Is Aikido really tough?

Have you ever seen Aikido, one of the Japanese martial arts?

You may have seen images of small men throwing larger men one after another. Other martial arts involve punching and kicking, and judo makes sense since the two martial artists are of similar build and weight, but unlike in judo where you see throwing with force, in aikido, you see the opponent flying in a seemingly deliberate way after a move being made on them.

In this article, I would like to explore the secrets of Aikido.

The President’s Bodyguard

There was a legendary aikido practitioner named Gozo Shiota. When President Robert Kennedy visited Japan in 1962, he had heard of Shiota’s strength and so had him fight his bodyguard. 190 cm tall and weighing more than 100 kg, he was certainly no amateur. Shiota was 154 cm and 46 kg.

Although the odds were against him, Shiota is said to have thrown the bodyguard repeatedly.

“I didn’t eat breakfast…”, said the bodyguard as an excuse, but he didn’t say he would have won if he had eaten breakfast.

The key is in the power of breathing

The most important thing in Aikido is the power of breathing. These are words that do not appear in other martial arts. It is said that the united force of chi, mind, and body flows out from the area below the navel called “tanden”, which is one’s center of gravity. Naturally, muscle strength is necessary, but it is not easy for an old man weighing 46 kg to throw a big man weighing over 100 kg just by working out.

Aikido masters use this power of breathing to control their entire body force as they wish and throw their opponents. This power does not relate to one’s muscular strength.

With an honest desire to become one with your opponent, first read their breathing and then read their movements.

I don’t know what to think.

My father was also an aikido practitioner

I’m 173 cm tall and my father is 156 cm tall. We have quite a difference in body size, but I remember being thrown around every time I did something wrong. He was so strong. I really thought it couldn’t happen.

This breathing ability, once mastered, can be used even after one gets older, which is different from muscle strength.

What does breathing power actually mean?

It is a mysterious power that is difficult to understand in words and not well understood scientifically, but its breathing power seems to be based on concentration and centrality (ability to balance). Concentration to calmly analyze one’s opponent’s movements and breathing, as well as one’s own state of mind.

The whole body, including the hands, feet, and waist, must be in the middle of one’s center of gravity. In ordinary martial arts, the body is rounded when throwing an opponent, but in aikido, the practitioner keeps a straight back when throwing.

This is the part that looks “fake” but is the source of Aikido’s real power.

Fighting is not the goal

Aikido is not about deciding who is better or worse than your opponent, so there are no matches. Nor does it involve punching or throwing. Since Aikido is based on how to respond to the opponent’s movements, it is a martial art in which it is difficult to determine strength.

Because of these characteristics, Aikido is ideal for women to protect themselves.

There are dojos spread all over the world, so if you are interested, why don’t you go and visit one? I don’t go, though, because it reminds me of my scary father.

ABE KENGO

• Aikido
• Japan
• japo