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Old 03-17-2012, 01:46 AM   #38
lars beyer
Dojo: Copenhagen Aikishuren Dojo
Location: Denmark
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 282
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Re: Weapons in Aikido

Quote:
Ahmad Abas wrote: View Post
Most Japanese martial arts evolved from a weapons based arts into taijutsu. As opposed to chinese martial arts which have arts that were completely built from the ground zero as weapon less arts.

Aikido is no different, so it makes a lot of sense to understand your roots.

Having said that, you don't need to be the greatest swords smith on earth to be a good swordsman. So...
Hi Ahmad, thanks for your comment
I would say it like this: You donīt need to be the best swordsman on earth to be a good Aikidoka but it helps to understand the roots of Aikido- so if this is what you mean Ahmad I agre totally with you.

In "my" system of aikido the sword or aikiken is not meant to be a "cutting device" but a fairly heavy woodenstick with which to practise riai, the harmony of form, that is the connection between weapons practise and taijutsu. We also use it for other Aikido related partner excersizes as well as the Aikijo but I wont get into this here.
This is unique to Aikido I believe and as such there is no other Martial art where this is a formal goal
of weapons training- at least I have not yet seen it, but offcourse there are many things I have yet to see so please everybody enlighten me if you can.

I feel like studying more traditional japanese swordwork now, not because I think Aikiken and Aikijo
is not enough, on the contrary I feel I just started that.. but I feel like diving into other areas of japanese sword culture to better understand the significance of aikido weapons and weapons as a cultural phenomenom.

Peace
Lars
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