I have seen the background on this style of Aikido from various web searches, basically it is a "traditional" form of Aikido, as taught by the late Morihiro Saito Sensei (9th Dan). From what I have read, his idea was to stay true to the basic Aikido taught by Master Morihei Ueshiba (O - Sensei). Does this mean that other forms of Aikido have since strayed from the teachings of O-Sensei? I practised Ki Aikido for a year, a few years ago, and found it rather "soft". I am thinking of doing Iwama Ryu as there is a club nearby, hoping it will be a "harder" more applied style of Aikido. Does anyone have any thoughts? I am not looking for "blood and guts" as I know this is not what to expect from Aikido but I do believe that techniques have to be effective, without too much help from a placid training partner who "goes" with every technique!
O-Sensei did different things at different stages in his life. Yoshinkan is what he was doing before WWII. It is "aikido" but it is noticeably different from, say, the Aikikai aikido. Iwama style is not necessarily purer than, say, the ASU style led by Saotome, who was a student of O-Sensei for 15 years. It's not necessarily more pure than Ki Society, which (as you would know, being a Ki student) comes from the man O-Sensei handpicked to be Chief Instructor at his flagship dojo, and the man O-Sensei handpicked to lead aikido into the United States. Some people like the softness of Ki Society. Some don't. It's an issue of personal taste.
If your looking for Iwama Aiki. then we have 2 clubs in Edinburgh teaching both taijutsu and buki waza. the Instructors are both graded by saito sensei were they were uchi deshi for nearly 6 months each. We have a very good knowledge of the aiki system Osensei founded in Iwama check us out www.aikido-of-edinburgh.com
So long as the Aikido being taught regardless of which style it is stays true to the principles of Aikido then it's not any less pure. Remeber the significant difference between Aikido and other Aiki arts that came before it is it's underlying phylosophy. Where did you try Ki Aikido? As a Ki Aikido student I know what you mean by it being soft and people just 'going' with every technique. When people are told to apply techniques softly, they forget they still have to add 'intent' to their actions. We also emphisise 'following' in Ki Aikido. This is done for a number of reasons but one of the most basic is simply to help people to learn to apply a technique properly. Unfortunately alot of people mistake 'following' for 'just fall down every time please'. Good teachers should spot these problems.
I would like to clarify something if I may, Iwama is a place in Japan, just so happens to be the place where Aikido is also taught and studied. The Aikikai is a dojo in Tokyo, but, the two names suggest differing styles of Aikido which isn't technically correct. Yes, there are some differences between the two but, those difference were nothing more than the approach the founder used at that time of his life. For a period All aikido was the same, it was Ueshiba Juku. Obviously as time moved on, the very expressive nature of Aikido it's self has enabled what we would describe as styles of Aikido to be developed. Saito Sensei retained the origins of the discipline in its pre WWII form, as did Yoshinkan. Yoshinkan is actually another name of a dojo which has subsequently become the name of the 'style' yet the two were (are) remarkably similar. Aikikai has continued to follow the path left by the founder of post WWII aikido, it is no less the 'traditional' form, but just another expression of the founder's thoughts after the war. The same can be said for Tomiki Ryu and Ki Aikido, both the founders of those systems were students of O-Sensei. Their Aikido is (again) no less traditional but follows a different path. All 'forms' of aikido have both hard and soft within them. Regards Dave
What is Iwama ryu? This is a very complicated question, first, Iwama was the home of Osensei from the very late thirties here he built his home and the famous Aiki dojo. and the Aiki jinga(shrine). Iwama is were the founder really started to develop what he finally decieded was Aikido Including Aiki jo and Aiki ken. Which the founder spent many many years developing this sytem of taijutsu and buki waza to give birth to Aikido or as the founder would call his art in Iwama, Takemusu Aiki. The difference between the honbu and Iwama is quite Simple that The first doshu and Tohei who where the two biggest figures in the hombu, they did change alot of the teaching from the founders way. But so did most of his students. This is not a bad thing. But many never trainded for long or atall in Iwama so they never so the weapons side or the real hard side. But in saying that the hombu back then was so much harder than it is now. all the top shihans left the hombu long ago and still teach good aikido. Saito sensei was a youmg man of eighteen when he first met the founder in Iwama but he stayed as Uchi deshi for nearly 26 years far longer than anyone else he was witness to far more than any other including doshu. what you also have to remember is that during the time of the forties till the founders death saito sensei was the only student to be taught only by Osensei. all the rest were mixed between him and his son so they saw alot of different approachs. so saito sensei did become the caretaker not only of the founders dojo and the home and the shrine but as saito sensei used to say he cant change the aikido because it is not his to change, As for the idea of Iwama being hard trainging it is it should be it is a MARTIAL ART. there should also be lots of kiai. the founder used to say aikido without kiai is a dead art . but the doshu prefered no KIai. Also the founder taught very srticktly his traing concept of go-tai, ju-tai and ru-tai..which means hard, soft and flowing . you should always start every technique by being relaxed then being grabbed very srtong then you extened your finger tips(kokyu) so you learn to move under a lot of pressure to develope very strong hips and stability. then its easier to work up to strong comitted ki no nbagare. this was trhe founders way. sorry im starting to lose the will to type. but there are many great shihan from the hombu out there, but although even saito sensei started to systemise the founders teachins he tried never to change the trainging rules or techniques so i think it is fair to say it is the closeset to what the founder developed AFTER THE WAR ONLY. which he called AIKDIO. also remeber the founder never liked systemising any thing it was saito sensei who invented the 31 jo kata and the last 3 kumi jo. hope this can be of some help. www.aikido-of-edinburgh.com
your post gave me a great eye view on the styles of aikido. what do you know/can say/about the teachings of Tohei sensei? good day
Absolute top bloke who was "exited" out of the Aikikai for 'reasons' only fully understood by the people involved at the time. His Aikido was that of the founder's but naturally he developed the 'ki' aspects of the discipline. Can't say too much more because I don't study that method.
I don't know much about Tohei Sensei, but my understanding was that he left the Aikikai because he wanted to teach people about ki and how it relates to Aikido and the Aikikai wouldn't allow him to do this.
