KORYU 古流

Aikido is a modern art founded in the 1920s but its techniques are derivative from older material. With a penchant for hierarchy, Japan classifies its arts as Gendai (new) and Koryu (old) with the Meiji Restoration (1868) as the demarcation line. A great resource to begin researching Koryu martial arts is >here< and Don Draeger‘s worksContinue reading “KORYU 古流”

KIRI KAESHI

Uchi komi is an exercise from the low guard to the midline (ge-dan to chu-dan) and finding shidachi’s blade on the center-line. In FMA terms, it is a vertical play on the 11/12 line. Kiri kaeshi is a horizontal play on the 3/4 line delivered from 5 – seigan-no-kamai position. I am blending ‘languages’ to illustrateContinue reading “KIRI KAESHI”

UCHI KOMI

Uchi komi is an exercise whereby a clear opportunity to attack is presented to allow for repetitive and correct training to recognize an opening and to strike. In Aikiken, the basic uchi komi exercise opens with both uchidachi and shidachi in seigan no kamai.  Uchidachi then lowers to gendan to invite shomen and when shidachiContinue reading “UCHI KOMI”