Thread: principles
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Old 02-23-2005, 02:47 PM   #1
rob_liberti
Dojo: Shobu Aikido of Connecticut
Location: East Haven, CT
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,402
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principles

So I did a list on Aikiweb for the work principle and principles and cut and pasted anything somewhat useful into a a note (below). Anyone willnig to help me clean it up and get it into the aikiwiki section for principles? Any other suggestions?

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Be careful about using the term "Aikido Principles". The principles are universal in nature, aikido is a methodology that allows you to learn them. AIkido does not have the market on any prinicples. They exist in all arts of dynamic of movement, be it AIkido, MMA/BJJ, yoga, pilates etc.

Moving where the attack is ineffective (at the far limit, or at the close limit), leading control (through atemi or whatever), maintain your center, keeping your hands in front of you, and blending.

very relaxed, very efficient

sticking to your opponent, blending/merging, dropping your weight through your center, manipulating the body through the extremities, relaxing, going with your opponent's tech until you can take control

atemi in cooperation and integration with ma-ai, kuzushi

hard physical training, footwork, distance, timing, pain tolerance and good "atemi" (especially as receiver of the "atemi")

have your partner's balance or understanding of body rhythm - the "harmony" required to do a technique
harmonizing with your opponents energy and using it against him/her

the principle of none resistance: If there is force you go around it, if you are not resisting anything then there is no fight and therefore no one looses.

"No attack, no aikido"

doing minimal damage to the attacker (while protecting yourself of course!) is a central principle of aikido.

move your whole body, hanmi and koyu

movements with a balanced relaxed body, and keeping the hands working together

kokyu and ki-musubi

Moving the torso from the middle

always be moving so that your middle powers you in the direction you want to move. All increments of all arm, shoulder, leg, head-turns, etc., are powered by kokyu as well,

movement begins at the ground, is controlled by the middle, and is expressed in the hands, arms, whatever

Relax Completely is one of the four basic principles for Shin Shin Toitsu (mind and body coordination)

I think I call this the principle of corespondance. (As above, so below, as it is below, so it is above). Basically, all principles are meta-principles of that one.

interdependant relationship between the feet and the head

Gogo-no-shugyo (training after insight/understanding). This means that part of the training is to learn how to explain techniques and ways to think about them

about harmony and using the other's force.

principle of circular movement, the response to an attack is immediate, and the opponent never has a chance to get a firm grip. One movement flows into another until an attack is completely neutralized, and there are no fixed patterns to adhere to.

relax, extend ki, weight underside, keep one poin

blend with attackers, harmonizing rather than meeting force head on

energy and conscious movement.

principles of mechanics, balance, energy
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