Rupert Atkinson

For some time, a good few years, I have concentrated much more on irimi than tenkan. I am of the opinion that the standard Aikikai training paradigm of - two irimi and two tenkan techniques - does not help us learn Aikido, and does not prepare us to apply it on an uncooperative partner. It is good for beginning kyu grades to get an understanding of the differences but beyond that, I think it is a big mistake to practise with such a training method. I think that once the distinctions are understood, training should focus on irimi -- the active - how to enter, and that tenkan -- the passive - is what happens, or what we allow to happen when irimi is thwarted. But even so, a massive tenkan is not sensible -- fun, but not sensible; instead, a short tenkan movement suffices to allow another attempt at irimi.

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