Aikido

AIKIDO The Way of Harmony  Created by Elijah Beale  June 2012  

toc [|Aikidō]  is a modern japanese martial art developed from 1920-1969 by Morihei Ueshiba ( Mo - ree - hey Oo <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ay <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shi <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ba <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, known in Aikidō circles as Ō-sensei (lit. "Great Teacher). Aikidō is a culmination of the philosophy, religon, and many classical traditions of japanese martial arts practiced by Ō-sensei. The overall premise of Aikidō is to neutralize attackers without hurting them.

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= O-sensei, Takeda Sokaku and Daito-ryu Aiki-jutsu =

Morihei Ueshiba was born December 14, 1883 in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan to Yoroku and Yuki Ueshiba. Ueshiba was a sickly child, as such his father encouraged him to become physically fit. Ueshiba engaged in swimming and the practice of Sumo at a young age. Ueshiba spent much of his time as a young adult traveling Japan, studying various martial arts. It wasn't until the age of about thirty that Ueshiba took his study to heart under the instruction of Takeda Sokaku in Hokkaido. Previously Ueshiba had studied martial arts involving one-on-one, duel style combat. Sokaku offered Daito-ryu Aiki-jutsu, what Ueshiba felt was a "true" **Budo** or martial way. Ueshiba taught Daito-ryu Aiki-jutsu for many years before developing Aikidō. This style is arguably the main influence on Aikidō technique.

= O-sensei, Onisburo Deguchi and Ōmoto-kyō =

After leaving Hokkaido, Ueshiba sensei traveled to Ayabe where he met Onisaburo Deguchi. Deguchi was the leader of the Omoto-Kyo religion, a sect of shinto. During his time with Deguchi and Omoto-Kyo, O-sensei had three major spiritual experiences. The first happened in 1925, after Ueshiba had defeated a naval officer's bokken (wooden japanese style sword ) attacks unarmed and without hurting the officer. Ueshiba then walked to his garden and had a spiritual awakening.

> //"... I felt the universe suddenly quake, and that a golden spirit sprang up from the ground, veiled my body, and changed my body into a golden one. At the same time my body became light. I was able to understand the whispering of the birds, and was clearly aware of the mind of God, the creator of the universe.At that moment I was enlightened: the source of budo is God's love - the spirit of loving protection for all beings ...// > //Budo is not the felling of an opponent by force; nor is it a tool to lead the world to destruction with arms. True Budo is to accept the spirit of the universe, keep the peace of the world, correctly produce, protect and cultivate all beings in nature."//

His second experience occurred in 1940 when,

> //"Around 2am as I was performing misogi, I suddenly forgot all the martial techniques I had ever learned. The techniques of my teachers appeared completely new. Now they were vehicles for the cultivation of life, knowledge, and virtue, not devices to throw people with."//

His third experience was in 1942 during the worst fighting of WWII, Ueshiba had a vision of the "Great Spirit of Peace".

> //"The Way of the Warrior has been misunderstood. It is not a means to kill and destroy others. Those who seek to compete and better one another are making a terrible mistake. To smash, injure, or destroy is the worst thing a human being can do. The real Way of a Warrior is to prevent such slaughter - it is the Art of Peace, the power of love."//

Later, after these experiences, Deguchi suggested that Ueshiba needed to follow his own path. Ueshiba did, but the spiritual influence of Ōmoto-kyō lives on in Aikido to this day.

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= Aikidō Meaning =

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The word “aikidō” is made up of three **kanji** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(words adopted from chinese) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> that roughly translate to ‘Way of Harmonious Spirit’ or ‘Way of the Unified Energy’ :

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 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ai - joining, unifying, combining, fit
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline;">K[|i] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> - spirit, energy, mood, morale
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dō - way, path

Aikidō utilizes techniques that blend (ai) with attackers, rather than meet them head on, in order to redirect or lead the attackers momentum. While strength is used minimally in Aikidō, a feeling of energized connectedness must always be in effect (ki). The techniques end in joint-locks and throws. = = These marks of Ō-sensei are common to all styles of Aikidō practice.

= Ki = = = Another component of Aikido is the notion of "ki". Ki is the energy, spirit, or life-force that exists throughout everything in the universe. In Aikido, Ki is gathered and collected into your center (**tanden**), an area two inches below the navel. Tanden is the driving force behind all Aikido movements. In o rder to do technique properly Ki must be found, cultivated and extended through and beyond the body.

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An example of a Ki e<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 0.9166em;">xercise

=Practice=

Etiquette
Practice is held in a ** dōjō **, literally “place of the way”, a training hall. Practice is conducted winthin traditional japanese etiquette, with aikidōka (students of Aikidō) bowing:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">before entering the dōjō,
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">before stepping onto the dōjō mat,
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">to Ō-sensei, and the class instructor (in that order),
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">to eachother preceeding, during, and after practice.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bowing in these instances is a simultaneous show of respect, thanks, and selflessness. It is not a form of subservience. In addition to bowing there are verbal formalities of giving thanks, and asking to be treated well during practice. media type="file" key="dojo.mp3" width="240" height="20" media type="file" key="aikidoka.mp3" width="240" height="20"

Kata
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">During class techniques are demonstrated by the instructor with a partner. The technique is usually demonstrated four times: twice for the **omote** (moving in front) variation; twice for the **ura** (moving behind) variation. Not all techniques have these precise variations.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Concluding the demonstration aikidoka choose partners by bowing to them. The partners then practice **kata**, a prearranged exercise with a predefined ‘winner’ and ‘loser’, that utilizes the technique demonstrated. The attacker (**uke**) is always the ‘loser’; the reciever of the attack (**nage**) is always the ‘winner’. Kata ingrains application of technique, sense of distance and timing, and connectedness into each of the participants. Unlike many sport oriented martial arts, Aikido is non-competitive by nature, so has no meets or bouts. There are no real winners or losers in Aikido.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Since the application of technique can cause serious injury to the uke, nage must remain aware of their partner (positioning, injuries, competence) and of those around them. In addition it is uke’s responsibilities are similar. Uke’s responsibility is called **ukemi** (sometimes known as breakfalling). Technique often pushes joints in the wrong direction, or casts uke head-over-heels, invariably bringing uke to the ground in a dangerous manner. Proper ukemi is knowing, intuitively, how to deal with any combination of these dangerous elements. media type="file" key="nage.mp3" width="240" height="20" media type="file" key="uke.mp3" width="240" height="20" media type="file" key="ukemi.mp3" width="240" height="20"

=Kamae=

Basic posture in Aikidō ( ** kamae ** ) is standing oblique to your front with the back foot at 180 degrees. The front foot heel in the middle of the back foot instep, making a “T”. Leaving your weight on the back foot place your front heel a natural step in front of you with the toes pointed up. Moving the toes downward to the ground, allow your body to follow the toes until your body sunk with the knees bent. Move approximately 60% of your weight to the forward leg and foot. Front knee should just cover the front big toe.

The hands go in front of you: bring both hands heart high. Make both hands point (curl necessary fingers). Pretend there is a small, heavy, weight in the tips of your pointer fingers. Leading with the small heavy weights, slowly point in front of you until you feel the slightest tension in your shoulders. Now pretend the weight has gone into your little fingers. Rotate your hands until you are pointing in front of you with your little fingers. Slowly rock forward from your hips. Make the movement of your hips extend through your little fingers. Settle back to a middle position. Lower your back arm until your elbow is at about the bottom of your ribs.

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Technique
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There are several techniques in aikido, all end in either a pin (joint-lock) or a throw:

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Aikidō utilizes techniques that <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//blend// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (ai) with attackers, rather than meet them head on, in order to redirect or <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//lead// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the attackers momentum. While strength is used minimally in Aikidō, a feeling of connectedness must always be in effect (ki). The techniques end in joint-locks and thro media type="file" key="ikkyo.mp3" width="240" height="20" || media type="file" key="shihonage.mp3" width="240" height="20" || media type="file" key="nikyo.mp3" width="240" height="20" || media type="file" key="kotegaeshi.mp3" width="240" height="20" || media type="file" key="sankyo.mp3" width="240" height="20" || media type="file" key="kokyunage.mp3" width="240" height="20" || media type="file" key="yonkyo.mp3" width="240" height="20" || media type="file" key="iriminage.mp3" width="240" height="20" || media type="file" key="gokyo.mp3" width="240" height="20" <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 1237.5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1px;">Aikido kanji || media type="file" key="koshinage.mp3" width="240" height="20" || media type="file" key="rokkyo.mp3" width="240" height="20" || media type="file" key="tenchinage.mp3" width="240" height="20" || media type="file" key="jujinage.mp3" width="240" height="20" || media type="file" key="kaitennage.mp3" width="240" height="20" ||
 * [[image:https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/h9eWY1ThKLKHWMSO6SQs1Y6qjVoNbZn4TX0EzcmFpTjCTeXRo1C-9az6XrLX0FPt68Wb1_B-RYt-PzjuNmOIWoKEbMdk-shdBy5-UUSqPuXBz5LRGac width="220" height="170" caption="Ikkyo, 1st pin" link="@http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw0TPWL-bhY"]]
 * [[image:https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Y6TUlpyNyBD2hGKWKT_ZQkn21ghq3A3on6MeiRwymwYy5FPoq9aT7bOAiqTOi1_4DHyQFZh-MEUjJU9srD2el2_zGSUEEtn50zW4EWOeOyibSv7K6ng width="216" height="161" caption="Nikkyo, 2nd pin" link="@http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHLxdqMA3Hc&feature=relmfu"]]
 * [[image:https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/C18cRECqrM7-Epz8fr0Ux0anFFGxGwtFqJMpYuaRiFO6scbtPTFHUkhZbDbGgsRZdTD2tdD6XH3qIcRcY1tTATfJ5TeZoD4fob3tMpKGERbMhXtNhEI width="219" height="179" caption="Sankyo, 3rd pin" link="@http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEyt9NwB39o&feature=relmfu"]]
 * [[image:https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Y6nEbiLqpj9k24zvNLU91VY4UaqUhefpKYRSHZ4OQM5XmEC9cYbrKMBxzq1XvOxHs81ppyog5EMs7AkNDo8gj87p2N2i4VqwLv5d_9pfkbvZDhp0I_s caption="Yonkyo, 4th pin" link="@http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fa7D01Wp5s&feature=relmfu"]]
 * [[image:https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/EsgsirX7dHrMDgUuhrWiS_m2kiN0ucGrSGdSJu8v7NxTrU0nuYXHI3NFt5vX7g3eQqD7xBgmNXpJkREVDraUdutWygpyuaOj3oalbnAICAG-FC1c5VA width="244" height="166" align="left" caption="Gokyo, 5th pin" link="@http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVJ5utTmwpk"]]
 * [[image:http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1OAb5jwI5-Y/SGUPRzN4upI/AAAAAAAAAig/dqNkkKL_QQE/Hiji_kime_osae.jpg width="177" height="221" caption="Rokkyu, 6th pin" link="@http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHUSbXJrTbU"]]
 * || [[image:http://www.budodojo.com/images_experience/JujiNage.jpg width="213" height="201" caption="Jujinage (-garami), Figure "Ten" Throw/Forearm Entanglement Throw" link="@http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K17meZxrGXU"]]
 * || [[image:http://www.osi.uio.no/aikido/webGrafikk/kaitennage.web.jpg caption="Kaitennage, Rotary Throw" link="@http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4HHG-5eRMs"]]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 1237.5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1px;">These marks of Ō-sensei are common to all styles of Aikidō practice.

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Practice is held in a <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**dōjō** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, literally “place of the way”. Practice is conducted winthin traditional japanese etiquette, with <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**aikidōka** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (students of Aikidō) bowing: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 1237.5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1px;">Bowing in these instances is a simultaneous show of respect, thanks, and selflessness. It is not a form of subservience. In addition to bowing there are verbal formalities of giving thanks, and asking to be treated well during practice. <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"> <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Akidoka bowing in a <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__dojo_] Kamae = =

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

= =

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">During practice a teqhnique is demonstrated by the instructor with a partner. The teqnique is usually demonstrated four times: twice for the <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**omote** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (front side) variation; twice for the <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**ura** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (back side) variation. Not all techniques have these precise variations.

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Concluding the demonstration aikidoka choose partners by bowing to them. The partners then practice <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**kata** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, a prearranged exercise with a predefined ‘winner’ and ‘loser’. The attacker ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**uke** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) is always the ‘loser’; the reciever of the attack ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**nage** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) is always the ‘winner’. Kata ingrains application of technique, sense of distance and timing, and connectedness into each of the participants <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Since the application of technique can cause serious injury to the uke, nage must remain aware of their partner (positioning, injuries, competence) and of those around them. In addition it is uke’s responsibilities are similar. Uke’s responsibility is called <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**ukemi** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (sometimes known as breakfalling). Technique often pushes joints in the wrong direction, or casts uke head-over-heels, invariably bringing uke to the ground in a dangerous manner. Proper ukemi is knowing, intuitively, how to deal with any combination of these dangerous elements. <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"> <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uke taking <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__ukemi__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> after being thrown

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Basic posture in aikido ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**kamae** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) is standing oblique to your front with the back foot at 180 degrees. The front foot heel in the middle of the back foot instep, making a “ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**T** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”. Leaving your weight on the back foot place your front heel a natural step in front of you with the toes pointed up. Moving the toes downward to the ground, allow your body to follow the toes untill your body sunk with the knees bent. Move approximately 60% of your weight to the forward leg and foot. Front knee should just cover the front big toe.

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The hands go in front of you: bring both hands heart heigh. Make both hands point (curl nescessray fingers). Pretend there is a small, heavy, weight in the tips of your pointer fingers. Leading with the small heavy weights, slowly point in front of you until you feel the slightest tension in your shoulders. Now pretend the weight has gone into your little fingers. Rotate your hands until you are pointing in front of you with your little fingers. Slowly rock forward from your hips. Make the movement of your hips extend through your little fingers. Settle back to a middle position. Lower your back arm until your elbow is at about the bottom of your ribs. <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Proper <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__kamae__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 1237.5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1px;">There are several techniques in aikido, all end in either a pin (joint-lock) or a throw. The pins are as follows:

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__Ikkyo__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (1st pin) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__Nikkyo__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (2nd pin)

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__Sankyo__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (3rd pin) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__Yonkyo__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (4th pin)

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1237.5px; width: 1px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__Gokyo__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (5th pin)