Tag: Aikido

Essence of Kokyu-hō

The general meaning of kokyu-hō is “a method using breathing”. It is also known as kokyu-ryoku or “a method for training breath power”. It is a method of practice that is necessary for mastering power in martial technique. In addition to the martial benefit, there is also an improvement in general health because of more functional breathing.

Abdominal breathing is an essential part of the martial art practice. The usefulness of a correct breathing is built upon the practice of three breathing modes, diaphragm breathing, flank breathing and open throat breathing.

The abdominal breathing or diaphragm breathing is the first step to successfully complete breathing.

Abdominal pressure

Some martial arts methods utilise respiratory pressures during force production. The concept of “Tanden” or “Hara” is needed to understand the “Why and How” of abdominal pressure. Tanden has to be seen as a three dimensional area of varying size in the abdomen, not as a point on the abdomen.

The abdominal pressure causes the “Tanden” to be more compact. This resulted in better handling by the muscles of the abdomen to produce what is called internal strength. In fact, there is no mystery about this skill, it must be trained to become useful as a tool to express “hakkei” or explosive power.

The skill of abdominal pressure

Bring your consciousness to Tanden (lower abdomen), the centre of gravity of your body, and use the diaphragm and the perineum to control the abdominal pressure.

Acquiring a skill of abdominal pressure by using the diaphragm and perineum shall be performed by a progressive use of our breathing system.

We can distinguish 2 methods of breathing useful in our training.

  1. Complete abdominal breathing (normal and deep breathing) – improves general health and martial arts general performances.
  2. Reverse complete abdominal breathing (reversing the breathing cycle) – improves explosive martial arts performances (hakkei).

Complete abdominal Breathing

Complete breathing is a breathing technique that unites diaphragm-breathing, flank-breathing and open-throat-breathing into a single natural rhythmic movement.

Complete breathing is seen as a healthy breathing technique. In the exercises, the intention is not to inflate itself like a ball, but rather to breathe unforced. Full breathing is most natural when the execution has a smooth and continuous coherence and the three phases follow each other, without breaking the continuity.

The three breaths blend progressively. If the breathing is audible, it means that it is too hasty. Also, when practising complete breathing, people sometimes collapse their abdomen by switching to flank breathing. However, the air pressure in the lower abdomen must stay at the same level during the transition to the next step. Pulling the perennials should support the abdominal pressure.

When people experience a sense of dizziness during the complete breathing exercise. It’s sometimes unpleasant and it’s scary. That would happen, especially for people with slightly lower blood pressure. Dizziness is caused by reduced blood pressure and therefore blood pressure in the brain and is therefore beneficial in itself.

When breathing in, the diaphragm flattens and pushed down on the abdomen. The muscles between the ribs open the breast more to enable more air in the lungs. The throat must open more by relaxing the muscles in this area, resulting in more air going into the lungs.

Complete Abdominal Breathing (Reverse)

Complete reverse abdominal breathing is a breathing method in which one expands the abdomen when breathing out and contracts the abdomen when breathing in. Complete reverse abdominal breathing increases the abdominal pressure, which in turn increases power.

Note that complete reverse abdominal breathing is part of our normal breathing habits. For example, when you are happy and you laugh, you exhale and your abdominal area push out.

This mode of respiration is the opposite of full abdominal respiration. Gently pull into the area of your stomach while breathing, holding the perineum upwards. The pressure is higher than regular breathing. Total reverse breathing should be used to enhance martial applications (hakkei). Refrain from reverse breathing when you have high blood pressure problems.

Expand the lower abdomen (the area from the navel down) while breathing out.

Control over abdominal muscles.Control over abdominal muscles.Controlling the abdomen muscles

Correct breathing in the martial arts requires practice. Complete abdominal breathing and the reverse alternative are exercises to develop the abdomen muscles and having full control of these muscles.

Though often overlooked, breathing has a vitally important role in our lives. Correct breathing can lead to increased calmness and relaxation, which facilitates greater focus and endurance. For martial artists, success in combat depends largely on high levels of energy and concentration, so proper breathing is absolutely essential.

Most instructors insist on not thinking about what is referred to as correct breathing during training. The point is, if you don’t need oxygen, you won’t breathe until you need it. There’s no need to take deep breaths all the time. Breathing is a natural process and we should not think about it.

Of course, if your muscles are weak, you will not be able to perform a strong “hakkei” or explosive power if required. It all comes down to controlling your tanden. Therefore, respiratory training is needed to expand your breathing possibilities.

While it is relatively easy to practice complete abdominal breathing when sitting or standing quietly, it is much more difficult to perform when engaged in activities requiring physical effort and movement. Yet, the timing and rhythm of physical movement are linked to breathing and neuromuscular control. Breathing and neuromuscular control depend on each other and interact.

Some practical information

How to become “Jūkozo” – flexible body

“Jūkozo” – flexible body is already described in another post on this blog

In every exercise, the body needs a quality that is not tense. The word “flexible” is accurate. The word relax is sometimes used, but that is not the right word in this context. Relax makes you feel almost limp. The body needs some muscle tone to move immediately.

Strength is generated through the loosening of the shoulders and the use of a flexible koshi.

I have already mentioned several times the efficiency of “ritsuzen” as the main exercise in developing a flexible body with the quality of “Jūkozo”. It is not a question of “standing”, but of an exercise with many internal movements. Full breathing may be added after the body is free of excessive strain.

Breathing during an exercise

If you are tense, your breathing will be not optimal. First, create Jūkozo before proceeding with the integration of complete abdominal breathing.

If you want to include complete abdominal breathing in your exercises, you must consider the rate of breathing. Breathing and body movements have to be synchronized, especially when you begin such an integration of breathing. We need to slow down the pace of performance. Breathing may not cause excessive muscle strain. Breathing is a natural process and breathing exercises are tools to improve respiration efficiency.

Complete abdominal breathing is the normal breathing during exercises. Reverse abdominal breathing is used when explosive power is needed.

Oshi-taoshi type of exercise

Expiration occurs primarily when power is needed, inspiration occurs when you absorb the opponent’s motion and power.

When you absorb the power, the reverse breath can be used to produce “hakkei” upon exhalation. In some cases, you will be able to use “Kiai”.

The exercise must be done at slow speed and in sync.

More info about these exercises

While breathing is a natural process, but at the beginning of respiratory training, you need to be very careful when you have medical problems. Breathing workouts may further aggravate your problems. Please check with your doctor for guidance.

Synchronising – A physical, mental and social action.

This article is not an academic document, it is a secular interpretation, not an academic one. It is based on my personal experiences during my 60 years of practice in various martial arts and sports. Judo/Jujutsu, Shaolin Kempo, Karate, Aikido, Hakko-Ryu Jujutsu, Iaido, Jodo, Yiquan, Qigong,….. and guidance from many martial arts teachers. And most important, the ability to self-cultivation.

A scientific statement.

Synchronization is, in a broad sense, coordination of rhythmic oscillators due to their interaction.

Buzzwords or ability to use tough words.

It is almost standard to use scientific terms in articles to give it an academic flavour. Without the necessary knowledge, these words are transformed into “Buzzwords”. A word or sentence, often an element of jargon, which is fashionable at a particular moment or context.

Translating scientific jargon into a plain language for martial arts, can give you a better insight into the many exercises and techniques during your training. The most important thing to improve your martial art as a human being is the competency of self-cultivation.

Definition of self-cultivation: the development of one’s mind or capacities through one’s own efforts.

From the Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia

Synchronisation – Neural-Mental-Social

In Martial Art, footwork, stretching and releasing, winding and unwinding…. All these “actions of body and mind” need to be combined into a single and smooth movement. A whole-body motion creates a more efficient technique for overcoming the confrontation with an opponent. This process is known in the language of martial art: Rendo.

But rendo is more than personal synchronization. It is also in sync with the training partner and/or adversary.

Let us look at a very simple action of the daily life:

A person’s steps unconsciously synchronize with those of a partner when two people walk together, although their foot lengths and therefore their intrinsic cycles are different.

Obviously, it’s not just a physical synchronization. Synchronization has a number of levels. There are synchronized neural processes, mental activities, and social interactions. Neural processes are critical to physical or bodily synchronization. Mental activities are required to form a picture of something we like to accomplish. Social interactions are playing an important role in our society. Social media as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…. part of our daily life.

Synchronisation on a physical level

Sports and martial arts are activities that are seen frequently on television or in other forms of media distribution. Unfortunately, the mere fact of watching competitions or sports activities on the screen or in a sport-stadium does not have a direct impact on the search for a healthy body (Mental and Bodily). We have to do physical activities like cardio workouts, flexibility programs and other forms of physical training to build or maintain a healthy body and of course a mind free from frustrations and depressions.

At a beginners level, martial art training is more focused on the physical side of training. But we cannot ignore the game of the mind and the interaction between the mind of the attacker and defender.

Synchronisation and differentiation

Differentiation is the process of dividing a homogeneous whole into parts with different properties. Characteristic of differentiation is that a whole remains and that the division into parts with different properties occurs within that whole.

In Martial Arts, whole-body movement is used to indicate the necessity of using all your physical and mental resources you have. Practising with the focus on all different resources is difficult, almost impossible, especially for beginners. Even advanced practitioners need a method to avoid an overload on details to look after. One of the chief instructors of the Japan Aikido Association made a remark during one of his semnars.

Perfection is a matter of 1000 details

Fumiaki Shishida, JAA Shihan

In a sense, he is telling us to practise with all the details. But I believe we have “to differentiate” and of course not to forget, the details are a part of the whole. The difficulty is to distinguish the various details for focused training without losing the whole.

An example can bring some clarity in this matter.

Tomiki Aikido put much emphasis on the use of “tegatana” during training. The hand can take different positions, and those positions are useful for different purposes in our hands. Using an exercise to indicate the hand position as a basic exercise for daily practice is, in my opinion, a waste of time. Tegatana positions are integral to a whole body movement and should be considered in the context of a whole body movement when using tegatana. Nevertheless, it is possible to do such an exercise when introducing the different positions of tegatana. As soon as possible, the tegatana positions must be included in the whole body movements of Tomiki Aikido.

A simple example of “synchronisation”

  1. Start posture – both “kwa or mata” are neutral – tegatana uchi-mawashi position
  2. Turning body by opening “kwa or mata” – tegatana is following body movement and synchronised with opening “kwa or mata”
  3. Body returns to start posture – tegatana drops to middle lower position synchronised with “kwa or mata”
  4. Body turn by opening “kwa or mata” – synchronising with lifting tegatana
  5. Body returns to start posture – tegatana synchronised with “kwa or mata”
  6. Movement is repeated…..

This simplified movement is an application of uchi-mawashi, soto-mawashi, uchi-gaeshi and soto-gaeshi. Synchronised with opening and closing “kwa or mata”.

Synchronisation and 6 Harmonies

Some of you recognize the word “Harmony” in a non martial art context. Take for example the harmony concept in music. Music can bring movement forward in the actions of humans, going from emotions to dancing. The main part of music is sound with the correct use of harmonies.

What is so enigmatic about sounds that provoke emotions in us? Is it just a physical phenomenon of vibrations or something more dynamic? This question can also be asked in martial arts. Our being starts in the mind, creates a kind of vibration of energy, and the result is a movement useful to apply as a waza. Everything has to be synchronised and in harmony. Without this, chaos is looking around the corner. In your search for effective movements or techniques, you will discover that martial art teachers use the word Qi or Ki.

The discussion of the word Qi or Ki in a Western “consumption” society becomes ridiculous if the focus is mainly on materialism. Fortunately, martial artists are often open-minded.

Chinese martial arts recognise 6 kind of synchronisation or in their words 6 harmonies.

Internal Harmonies

Internal Harmonies is about the way you are using your energy needed for physical movements, internal and external.

  1. Xin (fighting-emotional-survival spirit or also called “heart”) and Yi (intention or wisdom mind)
  2. Yi and Qi (physical energy)
  3. Qi and Li (strength – the physical manifestation of Qi seen as a movement – internal and external)

External Harmonies

External Harmonies is about the syncronisation of major body joints

  1. Hips and shoulders – Connection of the 4 main body joints
  2. Knees and elbows – Knees are driven by hips, elbows are driven by shoulders
  3. Feet (ankles) and hands (wrists) – Strength is controlled by the center through shoulders, hips, knees and elbows

The center is the core of the body and has 3 main parts

  1. The central part of the head
  2. The lower part of breastbone
  3. The gravity center of the body

Synchronisation of all thes elements is a main part of the training. If this is not included, your martial art will not function as a whole body system with different part working toghether in harmonie.

Many Japanese Martial Arts have borrowed some of these concepts in their training program. Of course, they added a Japanese flavor, expressed in the different forms of Budo and Bujutsu.

The equivalent of the Chinese words (or concepts) in Japanese can create some confusion.

Xin or spirit: Shin, kokoro…
Yi or intention: I, Zanshin,…..
Qi or energy: Ki,….. the physical manifestation of power is called Chikara

Tanren, forging the mind and body

Tanren-gata and shinken-gata

In martial arts, the terms tanren-gata and shinken-gata are used to indicate the difference between a kata to enhance body movements and a combat-oriented kata.

Tomiki Aikido kata/katachi may also be categorized as tanren-gata or shinken-kata.

Most basic kata (basic15, basic17, tanto basic17, ura-waza….) can be categorized as tanren-gata. A series of movements or techniques for practicing the body movements necessary for the creation of an effective technique.

Koryu no kata are essentially a sort of shinken-gata, a series of formal techniques focused on combat. There is one exception in the Koryu no kata, the dai-yon kata omote and ura are tanren-gata to improve the body movements needed during the “randori” training.

Renshu and Tanren

Renshu 練習
This training is intended to study the waza found in kata/katachi which are already understood at a base level. The goal is to improve the movements of the entire body in a given context. It may be a combat setting or a randori setting.

Tanren 作務 (building physical and mental strength)
It focuses on improving physical and mental resilience through physical and mental training. For a true practical application of an effective technique, physical fitness and mental resiliency to pain and discomfort are necessary. Tanren actually precedes the other one, renshu. Without tanren, the numerous kata/katach waza become a hollow shell. If there is a demonstration (embu) or a grading (shinsa), the evaluation must take into account the outcome of the tanren and certainly not a show of acrobatic performances. It is not an object of entertainment.

Beyond 10,000 Hours: The Constant Pursuit of Mastery

Robert Greene (born May 14, 1959) is an American author known for his books on strategy, power, and seduction. Although he has a controversial reputation, his idea on “Mastery” is worth a study.

His book on “Mastery” makes a compelling case that mastery is earned, not granted. He describes three distinct phases of the journey, I) Apprenticeship, II) Creative-Active and III) Mastery. His advice is to keep in mind that the goal is not to become a Master, but to continuously pursue mastery with a purpose.

He also mentioned, you need at least 10,000 hrs of practise to forge the mind and body.

Shu-Ha-Ri

The concept of “Shu-Ha-Ri” is certainly a similar concept and Renshu/Tanren is a part of it. We have to use “Tanren” or the forging of the mind and body for the next step: Renshu.

If you have time and energy, you can walk the path of mastery with regular training. But this training has to be of high quality in other words: Renshu

Kenji Tomiki began training under Morihei Ueshiba in Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu in 1926. He was largely responsible for the compilation and editing of the text in Morihei Ueshiba’s 1933 training manual “Budo Renshu” (published in English under the name “Budo Training in Aikido“).

In this book, the assumption is that you have already done your Tanren, creating the foundation for Renshu.

Offensive and defensive “waza”

Something about offensive and defensive

People are offensive and defensive in many situations, mostly when there is a stressful situation. In one situation, one person may have offensive behaviour, whereas the other side may have defensive behaviour in response. Attacks and threats may be categorized as either physical or psychological, and their effects may also be categorized as such.
The offensive and defensive behaviour can be accompanied by the use of force and aggression; the difference lies in how that force or aggression is used in a situation. The skills needed for offensive or defensive behaviour without becoming aggressive depend entirely on the concept of having respect for our fellow men.

There may be a shift between offensive and defensive actions during a confrontation or training situation.
In a given situation, the offending person, by their offensive behavior, takes the action, while the defensive behavior on the other side is a response to this action. As a result, the defensive person becomes the target of the attack or threat.


The body is responsive to offensive and defensive behaviours. A person may experience an adrenaline rush, heavenly breathing, blood running down his face, sweating, and increased heart rate.

Spatial interval during offensive and defensive behaviors.

The space range is linked to “hyoshi”, a concept of synchronization, cadence and tempo. Physical distances within the spatial range will be discussed below.

In general, three distances are used as a concept to explain the range of space between two practitioners.

  • Chikama – it is the small distance, less than a step
  • Ma – when the opponent takes a step to be able to seize or to strike
  • Toma – when the opponent has to take multiple steps to attack, often with a weapon

Example “Toma” attack with weapon

From Koryu no kata dai san

Example of “Ma” – striking attack with “tsugi ashi”

Many examples in Koryu no kata

Also possible with “tanto” strike

Example “Chikama” – Eri dori without stepping

Many examples in Koryu no kata

Spatial interval in Tomiki Aikido

The red circle and its contents, is just one indication of how to measure the distance between two practitioners. The images in the second row show the position and method of contact between the two practitioners.

  1. You can easily reach your opponent, but your opponent also can reach you easily. The distance from a judo perspective.
  2. Issoku itto no maai: This distance is a distance where you can reach your opponent with one step forwards and you can avoid your opponent’s action with one step backwards or sideways.
  3. You cannot get to your opponent and your opponent cannot get to you either. Fundamentally, your weapon or hand and the weapon or the hand of your opponent do not come into contact.

Offensive and defensive waza

A basic rule to apply offensive and defensive actions (waza application) is the need to physically contact an opponent.

Offensive actions may be applied primarily to three parts of the adversary.

  1. Body – head and trunk by using a strike or push
  2. Elbow and surrounding parts of arm
  3. Wrist and hand

Defensive actions are frequently performed when the opponent uses an offensive action. This offensive action, sometimes goes hand in hand with a step to bridge the gap with the body. The defence against such an action can be a body turn (Koshi-mawari) or a stepping out of the line of attack by applying tsugi ashi or Ayumi ashi. After a defensive action and energy absorption, a switch to an attacking action can be used. Then it is possible to use tenshikei and hakkei.

Hakkei, explosive power

The key rule of explosive strength is the ability to stretch and twist the muscles, tendons and fascia around the bones. Building and releasing such strength is called tenshikei. There are 2 kinds of tenshikei: stationary and dynamic.

Stationary is without moving the feet, the distance is “Chikama”.

Dynamic hakkei is when you use movement (tsugi ashi or Ayumi ashi) to build momentum. It is known as ido-ryoku on a basic level. Ido-ryoku can also be thought of as tenshikei, because the power moves through the body and uses diagonal and spiral paths. Mostly, this is used when both practitioners are at the “Ma” distance.

Contracting and releasing muscles, tendons and fascia

In our study, muscles, tendons and fascia are a system and cannot be considered a separate system of muscles, tendons or fascia. Nonetheless, the muscle system plays an important role in the Western view of fitness.

What are the types of muscle contractions?

  • Isometric: A muscular contraction in which the length of the muscle does not change
  • Isotonic: A muscular contraction in which the length of the muscle changes.
  • Eccentric: An isotonic contraction where the muscle lengthens.
  • Concentric: An isotonic contraction where the muscle shortens.

Concentrating on the eccentric method has a few important advantages for martial art training. Eccentric contractions literally increase your muscle fibres, making the muscle itself physically longer.

“Longer muscles mean greater flexibility, and greater flexibility means greater injury prevention.”

How to contract and release our movement system?

Tenshikei creates a spiral activity. This enhances the potential energy in the body that can be used by releasing the “tension” in the body. Rotation of a “Flexbar” provides a visual picture of what can occur in the human body (muscle, tendon and fascia). The release of the Flexbar will be felt by a strong rotation to neutral or normal position. Letting go is a passive activity and requires no muscle contraction.

The human body is filled with spirals and these spiraling structures serve as power channels. This concept of spiraled structure is also used in many methods of healthy postures. For example “Alexander techniques” use a spiral design.

A major mistake is to concentrate on creating tension in the muscles by concentric action. This is no muscle building competition. The ability to twist and release or unwind the body can be done in a flash of less than a second.

The training objective must be directed towards the eccentric movement, that is to say the elongation of muscle fibres. Lengthening is created by a twisting movement and affects not only the muscles, but also the tendons and the fascia.

Tenshikei skill is a method to use full body movement, not at the same time, but following the logic of the moving force.

“You need to train the movement in full.” Because, as Aristotle once said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

This is an example of tenshikei.

How to perform an eccentric contraction, useful for tenshikei?

There are 2 ways to create tenshikei contraction

  • By yourself as an active movement
  • Using the power of opponent in a defensive action

In solo training, several examples can be found as active tenshikei motion. Tomiki’s tandoku undo can be transformed into a long tenshikei exercise. Contracting and releasing the internal motion system is a challenging physical workout that can be performed by all ages.

Using the power of the opponent can be found in Tomiki’s 10-Ura Waza.

Omote & ura in Martial Arts

Omote techniques are taught to beginners and are considered less effective if the movement is not performed completely as most beginners always do. Efficiency is not that high despite the overall view appears good. Students are initiated into the basic movements of martial art.

Ura techniques are more efficient since the student has more control over internal movements. Some of these techniques are defensive, where the enemy’s attack is absorbed. Strategy is an important component, in addition to total control of body movements.

Ura waza is sometimes considered a contra-technique. I believe this explanation is too simplistic and reflects only a form of defensive behavior. Ura waza is the ability to shift from defensive to offensive action. You can see it clearly in “ura waza katatachi” or the techniques known as counterattack against basic techniques.

10-Ura waza, switching from defensive to offensive

Find here 10-ura waza, a switch between a defense action to an offense. After studying the basic waza, the practitioner studies the same basic waza as a response to the basic waza carried out by the adversary/partner. Please remember the logical evolution from katachi to kata. More info here.

Still not a randori (sparring). The objective is to study how to use basic waza under more advanced conditions. There is no resisting force involved. The attacker’s waza is real and with the intention to throw or hold.

Some pictures below will illustrate the 10-Ura waza.

Rikaku-Taisei, a game of distance

When there is less contact between the two, the muscular strength component becomes less important.

Tomiki, who meticulously analyzed all jujitsu techniques, proposed “rikaku-taisei-no-randori“, i.e., randori in the non-contact position, in addition to kumi-randori. Kumi-randori is the standard way of fighting in Judo.

Fighting from a distance, an expression with simple words but the content is a lot more complicated. In the situation of grappling, most of the people are successful when using a lot of muscle power. When there is less contact between the two, the muscular strength component becomes less important.

Kenji Tomiki once said the Ki of Kendo is one of the most important elements of Japanese Budo. Kendo in this case is not limited to “the sportive way”, but includes all the arts where weapons are used. (Kendo, Iaido, Jodo, Naginatado……..Yagyu Shinkage-ryu kenjutsu)

Taikan : a non-verbal way of communication

An unconscious bodily feeling process to create communication with an opponent. Without communication we cannot feel the intention and power of the opponent. Relaxation is a major component of the Taikan skill.

The ultimate intention of taikan is the feeling of the opponent’s Ki. We cannot explain Ki by words, only by non-verbal communication. Ki can be felt by an intermediate of the body. The more the ego can be pushed to the back, the better we can have Ki sensations. Feeling the Ki is closely linked to the ability of relaxing mind and body.
Ki is a living entity and gives shape to our world. Ki is not only spiritual or mental power, but also the energy which gives shape to the world around us, including our opponent in martial arts.
On a very primitive level, we can see, hear and feel the body of our opponent, on a more advanced level we can sense the more subtle forms of Ki.

Seme : pushing with Ki

In Japanese sword martial arts like Iaido, the concept of Ki-Ken-Tai Ichi or the concept of the integration of Ki, sword, body and technique, can be studied by using Seme or pushing with Ki.
It is the spirit which guides the body, but sometimes it is the body which guide the spirit by using the subtlety of the Ki. If the body (and mind) is relaxed, we are made aware of the Ki in the body and this Ki is guiding the body and also the spirit.

To study Seme, some postures and movements are utilized to express the concept of Seme. Don’t confuse Seme with a feint. A feint like metsubushi (blinding the eyes) is provoking a movement in the opponent (his spirit), while Seme is pushing the opponent in a position where he cannot move (his spirit).


Ma : the space for the “moving” KI

If you hold a sword and you concentrate on holding the hands on the handle, the space of your focus (and your muscular power) is very small. If the opponent hit your sword for example with a stick (jo) and at the same time project his Ki to control your spirit, your sword will be wiped away and you will expose yourself to his attack. This is the key to success in the “hiki-otoshi-uchi” of Shindo-Muso-Ryu Jujutsu.

If you hold the sword and you use the concept of Seme, your space will become much bigger and your spirit will not be disturbed by the movement of your opponent. The key is to empty the mind for better sensing the mind of the opponent.
Becoming aware of “Ki” is easier when you hold a weapon in your hand. It is more difficult to sense the subtlety of Ki when you are in a situation of “close combat” or grappling situation.

In the situation of grappling you don’t have the time to detect the subtle forms of “Ki”, you are confronted immediately with raw muscular power. Only when you bring “Ma” into your training, you can learn about Seme or pushing with Ki. The more skill you acquire in sensing the Ki, the better you will cope with the opponent.

Tomiki emphasized the “Ki of Kendo” and “The principle of judo” as the essence of Japanese martial arts. His view on randori in aikido is heavenly influenced by these thoughts. It was always his dream to create a full scope of randori.

Picture of Tomiki around the time he entered the dojo of Ueshiba.

According to Tomiki’s recollection of his experience 50 years ago (1927), Tomiki tried to grasp Ueshiba’s collars or sleeves when was asked to attack him. Ueshiba was not there at the moment he thought to do it. Tomiki tried it again. The same thing happened. Tomiki was thrown by him at the same time he was struck by a blow. Then, Tomiki’s wrist was twisted. After that, Ueshiba said: “why have you learned only grasping techniques?”
1977 – Tadayuki Satoh visit to Kenji Tomiki

The secret of aikido is in the use of “atemi”

When Tomiki tried to grasp Ueshiba, he was struck by a blow (atemi), then Tomiki’s wrist was twisted. This episode (1927) in the training of Tomiki with Ueshiba is the origin of “rikakutaisei”.

Don’t grasp the wrist or dogi of the opponent when the opponent is not disturbed in his mind. Maybe you can have some victory, but mostly it will depend on muscular power.

Yawara (Judo) Taiso, the art of fencing without a sword

Aikido is closely related to the use of the sword and Tomiki Aikido is not an exemption. Use of the tegatana resembles the use of the sword. Even in martials arts which are not directly linked to the use of the sword we can find teachers who are using a sword to teach ways to discover Ki. Below an article describing the use of weapons in Karate-do by Mitsusuke Harada, MBE (原田 満祐, Harada Mitsusuke, born 16 November 1928) is a prominent Japanese master of Shotokai karate. Harada holds the rank of 5th dan, personally awarded by Gichin Funakoshi in 1956.

Harada encourages his senior students to work with a heavy bokken and Bo Staff. What is the point of this? It promotes an understanding of how to use ones own body when not using a weapon. Not just from a technique point of view, but most importantly it gives the correct feeling necessary, the feeling of energy projection. Harada wields his Bokken using projected thrusts that transmit their focus outwards. Then at a given signal a student would remove the bokken and another would attack him. Harada, still using the feeling of the Bokken, would destroy the advancing oi-zuki in mid-attack using a Bokkenless thrust of his open hands. In his hands, Harada explains, is still his Bokken (even though it has been removed).

Impact Kyokotsu on Koshi

“Never tense koshi.” To do that, you should not become conscious of koshi. Your thinking about koshi will make it tense, and thus, a disconnect between the upper and the lower parts of the body occurs. That is not “using the whole body.”

Hino , Akira . Don’t Think, Listen to the Body!

There are of course several issues when concentrating too much on kyokotsu. When your kyokotsu movement is exaggerated, your shoulders tend to move forward. The result will be a lesser movement within the koshi and/or your neck will be placed unnaturally.

You need to understand that kyokotsu is the center of body motion control. By moving kyokotsu there will be mainly moving in 2 areas of the vertebral column possible.

  • neck region
  • lower back region

Impact of kyokotsu movement on koshi

As the headline of this article suggests, it is the impact of kyokotsu on koshi.

If the kyokotsu is slightly drawn, the lower part of the spine is pushed outwards and downward. The result is the rotation of the pelvis, although the focus is on pulling in the kyokotsu.

Imagine a cord tied to kyokotsu and koshi (lower back). If you move the chord to the kyokotsu, it will affect the pelvis.

Pushing or attacking

When there is the intention to attack or pushing forward, kyokotsu will be pulled in at the beginning of the action. There is the reversal of the basin. But there is also the effect of the opposite isometric tension in the leg. It creates a powerful bounce and is added to the basin ready to be used for attack or push.

Kyokotsu, koshi and rolling feet

Starting from the situation of lifting the arm and preparing for the attack, the use of rolling feet is the method to close the distance to the attack as well as using kyokotsu and koshi.

Shu Ha Ri, a question of Mutual Respect

A personal view on the concept of Shu Ha Ri

Keep, break and leave

As a westerner, am I to understand “Shu Ha RI”? If we simply read the words “keep, break and leave”, it gives a sense of “no respect” to your teacher. Of course, in the history of martial arts, there are numerous examples of the breakup of the founder after an argument, mostly a “money” argument.

However, there are many examples of leaving the teacher after he has given permission to leave. The teacher understood very well that the disciple needed a certain freedom to grow as a person practising martial arts. The teacher trusts the disciple, and the teacher knows that the legacy is safe in the hands of the latter.

When Kenji Tomiki became an 8th Dan by Morihei Ueshiba, this was a sign of confidence and also an indication of liberty permission. Of course, there are also signs of political motives as far as relations between Tomiki and Ueshiba are concerned. This topic is not central to this article and will not be expanded.

The idea of leaving is a mutual decision between the master and the disciple, and depends entirely on the understanding of the concept of “keeping and breaking”.

Keep and break

As a matter of fact, the concepts of “keep and break” are very simple. On the other hand very difficult to understand by a western person. There is a famous quotation by Morihei Ueshiba and for him the Westerners are “yes, but people”. If he really made that quote, I don’t know, but it’s going around in martial arts circles.

During the “Keep” relationship with our teacher, we learn from the teacher’s experience and we may ask questions about something we do not understand. Of course, we never criticize the teacher. We learn the basic elements of our martial art.

Depending on the time we practice and study, our understanding goes in the direction of “Break”, and this can lead to a very difficult situation. This is a period of your formation where you can see that truth has different aspects. You always learn from your teacher, but you can add personal insights into your training. Your teacher acknowledges this and sometimes will give you some advice.

The two, teacher and disciple, are still interacting positively during the breaking period. Otherwise, the outer world will see disagreements and this can have a negative effect on the functioning of the martial art school.

Randori, 3 types of practising

The relationship between the 3 kinds of randori and Shu Ha Ri may not be obvious. But they certainly have something in common.

  • Kakari geiko – Shu
  • Hikitate geiko – Ha
  • Randori geiko – Ri

In kakari geiko, the roles of attacking and defending are determined. We can talk about teachers/attackers and students/defendants. Sure, there is some freedom in timing and distance.

During hikitate geiko, the attacker has the freedom to interact during the actions of the defendant. There is still the role of teachers/attackers and students/defendants.

Randori geiko is not a shiai, not to win medals. Randori geiko is a process for the physical discussion of the art of fighting. Both practitioners recognize the equality of the two.

The Shiai Paradigm

Shiai should reflect the power and beauty of martial art during a public performance. Spectators must be attracted by the skills of the competitors and not by their brutal and aggressive nature.

It is true that in the shiai there is a certain rivalry, but also the respect of the adversary. When we figure that out, winning a medal is no longer important. The most outstanding performance you can offer is your reward. Whatever you know may be used depending on the circumstances. When you become obsessed with earning medals, your approach will be inflexible from a living human perspective. Respect for other people’s lives and ideas is more precious than winning medals.

The role of the teacher and student is an important factor when approaching the competition. In particular the role of the teacher is significant in the education of the martial art career of the student. The teacher’s respect and attitude toward the student without a medal should be positive.

How to improve someone’s skills comes in the first place.

The Kata & Randori Dilemma

“A kata is not fixed or immoveable. Like water, it’s ever changing and fits itself to the shape of the vessel containing it. However, kata are not some kind of beautiful competitive dance, but a grand martial art of self-defence – which determines life and death”….Kenwa Mabuni….Okinawa

Some martial arts instructors believe that they execute “kata or formal exercises” in the same way as the founder of their system. If you understand something about “Shu Ha Ri”, then you know that’s a little beside the truth.

The development in kata is already discussed in another blog post on katachi and kata. Kata and randori are 2 sides of a coin, but there is a 3rd part of a coin: kata and randori and….

In martial arts, we see the evolution of basic body movements to katachi and further to kata. Again, the term “Shu Ha RI” is like that.

Once you find the freedom of Kata, the application will go smoothly to randori. There will be no difference between kata and randori.

Of course, if you stick too much to Shu Ha RI without understanding the real meaning, you will be locked up into fixed forms without flexibility of mind and body. You will never find the liberty of Kata and Randori, which is the true dilemma of martial arts.

Tomiki Aikido: Past and Future

In her book “Past and Future”, she attempts to explain the real values of Aikido as a martial art with a message. There are no techniques explained, but the value of the book is at a much higher level: How to practice Aikido!

More books on Tomiki Aikido

Slow or Fast Movement?

Fast movements can conceal flaws and mistakes can slip by. One does not do the movements slowly for the sake of doing them slowly, and it is most certainly untrue that the slower it is done, the better. There has to be a purpose for doing them slowly; there has to be “substantially” to those movements or progress will not come. It is about “Ishiki”

Ishiki 意識

Ishiki has 2 kanji, 意 = I, and 識 = shiki.
“Shiki” means identification, it is the act of recognizing someone or something.
“I” means intent, it is the determination to do something.

Why slow movements?

Posture and Health

Slow movements help you with the help of intentional thinking (Ishiki= 意識) to raise awareness of your posture. This will allow your posture to be adjusted to make the body function better and improve energy efficiency.

Slow movements with the whole body will affect and help the micro-circulation in the capillaries. It goes much deeper than fast movements.

Mindfulness training

Martial arts in Japan refer to a variety of physical and mental practices developed based on historical combat techniques. Nowadays, martial arts are considered not only as sports and/or fighting methods, but also as activities aimed at obtaining a unity between mind and body.

Aikido is a Japanese martial art that includes multiple components, such as musculoskeletal training and improvement of both interoceptive and exteroceptive consciousness.

Aikido and related styles include practices (randori – sparring) that are considered elements similar to those of sport, although these practices (randori – sparring) are not aimed at winning the competitions as typical sports do.

Aikido essentially emphasizes the importance of paying attention to one’s own breath and body, and the awareness of both internal and external environments.

Tenshikei, coiling power

Tenshikei is the Japanese term for chanshijin or silk reeling, a skill in Internal Chinese martial arts. The name derives from the twisting and spiralling movements of the silkworm as it wraps itself in its cocoon and the pulling off the silk from the cocoon. The body is imitating this by winding and unwinding movements. In a Western context, reference is made to “fascial movement”.

What is fascial movement?
Fascia training describes sports activities and movement exercises that attempt to improve the functional properties of the muscular connective tissues in the human body, such as tendons, ligaments, joint capsules………

Tenshikei uses the diagonal tension and releasing of the muscles and tendons in the body and can be regarded as fascial movement.
Kyokotsu or lower part of the breastbone, as a control centre of the tenshikei movement, uses the tanden, koshi and yōbu as the stability platform. Seen from a Western perspective, the pelvic girdle is synonymous for this important body region.

The pelvic girdle or “koshi” can be seen as the origin of power generation and it has to harmonise with the rest of the body to produce efficient movements. Unfortunately, when the focus is too much on the koshi, there is a tendency to freeze this area. To avoid this situation, focus on the kyokotsu is advisable.

In humans, the crotch is the bottom of the pelvis, the region of the body where the legs join the torso, and is often considered to include the groin and genitals. In our study of efficient movement, reference has to be made to the area around the hip-joint. It can also be defined as the lower part of the pelvic girdle.

Relationship between shoulders and hips

The upper (above the waist) and lower (below the waist) portions of the torso should move in harmony with each other, so the hips and shoulders need to move in conjunction with each other in order to maximize power. The final position for a given movement will often involve the shoulders being directly over the hips as this alignment optimises the strength of the torso. The waist area needs to be strong and flexible for power to be generated in this way, so the waist should be loose and relaxed.

Whether the upper or lower half of the body initiates the movement is not always the same. As an example we can look at “uchi mawashi” movement. Diagonal tension is a main factor in this movement. Hip joint(s) or mata opens and closes in synchronising with the shoulder(s).

Synchronising has been not always at the same time. We have to consider the concept of rendo. The art of linking is a skill to transfer power through the body which will increase the efficiency of the movement.

Relationship between elbows and knees

The relationship between the elbows and knees is similar to that of the hips and shoulders. The elbows are also driven by the shoulders and the knees are driven by the hips.

Relationship between hands and feet

There is the belief that “the foot and the weapon arrive together”. This usually refers to an attack connecting with its target as the practitioner comes into the correct distance to attack.

In reality a tiny (microsecond) delay between the placement of the foot and the attack can occur. The hand should never lead the foot. All movements should flow outwards from the practitioner’s centre to the hands and feet. The hips and shoulders drive the knees and elbows, which in turn, drive the hands and feet. All the movements have to stay in the area of “range of motion”. This area is slightly smaller than the area of peripheral vision.

Solo exercises are performed in the area “range of motion”. The arms are not passing outside this area, otherwise the body structure will be destroyed and power generation is disturbed. The same is true when doing partner exercises, don’t move outside your range of motion.

Range of motion

Tegatana-no-go-dosa, a “winding” exercise

Tegatana-no-go-dosa are solo exercises and can be converted into exercises with internal aspects: Tenshikei = wrapping power – 纏絲勁 – chansigong (chinese).

7-hon-no-kuzushi

In Tomiki’s syllabus, 7-hon-no-kuzushi is a tool to improve the skill of “kuzushi”. A method to disturb the opponent’s balance.

  1. ai-gamae jodan
  2. gyaku-gamae jodan
  3. ai-gamae chudan
  4. gyaku-gamae chudan
  5. ai-gamae gedan
  6. gyaku-gamae gedan
  7. ushiro

Mostly, these exercises are performed with a partner gripping a wrist or both. These skills are executed by moving the arm(s) in accordance with the proper footwork. The use of “mata” is hardly discussed and using efficiently koshi, tanden or yobu are almost forgotten.

The movements of these exercises are based upon “tegatana no go dosa”, the original handblade solo-exercises developed by Kenji Tomiki. By simplifying basic movements, some of the “internal” content is lost. The reason of this loss can be found in the purpose of tandoku undo tegatana dosa. Modern tegatana dosa is used to teach big groups and give the practitioners a simple basic idea of the movements. In the past, university students were taught this set of exercises during their 3 or 4 years of study and focus of the training was on “randori”, a kind of sparring. Of course, after spreading the art of Kenji Tomiki for a broader public outside the Universities, the search for other aspects than randori become more important.

Kata, formal training

The original purpose of kata was to teach external and internal concepts of the martial to the practitioners. This is already discussed in other posts at this blog. The difference between kata and katachi is bringing forward different aspects of the formal training in a martial art.

7-hon-no-kuzushi (omote & ura) is a formal exercise found in koryu-no-kata dai yon. Originally, these exercises were taught as a tool to improve “kuzushi” or balance disturbing.

By omitting some of the internal aspect during the performance of tegatana dosa, the content of 7-hon-no-kuzushi became also simplified and abstracted. The focus is on a kind of balance disturbances, mainly inspired by judo kuzushi of Kodokan Judo. The external concept of “kuzushi” is dominant. The internal aspect, especially the winding and unwinding is not highlighted.

7-hon-no-kuzushi, partner exercises with internal aspects

After studying thoroughly “tegatana dosa”, the internal skill of winding and unwinding becomes a familiar one and can be used efficiently in all the partner exercises.

Using Hara (Koshi, Tanden and Yōbu) and Mata

For all of these methods, the momentum needs to flow freely between the shoulders and hips. The torso needs to undulate in order for power to travel unimpeded throughout the entire body. The final position for a given movement will often involve the shoulders being directly over the hips as this alignment optimises the strength of the torso. The waist area needs to be strong and flexible for power to be generated in this way, so the waist should be loose and relaxed. It is often seen in partner exercises, the shoulders have contracted as a result of using the shoulder muscles as the source of power used by the hand and arm.

Mata is the connection between the leg and koshi. This connection is also influencing the passing of energy from the ground to the arm and hand. Using koshi and hara is an internal aspect to produce power needed in the art of kuzushi and has to be introduced into 7-hon-no-kuzushi.

Exercises to develop “mata power”

The power generated using “mata” or “kua (Chinese)” is an action that is hard to explain in words. It involves every part of your body. When you have access to someone who can give you the basics, the following exercises are almost self-explanatory.

We will cover 4 exercises

  • Vertical forward (oshi taoshi)
  • Vertical backward (hiki taoshi)
  • Horizontal forward (chudan uchi mawashi/gedan soto mawashi)
  • Horizontal reverse (chudan soto mawashi/gedan uchi mawashi)

Exercise 1 – Vertical forward

The inspiration for this exercise comes from 3 other exercises.

  • Pendulum exercise, explained somewhere else in this blog
  • Ik-kyo undo, practised by many aikido styles
  • Tandoku undo tegatana dosa (shomen uchi/shomen tsuki)

Basically, a vertical movement is performed containing 2 actions

  • Lifting the arms up to deflect an incoming attack to the face
  • Dropping action to throw an opponent of controlling

Many other applications use this kind of movements.

Complete sequence

Exercise 2 – Vertical backward

A reverse circle is used to perform this exercise. The inspiration is found in other famous exercises

  • Rowing exercise used by many aikido styles
  • Hiki taoshi application (see BASIC 17 – Hiki taoshi)

Complete sequence

Exercise 3 – Horizontal (chudan uchi mawashi/gedan soto mawashi)

This exercise include uchi mawashi (chudan) and soto mawashi (gedan)

Please refer to 7-hon no kuzushi or to original style of tegatana dosa tandoku undo.

Complete sequence

Exercise 4 – Horizontal reverse (chudan soto mawashi/gedan uchi mawashi)

This exercise include soto mawashi (chudan) and uchi mawashi (gedan).

Please refer to 7-hon no kuzushi or to original style of tegatana dosa tandoku undo.

Complete sequence

Some footage of the “mata” exercises

The Art of Cutting

Integrating the use of kyokotsu and tanden has an enormous impact on cutting efficiency. This effect is due to a wave of power generated by the kyokotsu skill. You will find some info on a “wave of power” blog post.

Kiri oroshi
  1. Lifting the sword in jodan position with Chidori ashi foot posture, keep the centre line straight and spine in a natural position.
  2. When the sword moves forward, start pulling in kyokotsu
  3. By pulling in kyokotsu, the pelvis will tilt
  4. Almost at the end of the cut, push kyokotsu forward to neutral position. Pelvis returns to neutral position.

Pulling in kyokotsu and releasing it affect the use of the back muscles and the pelvis.

When kyokotsu is pulled in, the sword or in case of an unarmed action, the tegatana will move forward and makes contact with the target. When kyokotsu returns, the sword or tegatana will generate a cutting action.

In case of an unarmed action, the returning kyokotsu is generating a pulling action without excessive local muscle power.

Grasping the handle or wrist

A ring of power is discussed earlier. This also applies how to hold an object with the fingers. The object can be a handle of a sword or the wrist of an opponent. Grasping is not a question of muscle power, but it is making an unbreakable ring with thumb and middle finger. This is basically a very simple skill and makes the grasping of a wrist or sword handle very solid. The idea is to close the energy circuit between thumb and middle finger. When understanding this simple action, you can use it in different situations.

During “kiri-oroshi” or cutting exercise, the correct grip on the tsuka of handle is important. Also it is not a good idea to drop the sword behind the back. This is a signal about too much relaxation in holding the sword. Sometimes you can see warming up with the sword with this method, but as a method of cutting it has to be avoided.

Te-no-uchi

Previous paragraph gave you some information about the grasping skill. Of course, when using a sword for cutting or grasping a wrist to apply a “waza” on the opponent, just holding is not enough. Power transfer is necessary to become efficient in applying a waza.

Te-no-uchi is a phrase mostly associated with Japanese weapon arts. A popular description is about “wringing out a towel”. If too much power is used, the towel will be damaged, if the wringing is weak, most of the water will stay in the towel. An interesting observation is made in the Journal-of-Physical-Therapy-Science.

The skills of various kinds of motion must be maintained so that activities of daily living (ADL) can be performed fluently. An important objective of Occupational Therapy is to improve a patient’s ability to perform ADL. However, there are very few studies that have tried to scientifically analyze skill contributing to the quality of ADL. Therefore, we focused on the motion in wringing out of Towel, which is done frequently in ADL, and analyzed the factors that contribute to this motion. We hypothesized that the factors that contribute to this motion include the subject’s age, gender, grip strength and motion pattern. These factors were analyzed. The results show that the female elderly group, although weak in hand grip strength, was able to squeeze the maximum amount of water from the towel. We speculate that this group of elderly females were most efficient at wringing the towel because this was a common household chore for them and because of this, their level of skill was the highest among all the groups.

Uchi gaeshi, soto gaeshi, tenshikei and meguri

During te-no-uchi action or wringing out the towel, an uchi gaeshi or inward twist can be seen. This inward twist is basically a wrist and forearm movement.

When lifting the sword into jodan or hasso position, a soto gaeshi or outward twist is performed. As with the inward twisting action, local excessive muscle power has to be avoided. The twisting is not only affecting the wrist or forearm, but is a part of generating ‘tenshikei” or spiral power.

Te-no-Uchi, wringing out the towel

Te-no-uchi is more than wringing out the towel. It is a technique in which the fingers, palm, wrist and forearm play a major role. The twisting effect is to compress the soft tissues and, by loosening the tension, the tissues return to a neutral situation. When reaching the target, ten-no-uchi is applied to create one block between sword and body.

The relationship with “meguri”, referring primarily as an action of the wrist, but it is actually a motion of the whole body. It’s some type of te-no-uchi. Tenshikei or spiral power is also an expression of the power generated by te-no-uchi.

Tandoku undo tegatana dosa

Te-no-uchi is an integral part of tandoku undo tegatana dosa. In a previous paragraph I mentioned this in relationship with uchi gaeshi and soto gaeshi. During the execution of aiki-age and aiki-sage an internal movement is made, a rotations of the fore arm around the transverse axes. See a previous post “Wave of Power“. Although the turn of the hand is made around a point in the palm with an upward direction, the power target is in the wrist joint, the part when you push for example someone.

When performing aiki-sage or bringing the power down, the point of power is at the thumb side of the wrist.

Exercise for aiki age and aiki sage

The pendulum exercise is already mentioned on numerous occasions in this blog. The pendulum is a comprehensive exercise and can be “settled” for different purposes. When Tegatana moves upwards, the emphasis is on the aiki-age point. When Tegatana descends, we concentrate on the Aiki-sage point.

The question about the relationship between the art of cutting and aiki age & aiki sage is self explaining. The photos come from a book on Aikido. The word Aikido is a general term for defining the art of Aiki.

“Wave of Power”

Much has been said in the debate on internal and external power. Most martial methods are built around a variety of concepts, including interior and/or exterior components. When a debate is held, we must look at the context of the debate. Basically, we should be aware of the definition of internal or external power given in the martial art we are discussing. We cannot accept a debate on good or bad unless we know the inner and outer aspects of martial art or combat sport.

Martial art built around flexible circular movements is considered as an internal method. While a martial art with a lot of muscular tension is considered an external one. Muscular tension is considered a linear action. The question about internal or external still exist and the linear/rotational answer is not sufficient. There are other aspects to take into account. Having a debate about internal and external will take up a lot of time and space. So we will consider a few creative thoughts.

Taking up space or not

External and internal movement

Very simply, external motion is a movement that takes space to perform. Running is one example of external movement, just like waving your arms or jumping up and down. A body or limb spinning around its center line without going anywhere is an expression of pure internal movement.

In the case of the internal movement of the human body, it can be clearly defined. It refers to rotations of the torso or limbs around their transverse axes, something that can take place with almost no external movement through space.

Linear and rotational movement

Linear: to move the body in space – external movement

Rotational: to turn the body around and axis – internal movement

A paradox?

If the torso turns around its axis, it is called internally, but our arms if outstretched move in space (external?). Our arms itself can turn around its axis, in this case we have an internal movement. All the movements we do with our body have an internal and external aspect. Talking about internal and external has to include both aspects and cannot be separated.

Another thought about the paradox of internal and external

Movement of the arm may be considered as internal and/or external action. If this movement is merely a local action, the effectiveness will be rather low, even if an internal aspect is included. Some people think that internal movements should always be stronger or better than external movements. Unfortunately, this is not true, both concepts need to be balanced to become effective for the task we use it. If the external aspect is performed with too much muscle contraction, the internal aspect will find it difficult to integrate. If the internal aspect depends too much on the relaxed or relaxed posture, the body will have problems to move correctly or perhaps completely frozen or collapse.

Another Creative Thought: Root and target

Everybody is familiar with Darwin’s famous book: The Origin of Species. The title suggests that there is an origin or a source for everything. This is a very simple thought and when one looks at the use of power in our martial art one can discover the same thought behind our source of actions. Of course, we can have a debate about where that source came from. Again, it has to be looked at in the context of this discussion. Where is “the root” as a physical part of our body?

  • root: source of force for movements
  • joint segments: transfer of force by using the joints of the body
  • tip: end of the line of force or the point of transfer into the opponent

Take for example an action with “tegatana”, the so called sword-hand. In a very simplistic way of thinking, the shoulder is the root and tegatana is the tip. Mostly tegatana will be used as a striking weapon in case the arm is not immobilized by opponent. Tegatana is moving in space and this movement can be considered as an external movement. On the other hand, there is an internal movement included if the arm is rotated around the transverse axe.

A wave of power

When power travels from the root to the tip, it takes time to reach the target. Power goes a certain way, and at first sight it moves linearly. But actually, most of these moves are characterized by a wavy motion. Basically, there are 3 types of waveforms in the human body in the context of our martial applications, but also in the context of all human movements, a wave pattern can be discovered. The idea of bodily wave pattern can be found in a book written by Jacques Lecoq: The moving Body.

Undulation and inverse undulation (1&2)

In undulation the wave of movement starts from the feet, goes through the hips, chest, neck and at last, comes to the head. We can see a small undulation for example when a person starts to walk. The power of movement starts from the ground and is dragged through the whole body. Inverse undulation is the same “wave of movement” as undulation but it starts from the head and goes through the body to the feet. The concept of rebound can be found in the inverse undulation.

Walking or running is a good example to illustrate the harmony between undulation and inverse undulation. The integration of external powers like gravity, inertia or others is necessary to use the human body as a whole system.

Eclosion (3)

Eclosion is a movement of opening and closing. It starts from the ground in a closed position and gradually expands towards the open. The movement starts from the center of the body and moves towards the head, hands and feet. The rhythm is important, and hands and legs should arrive in the open position at the same time. The closing movement is the reverse of the opening movement.

The role of kyokotsu

The “kyokotsu” exercise is one of the exercises for generating a waveform pattern. Of course, it takes several months of regular training to feel the wave of power. Most people have no flexible torso, especially at the level of the sternum. The kyokotsu exercise is not only a movement of the lower part of the breastbone, it forces the torso to open en close in different directions. The concept of “eclosion” discussed earlier can be found in this exercise.

When we move our kyokotsu forward or backward, it affects the pelvis by tilting it in both directions. Moving kyokotsu creates an undulatory movement in the body along the spine.

Kyokotsu is not the power generator, but the kyokotsu movement invokes the body to move according a wave pattern. Movement generates power with the help of the floor and gravity.

The better we can connect the different body parts, the more efficient use of power is possible.

A first goal to achieve is the connection between the elbows and the kyokotsu. The muscles in the back can be felt when a connection is made between kyokotsu and elbows. If we move the elbows without the use of the back muscles, there is no connection.

The next goal is connecting kyokotsu and pelvis. Don’t move pelvis without connecting with kyokotsu.

Tenshikei or winding power

The idea of winding power can be illustrated by the squeezing of multiple fibres. It stores power and by unwinding its release the power. By using the correct skill or technique, the power can be used to neutralize the actions of an opponent.

Tenshikei can be seen as a form of using an internal movement to generate power. The key to a successful procedure is the ability to keep the muscles and tendons flexible. When muscles and tendons become stiff and lack mobility, power generation will lack efficiency.

Elbow exercise

This is an exercise to develop a basic idea of tenshikei with a partner. It is an exercise and cannot be seen as a technique for self-defence. Tenshikei skill can be used in different situations if the training allows the study of this kind of power generation.

The elbow exercise can be performed with various concepts and some concepts do not use tenshikei or winding power effectively. If the focus is on the use of leverage, the winding energy will be virtually absent because the production of energy comes from the use of leverage. Below is a sample of an internal movement generating tenshikei taken from a DVD by Hino sensei.

Another view at the 2 types of power

Previous was mentioned external and internal power and its relationship with the surrounding space. But of course, there are different ways of looking at the use of power by the human body. To apply power, a movement is needed to give transport to the strength generated by the body with the help of our main source of power “gravity”.

Open and closed chain movement

In open-chain and closed-chain exercises, the chain referred to is a series of body parts, such as a hip, knee, ankle, and foot. In an open-chain exercise, the body is stationary while the limb moves. In the closed – chain exercise, the limb is stationary while the body moves. For example, a squat is a closed-chain exercise because your feet stay stationary while your quadriceps do the work.

In martial arts open and closed chain movements can be seen during basic training and randori. The open chain movement uses the momentum from the limb accelerated by the body. Closed chain techniques are those that use the ground and the stabilization of the body to produce the power. Open chain techniques depend on motion and speed to build their inertia while closed chain techniques use the ground to brace the body and transmit the force to the target.

In randori, the use of local power is often seen to force a movement on the opponent, or to block a lock on the arm or wrist.. Those manoeuvres belong mostly to the category of a closed chain movement. If the practitioner is more skilled in the use of full body power, the combination of linked chains can give more power. By using an appropriate technique or movement, the game of strategy becomes important.

Rendo, the art of mixing

In the music industry, the art of mixing based upon existing songs is very popular. Mostly it is used during festivals for dance. It is a kind of becoming into trance. Body and mind are becoming one, and the movements of the body can be seen as whole body movements.

The art of Rendo is a similar process where different movements are mixed into one whole body movement. We are not using the word “mixing”, but we use “linking”. Rendo has also a time component, because it takes time power travelling from the source or root to the target. The previous elbow exercise is an example of linking different movements by using winding and unwinding power.

Strategy and power

If the focus is on power, internal or external, it is not “the solution” to win a fight. It is important to have a method “how to use power” in a fight. This method is based on a mix of skills in the range from pure physical to pure spirit. Of course, as usual, the extreme ends have to be avoided, it is better to use a well-balanced method.

One of the most difficult skills in martial art is the use of a wave power pattern. Most practitioners will rely on the power of a closed chain movement, mostly locally executed. For example, only arm power generated by the muscle of the arm and shoulder.

As I mentioned in other blog posts, the concept of a creative mind is one of the cornerstones to become a skilful practitioner.

Ankles, knees, pelvis and kyokotsu

The motions of the body are magical, we can move many parts of our body in order to accomplish many physical tasks. But we can more with our body, there are certain parts that we have to pay attention to and we will discover many other physical features of our body.

Kyokotsu movement

Kyokotsu in general can be translated as “sternum”. In our case it is a special point on the sternum. By focusing on this point, we can move the sternum.

The Kyokotsu movement involves flexibility in the sternum and, by extension, the ribs and shoulder blade. The objective is to enhance the flexibility and mobility of the sternum and scapula. When moving the sternum there will be no compressing of the lungs and heart, and through the practice one’s whole rib cage will actually be expanded, or larger than it was previously. Moving the sternum is also affecting the movements of the spine and in extension the pelvis.

Turning the pelvis line

Pelvic manipulation consists of using kyokotsu. When kyokotsu is slightly pulled in the spine is straightened. When kyokotsu training is done enough, it will also affect pelvic tilt or rotation automatically.

To give you an inclined sensation of the pelvis using kyokotsu, you can try the following 4 steps. If the remark is made about an upright spine, it is not completely upright, there are always curves but less than in a normal posture.

4 steps to tilt pelvis

  1. Normal posture with curved spine
  2. Straighten legs, straighten the spine by pulling in slightly kyokotsu, called Gankyōbappai*
  3. Bend over, keep legs and torso straight
  4. Push pelvis in the direction of the ankles, keep torso as 1 block

*Gankyōbappai (含胸抜背).
This is an expression used to describe the postural adjustment at the chest level (Empty the chest & Pull out the back ). Keep the concave shape of the chest and stretch the spine to widen the back. Important is not to tense the muscles.

After learning the rotation of the pelvis, different posture heights can be performed with an inclined pelvis. Fundamentally, it’s an ankle movement and not knee-shifting. Even though the knees are bent, the work is done by moving the pelvis towards the ankles. You will notice that the gravity point located in the hara descends almost straight down.

Often you will hear about Achilles tendon problems with older, experienced practitioners. This is due to the abusive use of the knees and pelvis. To prevent such problems, adequate training for ankle flexibility should be introduced. A simple exercise involves moving the pelvis down and up with the ankles.

Tilting the pelvis simply using the pelvic muscles, creates tension in the pelvic region, especially when the footwork is used to move. A frozen pelvis cannot be used with skills such as tenshikei or meguri. Using only the pelvic muscles has no impact on the rest of the body structure.

Turning the pelvis line is only possible when the “mata” or “kwa” is flexible and not tensed up. Should you fail to soften your groin, a frozen pelvis will result. Some tension should be felt in the calves, especially when a deeper posture is adopted. Don’t lift the heels of the floor.

Proper kyokotsu training will affect the entire body, and after adequate training, flexibility and mobility is possible in the torso area. A frozen torso will be avoided. The use of kyokotsu during posture practice will benefit the ability to maintain a strong right posture. Legs and arms are attached to the torso and need flexibility and mobility during body movements. In martial arts, frozen limbs are a major disease when someone is attacking you. This will happen if you didn’t follow proper training, focused on movement. Remember a book written by John Wilkinson, a Tomiki Aikido Pioneer:

Aikido, a Dialogue of MovementDownload

An exercise for pelvis, ankles and kyokotsu

During this exercise, the use of kyokotsu can be practiced. Pull the sternum in when going down and straighten breastbone when arms are raised. The ankles are bent and straightened throughout the movement.

Although it seems that the point of gravity is receding, in reality, it is descending directly.

Tension and relaxation

Excessive tension in the muscles can produce “frozen” joints, but complete relaxation will do exactly the same thing at the other end of the movement spectrum. Total relaxation is a kind of stagnancy or a state of inactivity. Both situations have to be avoided.

The problem of over-tension is often noticed by the practitioner if someone makes a remark on too much tension. The slackening of the muscles is a more serious problem because if someone makes the remark “relax”,. The practitioner has mostly a misunderstanding about “relax” and is not thinking about reducing the tension, but the practitioner focuses more about total slackening the muscles. It is maybe better if we talk about “high or low muscle tone”.

“Muscle tone” is often confused for “muscle strength” and although related, they are not interchangeable terms. Tone refers to the amount of tension in a muscle when at rest state (not actively contracted). Muscle tone helps our bodies maintain posture.
The Low muscle tone is characterised by the muscles having less tension at resting state and feeling “floppy”. High muscle tone is created by excessive contraction of the muscle. High  and low muscle will interfere with the power management of the body.

Taikan

Taikan (体感) or bodily feeling or sensation has to be improved before we can start with releasing the tension. If you experience tension you have to know from where it is coming. The same with relaxed, if you don’t feel your body, it is very difficult to solve this slackening of the muscles.

In Taikan’s case, this is a “somatic” concept, we use our sensory system to feel our movements. Although it is a natural process to feel something, if our mind is not focused on the feeling process, we will miss a lot of information how to handle different situations.

Some of you will notice the word “taikan”, as another trendy word to describe a natural process. The Japanese Wikipedia and Dictionaries provides an explanation of Taikan (体 感), mostly describing the concept of feeling. The English version provides a few insights from a medical perspective.

The somatosensory system is a part of the sensory nervous system. The somatosensory system is a complex system of sensory neurons and neural pathways that responds to changes at the surface or inside the body. The axons (as afferent nerve fibres) of sensory neurons connect with, or respond to, various receptor cells. Sensory receptors are found all over the body including the skin, epithelial tissues, muscles, bones and joints, internal organs, and the cardiovascular system.

How to use “Taikan” in our practice?

Most practitioners enjoy practicing with sweat. There are some health benefits from such training. Cardio and fat burning are boosted during such training. Unfortunately, this is not the correct method to use the concept of Taikan when you like to discover the different body feelings when practising. In particular, the concept of “muscle tone and reduction of muscle tension” requires a workout at a slower pace. Everyone is aware of the slow movements of taichichuan. There is some logic behind the slow movements, feeling the bodily movements is the first step towards a more efficient martial art.

So the first stage consists of starting “kihon” at a slower pace. Feel the movements and after a while you will become the movement. From now on, you can increase the pace of motion and concentrate on what you actually do. Of course, to maintain the concept of fat burning and cardio, remember to spend time on this important element of your training. A healthy and strong body is necessary for exploring the feelings of body movements.

One important tip is to avoid vigorous “randori” in the first year when the emphasis is on Taikan. The first step of randori, kakari geiko is possible at a slow pace. Ask your partner to co-operate.

Tai-sabaki – Movement Control

Tai-sabaki – Shintai – Shizentai

Basic Tomiki Aikido Footwork

All the practitioners of the Tomiki method, whether it is Aikido or Judo, are familiar with this model of footwork. This is one of the many overlapping components between Aikido and Judo. It is used in numerous books written by Kenji Tomiki. In “Judo et Aïkido”, an abbreviated English version of his Japanese books, the same concept is used to explain the footwork exercises.

Unfortunately, we cannot find indications how to use footwork in a proper way. We have the pattern, we know “shizentai or natural posture” is necessary during body movements, but most of the practitioners don’t know “how to….”. It is very easy to say “just practise”. The question arises “how to practise?”.

How to..?

Everybody knows that the answer coming from famous teachers when you ask them for something you don’t understand.

“Case by case”

Such an answer is not solving your problem. In case of footwork, we have to consider the basic types of footwork. Besides the basic types, we also have to think about the relationship between the body weight and gravity. And don’t forget the concept of “MA-AI“. By understanding the different aspects in proper footwork and practised these during solo-training and partner exercises, the finalisation will come forward during randori. As Kenji Tomiki said: colouring the dragon’s eye.

Basic types footwork

These are already discussed in other blog posts.

The moving body and shizentai

Among the fundamental elements of martial arts are, taijū no idō or moving the body weight with footwork and taijū no dendō or the transfer of body weight one of the most important concepts. Hino Sensei (Hino Budo’s method) says: “Strictly speaking, the motion of the body weight is to move by making his body a single block. For example, moving forward, or backward, being a solid block”.

Both skills (taijū no idō and taijū no dendō) are based upon proper footwork. And footwork includes also the use of shizentai or in Hino’s words “one’s body a single block”. Don’t take his words out of the context, because we have to take in account another concept or skill: Jukozo or the flexible body.

I would like to repeat a remark I made in other articles:

The main purpose of ritsuzen or standing meditation is to create a “linked” body-system.

This isn’t about standing still. This is an exercise with a lot of movement controlled by your mind. In essence, there is neither footwork nor arm movement. Nevertheless, it is possible some movements can occur when kyokotsu and koshi are involved.

Standing still or creating “shizentai” is the first step in footwork exercises. Advanced practitioners need just a few seconds to adopt shizentai, beginners need more time and need to practice a lot.

More to learn about ritsuzen and shizentai: A ring of power

Shintai and tai-sabaki

Kazuko Kudo a 9th dan Kodokan Judo made an interesting comment on footwork:

Advance-retreat (shintai) – Under this single heading we include both the advance-retreat (shintai) type of movement and turning movements (tai-sabaki).

To master the advance-retreat style of movement you must first master the following way of walking. Usually humans walk by putting their weight on one foot and advancing the other, then shifting their weight to the advanced foot as soon as it touches the floor and advancing the other foot. If we walk backwards the process is the same, only in the opposite direction. Forwards or backwards, this walking method always leaves your weight on one foot for an interval during which your body itself remains back with that support foot.

In his remark, he is talking about the normal way people are walking. In the next comment he talks about a martial way of walking.

In judo walking methods, on the other hand, we move our legs, hips, and bodies forward or backward all at the same time, you must not put one foot forward and leave your body behind or advance your body and leave one foot behind.

How to master this walking method? The first thing to remember is to maintain the natural body position. In judo we walk in the natural position, or to put it slightly differently we walk with our hips. As you walk do not let your feet move too far apart or too close together, do not let your body—head, shoulders, hips—rise and fall, and walk in a sliding smooth fashion across the floor.

Further, he advised to study the skill of “tsugi ashi”. He called this “following feet”. Tomiki’s Unsoku-who is using exactly the same method as Kazuko Kudo explained.

About Tai-sabaki, there is also an interesting comment

Movement control (tai-sabaki)

The Japanese words tai-sabaki are capable of two interpretations. In the wider sense they simply mean all natural body movements including the tsugi-ashi advance-retreat motions we have just been explaining. In the narrower sense they indicate the ways we manipulate and control our body’s motions.

He explained several items included in tai-sabaki:

  • Carriage of the head
  • Use of the eyes
  • Breath control
  • Use of the torso
  • Hand movements
  • Foot movements

These items are also explained by Senta Yamada in his book about aikido: The principles and Practice of Aikido. Some of Kudo’s comments, you also find in Tomiki’s Judo and Aikido.

A contemporary of Sentia Yamada was Tadashi Abe, a student of Morihei Ueshiba. In his books about aikido, he described the art of tai-sabaki as a three-fold action.

  • Koshi sabaki
  • Ashi sabaki
  • Te sabaki

Tadashi Abe studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and is also considered as one of the aikido pioneers in Europe.

Tai-sabaki – Movement Control

The word tai-sabaki is commonly used in Tomiki’s Aikido to describe the ability to avoid an attack. Of course, avoiding can be considered as a part of tai-sabaki. However, tai-sabaki has more to offer the practitioner.

In the words of Kazuko Kudo, Movement Control is the mantra to fully understand Tai-sabaki. Kenji Tomiki explained in fact the idea of Tai-sabaki when he talked about Tsukuri. This concept was developed by Jigoro Kanon the founder of Kodokan Judo. But again we must admit, most of the explanations are just words, so called buzzwords.

When we practise our exercises, one of the goals has to be the control of our movements. When practising with a partner, controlling the movements of the opponent becomes the goal. The attack is just the result of his movement.

Tsukuri or preparation

From “Judo and Aikido” by Kenji Tomiki:

Bringing your opponent’s posture and position into such a relation to yours as to make it easier for you to throw him is called tsukuri (preparatory action). Breaking your opponent’s posture and making it unstable is aite o tsukuru (to prepare the opponent) and assuming at that moment a position and posture convenient for using a technique according to the change in your opponent’s is jibun o tsukuru (to prepare yourself). Thus you must use the most adequate technique after making a thorough tsukuri.

Jibun o tsukuru

It is paradoxical to emphasize ukemi as a form of jibun o tsukuru, but by mental and physical understanding, the concept of “jukozo” or “flexible body” becomes more understandable.

It is a common fact, when a beginner comes into the dojo, he or she likes to know how to throw the opponent. The newbie is in most cases not interested in the fact, you can only throw someone if you can control yourself.

In the older days, ukemi training was one of the foremost methods for beginners to learn to do breakfalls and build up stamina. This was the explanation given to the beginner. It took several months to become more or less skilful in the art of falling. Ukemi or protecting the body is a very physically demanding exercise. When practised correctly and with full commitment, ukemi training becomes a cardio training with a lot of peak moments. Also the body becomes used for different kinds of impact when it hits the floor. The body creates a skill to avoid hard impact by using jukozo to distribute the impact to a bigger surface or into a larger body movement. A big rolling ukemi is such an example.

Aite o tsukuru

Preparing of the opponent consists in destroying the opponent’s balance before performing a technique and putting him in a posture where it will be easy to apply it. (Kenji Tomiki).

Without proper jibun o tsukuru, aite o tsukuru wil be very difficult and every attempt to throw the opponent will fail in most cases. Of course you can succeed by using extreme physical strength, but we are looking for a method useful for the lesser muscular practitioner.

Tai-sabaki becomes one of the pillars of aite o tsukuru together with the many exercises found in “sotai dosa“. The 7 balance disturbing exercises (shichi-hon-no-kuzushi) are another example of sotai dosa in the Tomiki Aikido training program.

Happo Undo

8 directions exercise

After the Second World War, Kenji Tomiki and Hideo Ohba made a famous film about “aiki” for judo students. In this film, Kenji Tomiki shows his version of “Happo-Undo” or the exercise of the 8 directions.

If you look closely, Tomiki actually moves in four directions, but each direction is executed on the left and right side.

In many Japanese martial arts you will find multi-directional exercises. At first sight, the exercise is focused on the performance in different directions. Some teachers are referring this to attacking different opponents. But there is also an important mental aspect on the performance of a multi-directional exercise.

The mental aspect

Changing the starting point of a multidirectional iaido kata in the dojo was a teaching tool by Ishido Sensei* to raise your awareness of the content in the kata and not becoming distracted by the environment.

When performing happo undo, don’t start always facing the same side of the dojo. Also go outside, for example the park, and do your happo undo. After some training, your happo undo becomes a happy undo.

*Ishido Sensei was my teacher Iaido for about 25 years and while the content of his teachings was for the most part highly technical, sometimes his explanations went beyond the technical aspect.

Basic movements and happo undo

Tegatana go-dosa or 5 hand blade movements are at the heart of Tomiki Aikido. It is found in atemi waza, kansetsu waza and uki waza.

When Santa Yamada, a Tomiki Aikido pioneer, was around, he was always referring to the basic hand and arm movements. Generally, he taught only 4 movements and didn’t use the 5th movement (o-mawashi).

These 4 basic movements can be used in the happo undo the pattern besides the frontal linear movement, demonstrated by Kenji Tomiki.

Gassho uke and happo undo

Gassho uke is used to deflect the attacking arm of an opponent. Mostly when the attack is aimed at the head.

An interesting anecdote on “gassho” may be found in Geof Gleeson’s book: Judo Inside Out.

When training in aiki jitsu under Professor Tomiki he often used the symbol of prayer, the placing of two hands together as signifying the purpose of prayer and religion – the duality of God and man, the yin and yang becoming one.

Geof Gleeson

The exercise gassho uke happo undo becomes more than a physical exercise. As Ishido Sensei mentioned on many occasions, the mind is also important during training. When the 2 hands were put together, the power of the 2 arms comes together and creates a ring of power. We need the mind to keep this ring of power intact.

Koichi Tohei, a famous student of Morihei Ueshiba, was well-known for his research in the field of Ki. He developed many exercises with the Ki concept as the most important item.

You must be able to conform to all circumstances and to change the direction of your spiritual flow instantaneously and completely while maintaining a posture of strength

Koichi Tohei

Aikido, a Holistic Approach?

Many groups are advertising Aikido as a holistic training method. A way of Life. There is a danger of putting the mental and technical side to the foreground and the physical aspect is sometimes almost forgotten. The “Ki” or life force is only needed to perform. Nothing is less true.

Aikido and holistic training

Holistic: relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis and dissection into parts

Age-appropriate facets of physical training, understanding of technical, tactical, physical and mental factors are needed to develop efficient training methods. These factors are deeply interdependent.

Some tactical information is needed to perform with excellence during fighting and competing, and is according the ethical rule we like to integrate in our methods.

A mental factor in training has to be integrated by using some forms of meditation or other program to boost mental activity during training.

Physical Training

As most of us will notice, a heap of the older practitioners, instructors included are overweight. The cause of this unhealthy situation is a lack of efficient physical training and unhealthy food. We will focus on conditioning the body (and mind).

First, we wish to bring forward some “knowledge” from Wikipedia, Heart Org and Fitbit.com. Afterward, we will discuss this in the context of our Aikido training.

Intensity Levels

The metabolic equivalent of task (MET) is the objective measure of the ratio of the rate at which a person expends energy, relative to the mass of that person, while performing some specific physical activity compared to a reference, set by convention at 3.5 mL of oxygen per kilogram per minute, which is roughly equivalent to the energy expended when sitting quietly.

Only… This is quite complicated, but if we use a formula, it becomes more clear.

The formula using MET: (MET x bodyweight x 3,5) x 200 = Kcal/min

The problem arises with the value of MET. Which one we have to use? A source of information can be found at “Compendium of physical activities”.

Using Heart Rate

Another method to measure the efficiency of the training is by using the heart rate. This is typically used as a measure of exercise intensity by using a device around the wrist or with a chest band. It is an indicator of the challenge to the cardiovascular system that the exercise represents.

The target zone?

When you work out, are you doing too much or not enough? There’s a simple way to know: Your target heart rate helps you to get max benefit from every movement you make. Knowing your heart rate (or pulse) can help you track your physical level.

First Things First: Resting Heart Rate

Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you’re at rest. 

For most of us, between 50 and 90 beats per minute (bpm) is normal.

Maximum and Target Heart Rate

This table shows target heart rate zones for different ages. Your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age. This is just a rule of thumb and is not very useful when you enter the level of professional top sport.

Target Heart Rate Zone is divided into 4 to 6 zones depending on the purpose of the training and the goal to reach.

The Heart Rate Zones

By using 4 heart rate zones:

Rest ↘︎40% of heartbeat reserve+ heart resting beat
Fat burning40%-59% of heartbeat reserve + heart resting beat
Cardio60%-84% of heartbeat reserve + heart resting beat
Peak↗︎85% of heartbeat reserve + heart resting beat

Heartbeat reserve is your max heartbeat minus the heart resting beat.

Example : age 30 yrs and resting heartbeat of 60 / max BPM 220-30=190 / Heartbeat reserve= 190-60=130 / 40% of 130=52 / 52+60=112 BPM starting fat burning

How to conform our Aikido techniques and/or movements is a crucial question for our training method. Many fitness and power training exercises have a great value for our health. But are those exercises functional for our martial art?

4 training goals for Aikido

Heart Rate Zones give an indication how intense we can practice the different functional components of the Aikido syllabus without losing the technical correctness of the techniques. Fundamentally, we can distinguish 4 different goals in our training.

  1. Mental and physical preparation, creating a martial body
  2. Healthy movement adapted to develop efficient techniques and/or movements
  3. Developing cardiovascular system to develop physical stamina to endure efficient training performances
  4. Peak performances needed for combat and/or competition

These training zones don’t need to be executed in this order.

Aikido exercises and/or techniques can be used for any of the 4 mentioned training Aikido goals and can conform to the directives of the Heart Rate training zones. Depending on the choice made by a practitioner, training has to be guided by the goal of the practitioner. This is a real challenge for the instructor. Creativity is one of the basic requirements of a good instructor.

Mental and physical preparation, creating a martial body

A martial body can be seen as “a holistic” concept how the body is functioning during training and daily life. Synchronising all the parts of the body is the main purpose of this training method. Posture training and moving posture are the main components together with martial art techniques.

Healthy movement adapted to develop efficient techniques and/or movements

If the movements are executed in a wrong manner, it becomes unhealthy, and can create serious physical problems when we get older. Using the body with a holistic concept can avoid physical problems in the future. On the other hand, the martial aspect cannot be forgotten and must be included in the training method.

Movements like tandoku undo unsoku & tegatana dosa are used as an exercise to develop a link between the 3 body parts. During posture training we become aware of these 3 parts

Developing cardiovascular system to develop physical stamina to endure efficient training performances

By controlling the speed of the exercise, we have an impact on the heart beat. Monitoring the heartbeat with a device (Apple watch, Fitbit, Polar, Garmin,…..) is very helpful. During partner training a watch is lesser convenient, but there are different methods to avoid the problems

Peak performances needed for combat and/or competition

Peak performances cannot be forgotten for those practitioners involving into randori or shiai. Without a firm stamina, people cannot enjoy peak moments in dojo or other places. This has nothing to do with winning or losing, it is about enjoying the art of the moving body and mind.

Personal training scheme example

This scheme is based upon a person – 72yrs/87kg/180cm/resting heart rate 58/heart rate zones – fat burning 93-109 – cardio 110-131 – peak 132+

Training goal (solo training during Corona pandemic)

Keeping body and mind synchronised and in a good shape. Martial art aspect is integrated by using functional exercises.

  • Warming-up: ballistic exercise, kiko (qigong) hachidanken (baduanjin)
  • Posture training: shizentai (central line), gedan (moving koshi-pelvis), chudan (kyokotsu open/close), unstable standing (image=wooden platform in water)
  • Moving posture training: unsoku – tsuri ashi (gedan posture) – ayumi ashi (jodan posture)
  • Tandoku undo – tegatana dosa (static) 1-3
  • Tandoku undo – tegatana dosa (dynamic) 1-7
  • Tandoku undo – flowing – ki no nagare
  • Cooling down – closing the energy posture

Find here 2 examples of heart rate evolution during a 1hr session. It gives an indication of the heart rate zones. By doing “tandoku undo” with a higher speed, the effect is visible. Example 1 is rather slow (bpm 115) and example 2 is more cardio oriented thanks to the speed increase of the tandoku undo (bpm 130). The overal bpm is around 100-110bpm.

Heart rate example 1
Heart rate example 2

An example of heart rate zones

The peak moment in the beginning is an exercise called “pendulum” and is a preparation to take up with Kiko-hachidanken, breathing exercises synchronized with the movements. By doing the pendulum at the beginning, the intake of oxygen during Kiko is more effective.

Opening/closing the armpit

The “opening and closing” of the armpit is managed by using kyokotsu or sternum in the correct way. This is necessary to perform an efficient movement when aiming for a target.

Using kyokotsu and “koshi” in a correct way (koshi-mawari) is the key to send the power of the base (earth) through the arms into the opponent. About koshi mawari, you can consult: The influence of Chidori ashi.

Controlling “kyokotsu” or “sternum”

Controlling kyokotsu or sternum is explained by Akira Hino in his book: Don’t Think, Listen to the Body.

The picture on the left is a sort of simplification of the mechanism. It has also an influence on the utilization of the koshi.

When the sternum is moving, the spine is also moving. This creates a pelvic tilt.

The pelvic tilt has to be the result of a full body movement. Just doing a pelvic tilt has no influence on the movement of the upper body when there is no connection between upper and lower body. Also just doing a sternum movement has no effect on the lower body if there is tension around the spine.


Straight line and koshi mawari

Directing for the target is a simple action with a lot of difficulties. The skill of opening and closing the armpit has to be entirely understood, mentally and physically.

When there is no control of the armpit, there is a probability of missing the target.

To resume, we can point out:

  • Rotation of the torso
  • Extending the arm in a straight line aiming at the target.
  • Opening and closing of the armpit.

Using a jo to perform taijū no dendō and koshi-mawari

During “corona” time it is necessary in a partner exercise to maintain distance, especially when you are practicing with someone not belonging to your nearest social contacts. The “jo” or medium range stick is the ideal tool to make contact and still maintaining a distance.

This video clip demonstrates taijū no dendō and koshi-mawari with the help of a jo or a medium range stick. It gives the opportunity to feel how partner is using power to push you back. There are some points to take into account on both sides of the stick.

How to push the stick forward?

Starting from a “chidori ashi” posture with the hand holding the stick near the body. Move the center line forward until you feel pressure in the ball of the front foot. Start turning the body while extending the arm forward.

How to receive the incoming stick?

Chidori ashi posture. Move the center line back until you feel pressure on the heel of the back foot. Start turning the body to absorb the power into the floor.

Relationship with compatible martial arts

A clear relationship with Jodo Kata “Suigetsu”. The straight line and koshi-mawari is only successful if there is a control of the armpit and the extended arm holding the stick.

Remark also the straight center line and the advice not to bend the body and arm.

There are of course more examples about opening and closing armpit in relationship with koshi mawari. Simply for the purpose to keep this post compact, my advice to find out by yourself and find similarities in other martial arts.

The influence of Chidori ashi

During “corona” time, we manage to do a lot of solo training. Solo training for a prolonged period can change our movements. It is necessary to understand the mechanism behind the changes. This post is an attempt to explain some points I am working on during this “corona” time. I have the opportunity to practice in my Dojo without the danger to get infected by the virus. Most of you will notice the modifications in my ideas for training, after all, life is always changing according to our experiences.

Chidori ashi

The influence of Chidori ashi is a rather complicated and includes more than the placement of the feet. Of course, there is a pattern for foot placement. But we cannot forget the role of the center line, gravity, pelvic tilt and some other elements.

A basic “chidori-ashi” pattern

Hanmi gamae or half posture is a basic stance in many martial arts and it is used in a lot of circumstances.

Chidori ashi is mostly used to have a bigger range of hip/lower back turning: koshi-mawari.

After some training, you will find out your own direction to use hanmi gamae and certainly the benefits of Chidori ashi posture.

The centre line

The centre line is an imaginary vertical line. In general, this line is perpendicular to the floor. The picture of Teruo Fujiwara shows a perfect centre line.

During taijū no dendō (transferring body weight), the center line can tilt a few degrees depending on the conditions.

Offensive Centre line

The first set of the JAA-Tandoku undo – shomen uchi/shomen tsuki – is using the center line in an offensive way. This originates from swordsmanship. When the sword breaks away from the center line, we are vulnerable to an attack from opponent.

Some points to take into account:

The centre line is a straight line in front of the spinal column. Everybody’s spine has a different shape. Some of us bear a natural hollow lower back, others have almost a hunchback.

Center line is not a fixed line in a perpendicular format to the floor. It is possible there is some inclination of the center line. If the inclination is going out of range, we need to do some adjustment to avoid too much tension. See below for this kind of adjustment.

When we learn to move “koshi” or lower back, we will take into account the structure of our spinal column. It is not wise to force our structure into a stance which can result in chronic pain.

Before we perform the movements of tandoku undo tegatana dosa, we must first master the skill of koshi mawari.

Protecting the center line

Both hands are protecting the centre line after adopting a chidori ashi posture.

In his book on Aikido, Senta Yamada made a notice about the importance of the centre line. Yamada sensei is using a hanmi gamae.

Stepping into “kamae” – hanmi kamae or chidori-ashi – has to take into account the important concept of the centre line.

The hands are protecting the own centre line and are pointing towards the opponent’s centre line.

A weapon is protecting your own center line, and on the other hand it is also threathening the center line of opponent.

Angle of inclination

The centre line has on top a direction range of 360°. The angle of the inclination is rather small when standing in shizentai.

The angle will increase when adopting hanmi gamae or Chidori ashi posture in the direction of the posture. The range of movement (forward, backward and turning) is influenced by the placement of the feet. (See below)

During inclination, the role of koshi comes into play for adjustment by using a pelvic tilt.

Pelvic tilt

Koshi mawari is a very complex movement and “pelvic tilt” is a part of a complete koshi mawari.

There are 3 positions of the pelvic:

  • Neutral
  • Posterior pelvic tilt
  • Anterior pelvic tilt

Neutral stance is used in the situation when no action is needed. A posterior pelvic tilt is in general used when the inclination of the body is going forward and we need to make adjustments for applying taijū no dendō. A anterior pelvic tilt is used when we retreat for an incoming power. The anterior pelvic tilt is needed to execute the rotational movement of the body – koshi mawari –

Range of turning movement

By using “chidori ashi” posture, our range for koshi mawari is much larger than for hanmi kamae. Chidori ashi posture opens the front of the koshi more than a basic hanmi gamae. While a basic hanmi gamae has a range of about 135°, chidori ashi posture has a range of about 180°

Range of bodyweight movement

When adopting hanmi gamae or chidori ashi posture, the body weight can move in an efficient way forward, backward and turning. A combination of these 3 actions is possible. There are 3 basic body weight postures, and in each posture we can turn the body. By adding “tsughi ashi” or sliding feet, we create almost unlimited possibilities of movements for offensive or defensive tactics.

  • 2 forward – offensive movement
  • 3 neutral
  • 4 backward – defensive movement

Taijū no dendō and gravity

Basically the center line and gravity are in the same area, but it is possible to have a small inclination depending on the situation. For example, just before a strike or a push is applied, the body moves a little forward to put body weight on the ball of the front foot. Releasing this tension will rebound the power stored in the tension. A pelvic tilt is needed to transmit the power of gravity (stored in the tension of the front foot) into the opponent. The line of gravity is moving forward to keep the body up.

Forward movement

The body in the previous picture has an egg shape. If you generate a mental image of an egg shaped central body, you will feel and understand the interaction of the pelvic tilt, the center line and gravity. The influence of Chidori ashi and the associated elements becomes apparent if you practice this on a regular footing.

Partner practise

It its necessary to use partner practise to experience the influence of your solo training. In “corona time”, weapon training can be a solution. This will be a theme for another “post”.

Kokyu ryoku as a result of Taijū no dendō

taïjū = body weight – dendō = transmission, conduction

Kokyū-Ryoku (呼吸力, Breath Power) Is the concept of relaxed power generated from the tanden. There is an implication in the word kokyū that this type of power does not clash with uke. (From Wikipedia)

Kokyu is mostly translated as “breath”, but can be understood as the concept of “prana” in yoga. Although it must be mentioned that breathing is only a small part of the prana concept also called “life force”. Breathing is a dynamic process and is an integral part of our being as a living person.

Another definition can be found in a a popular Japanese book:

Aikido: Tradition and Competitive Edge

In a book written by Tetsuro Nariyama and Fumiaki Shishida – Aikido: Tradition and Competitive Edge – Kokyu-ryoku and toitsuryoku is briefly mentioned. Correct use of the body and breathing can develop focused power: toitsuryoku. Some basic movements are explained to develop this kind of power. These exercises are very basic and you will find them also in other aiki-arts.

Don’t Think, Listen to the Body

Written by Akira Hino is an attempt to create a method to develop a martial body, useful in the many martial arts lacking an understandable method for developing soft power. This method is used as a supporting aid in our research.

An introduction into the practical use of opposing isometric tension

“Taijū no ido & Taijū no dendō“, the relationship between the two concepts was discussed by using some Tomiki Aikidō techniques and/or exercises. The article is based upon a workshop we did some time ago. More explanations are needed to deepen the knowledge of these important concepts

In 2017 we made a short videoclip about “manipulation of structure”. At that time we were not aware about the importance of Taijū no ido & Taijū no dendō, and in particularity the use of Taijū no dendō concept. It was briefly mentioned, but the understanding was not so deep.

During Corona-Covid19 time , more people perform solo-training. Unfortunately the focus is mostly oriented upon the sequence and the outer appearance. Of course there are some on-line video clips with more information about the inner development during solo-training. There is perhaps one disadvantage with on-line teaching: no hands-on experience.

The example of bringing Taijū no dendō concept into the training has the same disadvantage: no hands-on experience. If you need this hands-on experience, find someone in the near future to solve your problem and give answers to your questions.

This post is an attempt to describe a solo-training pattern with words and some pictures. It is not the ideal format, but hopefully the near future will bring enlightenment.

There are “5 Steps” to consider in this kind of training

  • Step One: Awareness and moving bodyweight
  • Step Two: Stepping by using bodyweight
  • Step Three: Basic Tegatana movements without stepping
  • Step Four: Basic Tegatana movements with stepping
  • Step Five: Sotai dosa with integrated Taijū no dendō concept

First step in studying Taijū no dendō

Moving body weight

Body weight can move in 3 ways

  • Vertical plane
  • Horizontal plane
  • Combination of vertical and horizontal plane

Becoming aware of the bodyweight is the first step to explore the basic idea in Taijū no dendō. Body weight can move up and down. Imagine a structure as in the picture. Sometimes reference is made to tensegrity also called Jukozo, a term used in Japanese architecture for flexible structures.

Sometimes reference is made to tensegrity also called Jukozo, a term used in Japanese architecture for flexible structures.

Bodyweight can be put on different parts of the feet. During ritsuzen or standing exercises, bodyweight can change in all directions.

Bodyweight can move forward, backward or to the sides. Basically it can move following a 360° pattern. Keep the vertical line straight. Don’t disturb this line by bending the body forward for example. After some time practising, you will experience the vertical line in the body.

Second step

Ayumi ashi

Using the knees to transmit the bodyweight into the opponent is not by bending the knees, but by lowering the bodyweight which creates kneebending. Chidori-ashi walking is an exercise without a partner to learn how to move the body weight.

Another concept in the the training is the concept of “opposing isometric tension”. When the body weight is moving forward, the direction is going down into the front foot, in particular the ball of the foot. This creates opposing isometric tension. When lowering the body weight and the heel is touching the floor, the power of the opposing isometric tension is moving into the floor and makes your posture more stable.

  1. Start with a chidori ashi posture. Hand to the side. Bodyweight backwards.
  2. After turning the body, bring bodyweight forward and create opposing isometric tension.
  3. Put bodyweight more to the heel and release opposing isometric tension in the foot and leg. Koshi is lowering.
  4. Lift back foot and move it forward
  5. Assume chidori ashi posture.

Repeat this walking several times.

Third step

Tandoku undo (static exercise)

In the 3rd step we will introduce basic hand/arm movement based upon the “godosa tegatana” or 5 basic tegatana movements. Integrating koshi-mawari is necessary to create full body movement. Of course Taijū no dendō concept is a part of the movement. There is no stepping involved yet.

Although the exercises are primarly influenced by godosa tegatana, the first exercise is “shomen uchi” and is a basic movement with an origin in swordmanship. Basic tegatana movement, also called Tandoku Undo is a set developped by Kenji Tomiki and Hideo Ohba.

The use of opposing isometric tension is also a start for “hakkei” or explosive power. When the opposing isometric tension is guided into the floor, there will be a rebound and this can be directed into the hands. As a simple example “shomen uchi’ with isometric tension. Five basic tegatana movements use the same isometric tension method to produce “kokyu ryoku”, power generated by Taijū no dendō.

Fourth step

Tandoku undo (dynamic exercises)

Combining stepping and basic tegatana movements.

There are basically 2 methods of stepping:

  • Ayumi ashi: discussed earlier in this post – see Second Step
  • Tsugi ashi: using opposing isometric tension can create a sudden step forward full of power.

Shomen uchi with tsugi ashi

In Tomiki’s Aikido, Tandoku undo has a lot of versions. Most recent version use “shomen uchi” as the starting movement. Shomen uchi is a vertical downward strike to the head of an opponent. There is a relationship with a vertical strike with a sword (kiri oroshi). In koryu no kata daisan, tachi tai tachi, the first kata is ai-uchi or simultaneous strike. In many Japanese martial arts, a vertical strike belongs to the omote-waza or the first set of techniques/movements.

Fifth step

Sotai dosa

Using Taijū no dendō concept during paired exercises. An example can be seen at the beginning of this post.

How to use Taijū no dendō?

Using Taijū no dendō is already discussed in the 5 steps mentioned earlier. Sometimes it is necessary to step out of the box and introduce Taijū no dendō in another situation. Because we don’t have always a partner to experience bodily contact in real-time, we can mimic situations during solo-training.

For example, imagine someone is grasping your wrist and you like to apply balance disturbing with the gedan concept from 7-hon-no-kuzushi.

Taijū no dendō gedan

The turning of the hand can be used in aiki-age (upward movement or jodan) or aiki-sage (downward movement or gedan).

The turning point is in the palm of the hand. When using the wrist as a turning point, the line of power will be broken. An example with “gedan”.

8 Tegatana no dosa

Can we change the technical heritage of Kenji Tomiki? This question was addressed in another blog-post and there is of course no definite answer. If you are a true “purist”, changing is not a possibility.

On the other hand, Kenji Tomiki made many versions of his technical repertoire and gave the advice to research and improve.

Tandoku-undo or Tomiki’s solo-exercises has many versions and are practised as a multipurpose exercise.

The main ways of moving the body and hands were picked from Aiki skills, then simplified and abstracted and  organized as exercise forms.

Teruo Fujiwara – student of Kenji Tomiki

An early version by Kenji Tomiki

A starting point – Tegatana no dosa

Tomiki Tandoku Undo is based upon 5-handblade movements. The movements are combined with a foot-movement pattern.

When Senta Yamada introduced “Judo or Yawara Taiso” in the late-fifties/early-sixties to the Western practitioners, he used 8 different forms. Those 8 forms are considered “multipurpose” exercises.

  • Tegatana soho 1 : Kihon no kamae – Fundamental posture, power is concentrated in tegatana (1)
  • Tegatana soho 2 : Uchi mawashi – Inside sweep (2-3)
  • Tegatana soho 3 : Soto mawashi – outside sweep (4-5)
  • Tegatana soho 4 : Uchi gaeshi – soto gaeshi – Inside turn and outside turn(6-9)
  • Tegatana soho 5 : Uchi mawashi tentai – Inside sweep with forward turning (demawari) (10-11)
  • Tegatana soho 6 : Soto mawashi tentai – Outside sweep with backward turning (hikimawari) (12-15)
  • Tegatana soho 7 : Ko mawashi – Compact method of tegatana soho 2 and 3 (16)
  • Tegatana soho 8 : O mawashi – Big turning forward and backward (17-22)
courtesy Adrian Tyndale

When practising these exercises, a full mental focus has to be put on the movements. It has almost no improvement on our movements if we just do those exercises as a robot. Don’t be afraid to include ideas and concepts from another source. Remember, when you practise randori, the real skill is the changes you can make as an answer to the movemebts of the opponent. When the time is there , you can test your movements in a “randori” game.

Lets start with compact “tandoku-undo’

Compact tandoku undo is a combination of 2 or more tegatana exercises (based upon tegatana go-dosa)

First you start with some warming-up exercises. In fact this is not really necessary because tandoku-undo can be used as warming-up. Although this is based upon the previous 8-tandoku-undo, there are certainly big differences.

If you don’t have a lot of space to practise, you can use a non-displacement version of tegatana dosa. Here an example – tandoku undo 1 – 3

If you have more space, about 4x3m, tandoku undo can be practised in 90°-180°-360° directions. Koshi-mawari is of course needed to create an efficient turning movement. Turning of the koshi is based upon the change between shumoku-ashi and chidori-ashi. Understanding the concept of ‘tenshi” to create “tenshikei” can help you to improve your movements.

Tegatana soho 1 : Kihon no kamae

In this tegatana exercise different kamae or body postures are used to practise forward movement as an attacking movement (shomen-uchi and shomen-utsu). The use of a 180° or 90° body turn is an extra supplement and can be seen in the old movies of Kenji Tomiki and Senta Yamada. In the more “sport” oriented method, the straight line method is mostly practised.

Koshi-mawari is integrated in this tegatana exercise. The turning of the koshi is always the first action before you do the striking movement. The turning koshi (tenshi) generate power to perform an efficient foot movement. A foot movement before the koshi turning and strike with tegatana is a mistake and makes you vulnerable to a counter-attack of the opponent. Stepping actions without a blow can be used to bring yourself in the distance of “rikakutaisei” or safe distance with the possibility to strike efficiently.

Tegatana soho 2 : Uchi mawashi & Tegatana soho 3 : Soto mawashi

Inside sweep and outside sweep are 2 movements with the arm and can be used to deflect an incoming blow from opponent. Because this is a multifunction exercise, uchi mawashi and soto mawashi can be used as a defensive action against grasping attacks. In this exercise the “fibonaci” concept comes to the foreground. Changing the direction (180° or 90° ) is done randomly, there is no fixed direction pattern. By using creativity, but keeping the concepts of uchi mawashi and soto mawashi, there are many possibilities to perform this exercise. The videoclip below is just an example and is not a fixed format.

Turning the koshi is always initiating uchi mawashi and soto mawashi. These sweeping actions are done without tensed muscles, the idea of an empty body (mugamae) is included.

Tegatana soho 4 : Uchi gaeshi – soto gaeshi

Although we often see sweeping actions with this tegatana exercise, the main action is about turning the arm inside and outside. The action resemblances the turning over of a book page.

Koshi and arm turning in any direction of a circle makes this exercise not an easy one. Combining the stepping, koshi turning and armturning demands a lot of synchronisation. Mental focus is needed in order to perform those movements.

Stepping and turning

There are a variety of angles within a 360 ° circle. If you describe a perfect spherical rotation (encompassing all 360 ° angles) with koshi in every situation, then all movements are always round, from whatever angle you start them.

Next tegatana soho (5-6-7-8) includes stepping actions with a multifunctional use. In “koryu no kata“, many examples of this simplified kind of movement and stepping are used in the various waza (codified techniques which can be used in different circumstances).

Tegatana soho 5 : Uchi mawashi tentai – demawari

A forward turning step with an uchi-mawashi arm movement. This movement is well-known from koryu-no-kata dai-yon. The final movement, the arm-sweep to the back is a movement performed during hiki-otoshi from basic-17 katachi/kata.

Tegatana soho 6 : Soto mawashi tentai -hikimawari

The first time when you try to perform this exercise you can have an unlogical feeling. You have to start with the front foot, putting backwards and turn koshi while you perfom a big soto-mawashi (outward sweep).

Tegatana soho 7 : Ko mawashi

A ver compact tandoku-undo exercise using uchi mawashi and soto-mawashi. You also can include a kind of uchi gaeshi and soto gaeshi.

Tegatana soho 8 : O mawashi

Big sweeping circle is the characteristic of this exercise. Many ushiro-waza use this movement. An example you will find in koryu-no-kata dai-yon.

The effect of koshi-mawari

There is an interesting aspect on the integration of koshi -mawari in our martial art movements. The range of our movements becomes greater when integrating koshi-mawari.

The skill of koshi-mawari is defined by 3 major aspect:

  • use of chidori-ashi
  • vertical turning of koshi
  • horizontal turning of koshi

There are more aspect in koshi-mawari, but lets keep it simple, if this is possible, and only discuss the 3 major aspects to make the range of the movement greater. Making the range greater is not performed by overstretching the arm, or leaning into the direction of the target. The vertical and horizontal turning of the koshi has a dramatically increase of the range.

By using a sword the range of a cut can be visually presented.

Kiri-oroshi – a vertical cut with the sword

This is “kiri-oroshi” or vertical cut. Of course each “style” has a special flavour, but in general most of the cutting is according this method. Mostly, the head of opponent is the target. If the cut is lower, there is the possibility to cut the wrist or other target.

Chudan no kamae with vertical koshi-mawari

When talking about koshi-mawari, mostly a horizontal turn is considered. Vertical turn of the koshi is more difficult to perform and need a lot of training. The example here is of course a little exaggerated, but it expressed visually the vertical turn of the koshi.

Remark also, there is no change in the position of the sword when performing the vertical turn.

From chidori-ashi to shumoku-ashi

Adopting chidori-ashi no kamae with vertical koshi turning, and again some exaggeration to illustrate the vertical turn.

From chidori-ashi to shumoku-ashi, the range becomes greater. The supplemental range is about the size of the sword part for kiri-oroshi to the target (head).

Koshi-mawari is using a horizontal & verical turn of the koshi.

Integration koshi-mawari in kiri-oroshi

Performing kiri-oroshi while using koshi-mawari (horizontal & vertical turn of koshi) will greatly improve the range, but also an improvement in power generation by using a full body concept.

Tai-jutsu and koshi mawari

Using koshi-mawari (horizontal & vertical turn of koshi) when performing tai-jutsu (unarmed techniques) will have the same effect as the use of koshi-mawari during armed techniques (sword, spear or stick).