No kicks in Aikido

[Yari]

Sure there are kicks!

The trouble arises when we think a tsuki is a thrust punch and a Yokomenuchi is a strike to the temple with the pinky edge of the fist. These two terms (tsuki and yokomenuchi) as well as others such as shomenuchi do not refer to types of fist strikes. They refer to directions of energies. Notably, we often express these energies as punches.





-Stephen Watson

I do agree on the energi issue, but I've come to the understanding that it's not just a question of how the energi flows, but also how it's connected to the center of movement.

Let's look at Yokomen, which is an energi from the "side". Some poeple say that all techniques that are done from the "side" are representiv in yokomen. I so not so easy.

In yokomen, as an attacker, your elbow is pointing down. this gives another form for body posture behind the attack. Compare this to a roundhouse punch(cant remember what it's called), which also has energi from the side, but the elbow is pointing out to the side. This gives the body another posture, and movement behind the punch.

Now if we look at the leg. The knee represents the elbow. This is totaly different in hight and movement than an arm, where as the movement of the thecnique cant just be adopted directly.

/Yari

 

[hardheadjarhead]

I attended one of Saotome's classes in Washington D.C. In the middle of it he had everybody do a side kick. When he demonstrated it, it was technically flawless.

I don't know why he had us do it. Perhaps he was going to teach people a defense against it down the road. I was only a guest and wasn't around to find out.


Regards,

Steve

 

[dosandojang]

But I have SEEN

Steven Seagal

kick in his movies!

 

[still learning]

Hello, This is interesting about Aikido,thanks....Aloha

 

[BlackCatBonz]

well....i know there are a lot of people out there that hate seagal.....but if you watch any videos of him in action at his dojo........especially older ones.....he teaces quite a few kick defenses.....and they are brutally effective. check out a documentary called "the path beyond thought"

shawn

 

[dosandojang]

Thanks Shawn!

 

[Silver_Mongoose]

I believe it was O'Sensei himself that said something to the effect of the following: "If you use a chair to defend yourself, and extend your Ki through the chair, it is an Aikido technique."

In terms of kicks themselves, I have never been to a class that did not use them in some shape or form. My instructor actually insisted on breaking down every technique into component parts and building them back up to respond to a variety of attacks, strikes of all kinds being included.

It is true that many aikidoka practice with the notion that hand and leg strikes are implicit in the technique. However, I see no reason to train without actually applying strikes. It is downright scary what an otherwise "ordinary" technique ends up looking and feeling like once one incorporates the strikes.

That's what I love about Aikido--it's like Lego, you can add or subtract pieces when doing a technique, depending on your need/circumstances.

 

[Shogun]

The aiki form I used to practice used the legs a lot. Not just for kicks/defending from kicks, but defended kicks from the ground, and even used shikko to move into a grounded opponent, much like BJJ's knee-on-belly position. one class we used the ikkyo motion to cut a leg out of the way when the person is on their back, bicycle kicking up at you.

 

[47MartialMan]

I have seen advanced Akidoist use kicks. they are not high or fancy. They are either straight, side steppng, sweeping, and effective, without waste of energy or movement.

 

[Yari]

Can you remember were? Or if you have any vid's to share?

/Yari

 

[47MartialMan]

Can you remember were? Or if you have any vid's to share?

/Yari

Who are you posting to?

 

[Shogun]

advanced aikidoka usually use a side step kick. as the Uke enters, Nage throws a mid round kick and usually follows up with Kaiten Nage or similar/

 

[Yari]

Who are you posting to?

To your post. Just wondering if you had anything on vid, I thought it would be very interessting to see.

/Yari

 

[47MartialMan]

Man, I had briefly studied Aikido at a time when video cameras were limited to TV networks. When a bulky "portable" public comsumer video camera came out, I had since left Aikido. My training in it is not to par, but when I was involved, I did observe advance practitioners practice also, such were some kicks. I will not lay claim to being skilled in it.