifying with the Life Energy:

Talking about life energy, it is that driving vital force within us, that keeps us going. Aikido teaches us to connect with the driving force. It is mostly about focusing on controlling and redirecting the force. Thus, the opponents can strike each other and try to disrupt their balance.

It was all about aikido, the mental and physical defending techniques that stop your opponent without injuring them. Let us know how you liked the write-up. We would love to know how it has enriched your knowledge about aikido. Enjoy the game and improve your abilities.

-by Ishita Mondal

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