Everyone has the power of life or death in one’s hands. It is the decision of the individual to slow down when pedestrians are crossing or whether to pull the trigger when going on a duck hunt.
Unfortunately, there are certain elements in society who will cause harm in order to get money instead of working for it. The person can become a victim when walking to the car after doing some shopping or when coming home late from work.
The police may not always be there to assist so it is best to be prepared always. One way to be prepared is learning a martial art. The individual does not have to be as good as Bruce Lee to kick butt but simply learn what it takes to deliver a good punch.
One of the more popular and yet very peaceful is aikido. This is because in combat, the person doesn’t strike the opponent with the intent to injure or kill. The objective is merely to subdue the opponent with minimum force to be able to get to safety.
There are various Dojos all across the country that teach aikido. The person can sign up in one and then move up the ranks.
Beginners will first work use techniques based in the shape of a square. As the skills develop, the person will move up to triangle and then eventually circle. This will take months so the student must be committed throughout the entire process.
The objective of this is for the person to be able to the various techniques with the least amount of effort unlike before. This will give the person enough energy in combat should there be more than one opponent.
The things done in practice such as the holds, grips and falls can never be compared with what happens in the streets. This is because an inexperienced person may try something different so the individual should be prepared for anything.
It is a good thing though that various competitions are held regularly so that one’s combat skills can be tested. The student can sign up especially if the dojo usually participates in such tournaments.
While in practice or during competition, the person should lower the tempo to prevent injuring the partner. After all, the real battle is out there in the streets and should only be used as a last resort.
There may even come a time that the assailant could be someone also skilled in the martial arts. The only way to win will be to use the mind since this will allow the individual to react faster in the middle of a fight.
There are various secrets in aikido. This can be from the hand to eye coordination, the flexibility of the wrist, the breathing and the speed. All of these things will count for something as the person is in combat struggling in a life or death situation.
There is a line that goes, “no pain, no gain.” Unfortunately, this will happen in order to be good at aikido since the one who has the competitive edge will be the victor in any battle. The person can do well in any combat situation as long as one is guided by senior students and the Sensei and believes in his or herself.
Due to the dynamic nature of Aikido, most experts say that there are no definite "styles" or "techniques" in practicing the martial art. After the development of aikido by Morihei Ueshiba, called "O Sensei," many students were inspired to train under his tutelage.
After their training, the Great Teacher encouraged his students to put up their own dojos so they can spread the tenets of his martial art. Aside from encouraging them to set up dojos and share the knowledge he taught, he also inspired them to develop their own styles and interpretations as long as these techniques adhere to the basic principle of aikido, "not fighting force with force."
The aikido founder reiterates this principle over and over again because the techniques of aikido, when applied without care, can damage or kill instead of diverting or immobilizing the opponent.
With the emergence of various dojos all over the world, more and more techniques were born. Despite the differences in techniques in various dojos, there is a set of the common techniques in which almost all dojos use. Each of this technique is carefully taught to the student so he or she can discover its strengths and weaknesses.
Although most people say that there should be no superior or inferior technique, only the student or the individual practicing it can truly tell which technique works well for him or her. Here is a list of the most common aikido techniques practiced by almost all aikido practitioners in dojos today:
1. "Ikkyo". Also known as the "first technique," ikkyo refers to the control exercised using only one hand on the elbow and the other one on near the wrist that leverages "uke" to the ground. This technique uses a grip that can apply pressure into the ulnar nerve on the medial side of the person's arm.
2. "Nikyo". This is referred to as the "second technique." Nikyo involves the use of an adductive wristlock that loops the arm while applying painful nerve pressure.
3. "Sankyo". This is also called the "third technique." Sankyo is known as a "pronating" technique that directs upward-spiraling pressure throughout the person's arm, elbow, and shoulder.
4. "Yonkyo". Is also popular as the "fourth technique." Just like iikkyo, yonko is also a shoulder control but with requires the use of both hands in gripping the forearm. The practitioner's knuckles—usually from the palm side—are applied to the opponent's radial nerve against the forearm bone.
5. "Gokyo". This refers to a variant of ikkyo where the hand that grips the wrist is inverted. Also known as the "fifth technique," gokyo is common in tanto and other weapon take-aways.
6. "Shihonage". Here, the practitioner's hand is folded back past the shoulder and locks the shoulder joint. This aikido technique is also called the "four-direction throw."
7. "Kotegaeshi". This is popularly called the "wrist return." This aikido technique is a characterized by a supinating wristlock-throw, which stretches the person's extensor digitorum.
8. "Kokyunage". In English, this is translated to "breath throw." This term is coined for various types of flowing "timing throws" in duration of any aikido session.
9. "Iriminage". For aikido practitioners, this is known as the "entering-body throw" or throws where "nage" moves through the space occupied by "uke." This is considered as a classic form that resembles the "clothesline" technique.
10. "Tenchinage". A.k.a. the "heaven-and-earth throw." This technique involves the "uke" grabbing both wrists of the "nage." Moving forward, the nage sweeps one hand low ("earth") and the other high ("heaven"), so he or she can unbalance the uke.
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