Aikido - Among Other Martial Arts - Part #1
Excerpt from : "The Elements of Aikido" by Greg O'Connor
Martial artists have spent a thousand years perfecting both their internal and external balance. They have studied diligently to develop special skills that would enable them to meet life and its challenges in a relaxed, but alert and composed manner. They have sought to acquire the ability to respond quickly, effortlessly and with maximum efficiency in all situations. They have searched for an ideal art that would give them these capabilities. Aikido is such an art.
Most martial arts are based on the theory of self-protection and preservation. Aikido is based on the insistence of not only mutual protection and preservation, but also mutual growth and enhancement. Like most martial arts, it begins and ends with respect; but Aikido takes that a step further. It requires that he respect be maintained at a high level - throughout the interaction and even beyond - to all things at all times.
The main goal of most martial arts is to vanquish a foe. Wise leaders warn us, though, that a vanquished foe is still a dangerous one. Revenge and retribution are reactions common to us all. Even if our opponent has been completely destroyed, we may produce these desires in others, who may have been emotionally affected by our actions or who simply disagreed with us on their use. There are always going to be those that disagree with us and our actions - so why create even more?
Aikido's founder believed that it is not a technique to fight and defeat an enemy. It is a way to reconcile the world and make human beings one family. Aikido seeks the harmonious resolution of conflict in all its varied forms. It is a strategy for winning that, ideally, has no losers. It requires one to remain centered and balanced on all levels so as to recognize any attack, blend with it, and redirect it into a safe conclusion for all.
It is primarily a defensive martial art, preferring mainly defensive strategies. However, it can certainly be used, if necessary, to take the initiative once an attack is imminent. If moral judgment indicates an offensive response to deal with an attack, then Aikido easily has that capability. Many aikidoka may cringe at that statement, insisting that peace be maintained in all circumstances. I fully agree that this is the preferred ideal. But the additional reality is that there are predators in the world who would not only victimize you, but also your loved ones. Would you not rush to their defence without a second thought? Many people would because the protective instinct is a powerful one and it can be a potent ally. Since Aikido is an art of protection it can draw on that natural instinct to qualify its use and response. It gives credence to our protective nature and, with guidance, allows it to flourish.
In Aikido there is no attack per se. There are no aggressive strategies. We point out the openings and opportunities, known as tsuki, where strikes and kicks can be applied or executed. These are created during the actual execution of the Aikido technique itself. Knowing one has the option to take a more offensive approach at any point should give one confidence to be able to choose more ethical options to dispel the conflict. We also teach the new student how to execute a proper punch, strike, kick or grab in order to properly defend against them. However, we do not drill in those strikes or kicks. In arts that rely on offensive striking, practitioners are put through solitary kicking and punching drills, performing the same punch or kick over and over again. This is done so as to not only perfect its execution, but to make it second nature. The majority of the practice is spent repeating the same kick or strike hundreds of times, then moving on to practise another kick or punch in the same manner. It is interesting that a great many of the people that come to Aikido have already been through another art, usually one of the striking arts. They often wish to expand their horizons, either martially or morally, and have no need or desire to perform such drills.
In Aikido, as a basic practice, a single attack is performed and a specific Aikido technique is demonstrated by the instructor as a response against it. The students practise by repeating the entire sequence, alternating both left and right sides to develop symmetry, balance and ambidexterity.
No comments:
Post a Comment