AIKI-JUTSU-DO

BEING -IN- THE CENTER

Imagine you are in a large circle with you being in the center. Take a step and the circle moves with you. Stay in the center of your circle. This is the foundation of being in the center. By using circles in combination with the guiding and controlling of the total movement (including that of your opponent), into a flow to one center, the art of Aiki can be practiced without seriously harming the opponent. Pain is not used to inflict injury, but rather to guide the movement to a common goal. The main purpose is to neutralize and/or immobilize the opponent and to do this quickly and efficiently. However, Aiki-jutsu-do can be used to inflict injury if the situation demands it. Always be careful with this, control the movement. A single correctly performed technique can have serious consequences for the opponent. Always consider this. Be the master.

Even after you have taken control of your opponent's center, you are still in control of your own center, as well as your opponent's center. In Aiki-jutsu-do most movements are circular. You use the circles of your wrist, elbow, shoulder, waist, head, knee and your entire body. All these circles should be connected to one center. If your center is balanced, your body is balanced. By becoming one with the center of an opponent, and taking control of it, their center becomes your center. And you control both centers.

The action of uke (opponent) and your harmony with its movement results in uke ending up in a dependent situation. Their balance is now depending on yours and you can guide uke in any direction without using any force whatsoever.

STEPPING IN

A good defense consists of perception, evaluation, decision and action. By practicing regularly these phases can be executed automatically and happen almost at the same time. This is the aim of every martial artist. At the highest level, the defense has already started when the attack has not been fully completed. It is possible to flow from one to another strategy immediately. This is extremely important when facing multiple opponents. Study the heiho and make it your second nature.

The first moment of physical contact with the opponent is the stepping in. Your Ki is activated and your focused mind thinks and projects forward (even in going along a launched technique). Stepping is one of the most important parts of Aiki-jutsu-do. During this phase you evade, extend, surprise and take over uke's center.

ln addition, all movements stepping in, can be performed soto (to the outside of the attack) and uchi (to the inside of the attack).

ADDING EXTENSION

By extending the opponent's movement to a sufficiently modified direction, uke will miss the target and end up out of balance. Even better, uke ends up being dependent on you for his/her balance. By using circular movements every forward force can be rounded and its course deviated without much resistance. By missing the target and receiving a little pressure from you, uke can be brought into a circular path to a destination chosen by you.

GUIDING TO A COMMON GOAL

Once the attack has been rounded and extended, uke has no more control over the event. All control is now in your hands and by using the Aiki-jutsu-do techniques, the attack can be deferred and guided to a common goal, usually the floor.

During the extension you must continuously feel uke's Ki. Sometimes uke will not budge in a certain direction. If that is the case, feel the path of least resistance, and change the chosen technique to one more appropriate. Flow as a river.

THE APPLICATION OF KI