Aikido in Motion

Size, strength or age have no bearing on how effective your Aikido can be. Music by Eri Sugai (Tittle) Konjaku Monogatari (Album) Mai

Master Koichi Tohei

This is a demonstration of Aikido applied in a very martial way.  However, this is not the way in which we normally train. Some may view some footage of Aikidokas in practice as ineffective, mostly it is in fact the Nage (person doing the technique) is looking after their Uke (person having the technique performed on them). This is the most important to us, to look after our training partner at all times. We are not in competition with out training partner.

Aikido at Goshinkan dojo Music by Abakus from the album That Much? Closer to the Sun.

Karate is a very skillful well respected art and this videos purpose is only demonstrates the differences between Aikido and styles like Karate to people who would like to know the differences between the arts. The people preforming Aikido can be distinguished by their Hakama (Black skirt like pants).

Seemingly at the opposite ends of the martial arts spectrum, the soft internal art of Aikido and the hard hitting external martial art of Karate both share their origins in the feudal era of Japan. Karate an open handed art primarily employs the fists, feet and hands as weapons. Farming tools readily available (at the time) were also commonly employed as weapons. Aikido on the other hand evolved from Samurai battlefield art and based on the Samurai sword techniques. In this environment the blocks of Karate were not well suited (ever tried to block a sword cut) and thus blending, soft style movements had to be developed.

Karate could be said to be developing the generation of power or ‘hard ki’ whilst Aikido seeks instead to flow with the power of the attacker rather than compete with it. While many Karate stances are wide to facilitate the development of power Aikido footwork tends to be naturally close together so that mobility is enhanced.

For the new student Aikido offers something for those seeking to practice a martial art but perhaps uncomfortable with the striking arts. Aikido is often called the art of peace because of its ability to subdue an attacker peacefully, for this reason Aikido is well regarded within the security and police industries.

Michael Williams Sensei – Founder Aikido Goshinkai

What is Ki-Aikido?

Some of Sensei Michael William’s students

Michael Williams Sensei – Founder Aikido Goshinkai

Steven Seagal is most likely the most recognizable Aikidoka you may have heard about