Bennetts Karate

Aikido

"Your teacher can only give you an outline, a hint here and there to guide you. Only through constant practice will you master the practical use of this mystery. Learn to understand with your body. Do not engage in futile effort to learn a great number of techniques but rather study the techniques one by one and make each you own."

- Morihei Ueshiba

Aikido was developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies in Judo, personal philosophy, and Shinto religion.

The idea of Aikido is to blend with the motion of the attacker and redirect the force of the attack rather than opposing it, which should require very little physical strength.

Therefore someone smaller is able to manipulate the energy of a larger person and defeat them. Aikido is not a striking martial art, but similar to Judo, relying on throwing and joint locking.

Morihei Ueshiba

Aikido training as a beginner will focus on five different throws or pins from five different attacking positions including both standing and kneeling positions, referred as suwariwaza. Students will also train randori, which is freestyle practice to intuitively perform techniques randomly from multiple attackers.

List of Throws and Pins

Ikkyo (1 part control)
Nikyo (2 part control)
Sankyo (3 part control)
Kotegaeshi (Wrist locking throw)
Shihonage (5 directions throw)

List of Attacking Positions

Jodan shomen uchi (vertical strike at head level)
Jodan Yokomen uchi (diagonal strike to head or neck)
Mune Tsuki (straight punch to the torso)
Katate dori (same side and cross wrist grab)
Morote dori and Ryote dori (double wrist grab

Aikido students over the course of their training will also learn various weapons attributed to Aikido which include the short staff known as jo, the wooden training sword called bokken, and knife defense from the tanto. Weapons training will include kata (forms) for jo and bokken, as well as various application systems and drills.

Jo Kata

Jo 1 (22 count)
Jo 2 (22 count)

Bokken Kata