Explanation of Forms

At our dojo we have started learning techniques by forms. This teaching style apparently was started in Europe, England I believe. But I have not been able to find out any information on it, nor a listing of the forms.

To clarify, each form is a single attack with all the techniques that can be used against it. For example: one form is Tski. Within that form we would learn Tski Iriminage, Tski Shionage etc.

I guess it is a way to organize the teaching. I have been finding this way of learning to be very useful, but I would like to read up on it more.

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

It would be helpful to know the style or lineage (instructor's instructors) for folks to help point you in a particular direction for more info, or for you to do some online searching.

Coleen Phillips wrote: At our dojo we have started learning techniques by forms. This teaching style apparently was started in Europe, England I believe. But I have not been able to find out any information on it, nor a listing of the forms. To clarify, each form is a single attack with all the techniques that can be used against it. For example: one form is Tski. Within that form we would learn Tski Iriminage, Tski Shionage etc. I guess it is a way to organize the teaching. I have been finding this way of learning to be very useful, but I would like to read up on it more. Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

Hello,

I do not think that this way of teaching originated in Europe. You can see explanations following the same pattern in the very earliest training manuals that have come down to us from Morihei Ueshiba, in 1933 and 1938.

The approach you mention seems to me to be a very logical training method, in the same way that using waza as the focus, and training the same waza, like irimi nage, from a variety attacks. This is also possible.

I would be surprised if there was actual evidence that this approach was not used in Japan from the earliest times.

Best wishes,

I have been in the occasional class here in the UK where they have used this terminology. It seems to replace the Japanese names of the attacks such as "shomen-uchi" and "katate-dori" with the series of names like "first form", "second form", and so on, although the Japanese names of the techniques are still used.

This does tend to lead to a communication barrier between those who use the Japanese terms and those who use the "form" nomenclature, as most students in one tradition don't know the names in the other!

I think that the Institute of Aikido here uses this system. I wonder whether it comes from Westbrook and Ratti?

Alex

The Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido use the "form" terminology and, as I understand it, this is how Abbe Kenshiro taught in the mid 50's due to the language barrier which existed when he arrived in the UK.

Although I'm speculating at this point, possibly the reason why the IOA teach using this terminology is because their principal - Hyden Foster Sensei is another of Abbe Kenshiro's original students.

in fact in the institute we do not have Japanese name for the technique but it is their English equivalent.
it is very good because it describe the technique in proper English, it does

Have a butcher at the following
sheeragony= shiho nague
cartwheelnague= kaiten nage

phil

Thanks to you all. I'm beginning to understand. It makes sense as our Sensei was trained by a colleague of Henry Ellis.

So now my question is, does anyone know of any links where I can find out more about this method of learning the techniques i.e.taking one attack and showing all the defensive techniques. Neither myself nor my internet savvy Aikido colleague can find anything on the net. The book I have, "Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere" organizes the information by imobilization, which is also useful, but I would like a reference to compliment how we are leaning at class.

Thank you again for your help!

Contact Mr. Ellis here : ellisaikido@ntlworld.com

On his website there are many vidoe clips of the aikido studied within his organisation http://www.ellisaikido.org/

Thanks Dave, that link is very useful.