Student Manual - Bay Marin Aikido

48 Pages·2010·4.36 MB·English

by  Garrett Goto

BAY
MARIN
AIKIDO
STUDENTS'
RESOURCES

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page 1
Practice Rules
Page 2-3
Dojo Courtesy Guideline
Page 4
Aikido
The Founder
Page 5
Training Levels
Riai
Page 6
Takemusu Aiki
Aiki Shrine
Page 7-9
Memoirs Of The Founder
Page 10
Helpful Phrases (Japanese/English)
Page 11
Training Methods
Page 12-14
Attacks and Defenses (Japanese/English)
Page 15-17
Examination Requirements
Page 18-25
Glossory of Terms
Page 26-27
Aiki Weapons (Bokken and Jo)
Page 28
Happo Giri(bight directions)
Page 29-35
Thirty One Jo Kata (31 Short Staff Form)
Thirteen Jo Kata (13 Short Staff Form)
BAY MARIN AIKIDO
PRACTICE RULES
1. Listen to the instructor. Follow what he or she says as closely as
possible. Try and put aside any preconceived notions of Aikido. If
there any disputc in the dojo, the instructor has the final word.
2. Do not waste your time or other's time by resisting techniques or
showing how strong or skillful you are. A technique in Aikido is
capable of serious injury. Practice in a way not to hurt or injure your
practice partner,but allows them to take ukemi. One of the go~ls of
Aikido is to train, when injured, no training is POSSible.
3. Practice at all times with a of pleasurable exhilaration.
fe~1ing
4. Polish and perfect each movement so that you can take care of
attackers from any direction. notjul:)l Ule attack in front of you.
4. The teachings o[your instructor constitute only a small fraction
of what you will learn. l\1astery will depend on your sincere and
earnest trainin.g. Allow time to reflect on your training.
5. Daily practice bcgins with light movements of the body and
gradually increases in intenSity and strength. Do not overdo it. This
way, anyone can continue to practice with pleasure and without
injury.
6. The purpose of Aikido is to train both the body and mind.
7. You must get permission of the instructor to teach Aikido to
others.
8. Do not practice other martial arts in the dOJo Without the
instructor's permission. This is an Aikido dojo.
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I
DOJO COURTESY GUIDELINE
BOWING (REI<RAY»
1. Do a standing bow to the 'front' (O'sensei's picture) when
entering and leavil1.g the practice area.
2. At thc bcginning of class (from seiza), do two bows to the
'front', two claps, then one more bow. (This is to wake up the 'Spirit
of Aiki' within us). Finally, bow once more to the instructor and say,
"Onegaishimasu!" (oh-neh-guy-she moss).
3. At the end of class repeat the bowing and clapping like the
beginning of class(this is to thank the 'Spirit of Aiki'). Finally, bow
once more to the instructor and say, uArigato gozaimasul" (8h-ree
gah-toh--goh-zai-ee-moss).
3. From selza bow to your partner when beginning and ending
each technique.
4. Bow to instructor when individually taught during practice
as a 'thank you'.
ATTIRE
1. The Aikido gi or dogi should be clean and in good repair.
2. It is best to remove all jewelry when training. Jewelry with
pOints or edges can harm you or your training partner.
3. Hair that is long in the back is best held in place with a hair
tie or a head band. This will help prevent accidental grabbing of the
hair during a technique or haVing the hair get in your eyes.
HYGEJNE
1. Walk on the mats with clean socks or clean barefeet only. No
shoes are allowed. OIl the Illats.
2. Wash or wipe feet and hands that are dirty.
3. Keep toenails and fingernails clean and trimmed.
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4. As soon as class is finished .. pick up a broom to help sweep
or clean up the training area.
5. lfyou have a cut or open wound, please stop immediately
and get a band-aid to cover it up.
OTHER HINTS
1. Think of new or beginning students as your personal 'guests'
in the dojo. Give them extra courtesy and attention. It 1s very easy at
the start to feel awkward and 'out of place' in the dojo. Every little hit
can help Inake Ule flrst few practices feel less overwhelming. It is
important training for senior students to try and take a new person
'under their wing' and help them out.
2. When black bclts from othcr places or dojos come to train, all
students, but especially senior students should makc an extra cffort
to train with that person. Look at it as a great opportunity to learn
and train with a senior person.
I
3. When in the dojo, listen to the instructor or teacher carefully.
It is important in training to keep an awareness of your surroundings
and the other people practicing near you. 1n some instances the
teacher will warn you of potentially dangerous practices or situations
in your training. Other times it might be to enhance or reinforce some
safe movement or response. One of the instnJC'tor's primary interests
is to have a safe and energiZing practice.
AIKIDO
Aikido means the way of harmoniZing universal energy. It is a method of
realizing one's mental and physical potential and an effective means of self
protection. The goal of Aikido is the enlightenment of the student, not the
destruction of the attacker.
Aikido teaches awareness of the interaction of mind and body. Unification of
the mind, body an.d spirtt is the ultimate purpose of Aikido.
All Aikido movements contain circles and SpiralS which echo the hellCal
patterns found in nature. In addition to circular movements, Aikido employs
blending of action between the aggressor and the defender. The attack is
received and redirected into a hold or throw in one continuous movement.
The power for this movement is generated from the lower abdomen and legs. It
does not rely on upper body strength and muscle. As a side benefit, co
ordination 1Inproves between Ule left and right sides and overall health Is
enhanced.
Greater understandmg and even mastery of Aikido requires the m1.ernalizmg of
Aikido principles, as wcll as techniques. These prinCiples are unusual for a
martial art; a compaSSionate attitude towards an attacker, remainmg calm in
the midst of heated action, and recogn1Zmg and reconciling conflicts before
they escalatc mto major problems. This is thc approach that differentiates
Aikido from the other martial arts. By constant practice and study of Aikido,
the art is integrated into one's life. At that ttme a glimpse of the true meanmg
of Aikido can be felt and understood.
THE FOUNDER
(1883-1969)
Morthci Ucshiba, callcd O-scnsci (great tcachcr), had studied the traditional
martial arts of Japan. With mind, body and soul he mastered the sword,
spear, and Jo (short staff) as well as the empty-handed arts. Yet, even With
this mastery, he was dissatisficd with thc scope and philosophy of thc martial
arts. Master Ueshiba felt that the physical techniques alone were not enough.
With thlS in mind, he isolated himself in Ibaraki Prefecture to search for the
true meanmg of the martial arts. There he founded a shrine dedicated to the
spirtt of Aiki. It was in the shrine that the Master spent long hours practicing
and performing purtfying exercises in the hope of reaching his goaL Through
this arduous period, Master Ueshiba began to evolve the prinCiples of Aikido,
Rather than focusing on discord and the constant desire to win and dOminate.
the ideas of harmony and peaceful reconciliation began to emerge.
Through a revelation in the mid 1940s, he found the answer he was looking
for--the essence of Budo(the way of the warrior). That answer was modern
Aikido.
I
TRAINING
L~VELS
There are three basic levcls of practice which can be applied to almost every
technique. Through familiarization of these categories, one ~an grasp the
stages of development most Alkldolsts go lhrough.
The flrst is the solid or rigid type. It is the fundamental level of practice, in
which the partner is allowed to get a firm grasp or hold lJefore the technique is
started. The subsequent movement permits onc to practice stable hip
movements, 'ki' extensIon, coordinated body movements, breathing, and other
basics. The solid practice lets one move slowly against strength and power in
order to feel the proper movement.
The second level is the 'fleXible' approach. ThIS IntermedIate .slep allows one to
add timing and movement to the previously mentioned basics. This level is
practiced by having the attacker get close enough to almost grab or hold the
AikidoisL This practice has the defender mOVing slowly but deliberately just
before a complete grip is established.
The third level is the tlowing approach. The attacker is led even before actual
plly.slcal conlC:l.cll.s walle. The attacker's intentions are drawn in and led to a
throw or hold down technique. Rhythm and timing are very important as is
reading the attacker's intentions. It is at thiS level that one can practice 'free
wheeling' technique. The abilily lo perform flowing movements and to
effiCiently rcspond to attacks is quicldy developed.
When one trains and studies these fundamental part.s of Aikido, one can
progress to the art of 'Takemusu Aiki' describcd later.
Riai is a concept unique to the type of Aikido pradi~eri at the Aiki shrine. Its
underlying prinCiple stresses that Aikido techniques and movement remain the
same whether armed or unarmed. If a sword or staff is lost during a
confrontation, the techniques and movements remain the same.
One trains in this method by learning the empty-handed, the sword, and the
staff techniques. With this sort of practice, natural comparisons among the
three will arise. Having thiS knowledge, the Aikidoist Will progress very qUIckly.
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TAKEMUS U AIK!
(SPONTANEOUS AHG)
When the foundation has been laid the Aikido practitioner can look forward to
greater developments in the art. That next step Is 'Takemusu Aiki' (Aiki which
is bound to thc roots of thc way of thc warrior).
AL Llils sLage Lechnlques are performed effortlessly and spontaneous-
ly. The true form is elegant to watch in its bcauty and powcrful to fcel in its
effectiveness.
AIKI SHRINE
The Aiki shrine in Ibaraki Prefecture,Japan, embodies the spirit of Aikido and
scrvcs as its source of inspiration. It was here at the Ibaraki Shuren Dojo that
O-sensei refined and perfected Aikido. After teaching and traveling throughout
Japan. he would return to the dojo shrine for further refinement and Ml1<iy.
Even now, practitioners from all over the world come to the shrine to pay
homage to the memory of O'sensei and to revitalize their training in Aikido.
The current guardian of the shrine is Morihiro Saito, 8th Dan who was left in
charge of the shrine ;;md the roots of Aikido by the Founder, Morihei Ueshiba.
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MEMOIRS OF THE FOUNDER
{I
)1
~'D\zs)S o f
MORIHEI UESHIBA
As Ai (harmony) is common With Ai (love), 1 decided to name my unique lmtio
"AIKIDO", although the word "aiki" is an old one. The word which was used by
the warriors in the past is fundamentally different from that of mine.
Aikl is not a technique to fight With or defeat the enemy. It is the way to
reconcile the world and make human beings one family.
The secret. of Aikido is to han110nize ourselves With the movement of the
Universe and bring ourselves into accord with the Universe itself. He who has
gain~rl th~ .e;ecret of Aikido has the Universe in himself and can say, "I am the
UI11ver:se. "
1 am never defeated, how~ver taM the enemy may attack. It is not because my
technique 1s faster than thal of lhe enemy. It is not a question of speed. The
fight is finished before it is begun.
When the enemy tries to fight wilh me, the Universe itself, he has to break the
harmony of the Universe. Hence, at the moment he has the mind to fight with
me, he is already defeated. There exists no mN'I.c;llr~ oftast or slow.
Aikido is non -resistance.
As it is non-resistance, it is always victOrians.
Those who have a warped mind, a mind of discord, have been defeated from the
beginning. Then, how can you straighten your warped mind, purify your heart,
and be harmonized With the activities of all things in Nature? You should first
make God's heart yours. It is a Great Love, Omnipresent in all quarters and in
all times of the Universe. A mind of discord, thinking of the existence of an
i.e; no more consistent With the Will of God.
~n~my
Those who do not agree with this cannot be in harmony with the Universe.
Their budo is that of destrnr.tion. It i.e; not constructive budo.
Therefore to compete in techniques, winning and lOSing, is not true budo. True
budo knows no defeat. "Never defeated means nev~r nghting."
Winning means winning over the mind of discord in yourself. It is to
accomplish your bestowed mission.
This not mere theory. You practice it. Then you will accept the great power of
oneness with Nature.
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