Aikido Training Needs an Overhaul

by Hoa Newens

​Overview of the Issue
If the purpose of training in Aikido is to lead to a deep understanding of the essence of the martial art created by its Founder, Morihei Ueshiba, then mainstream Aikido training needs an overhaul.

After having invested decades in this art, we have become increasingly aware of major deficiencies in our mode of training, which we describe below, together with the correcting measures that we have adopted.

Since the Founder’s passing in 1969, there has been no outstanding exponents of this martial art who achieved his level of understanding and who can affirm:

The Way is like the flow of blood within one’s body. One must not be separated from the divine mind in the slightest in order to act in accordance with divine will. If you stray even a fraction from the divine will, you will be off the path.
Morihei Ueshiba, The Secret Teachings of Aikido, p 15, Kodansha International 2007.

O Sensei expressed his enlightened state through amazing movements and forms, and esoteric lectures. However, he did not share his personal practices; and besides demonstrating his techniques, gave no clear instructions on how to walk the path. His students were left to fend for themselves and discover their own path. To be sure, O Sensei had exceptional disciples who went on to create training systems that shed much light on Aikido for the benefit of the world, namely, Rinjiro Shirata, Gozo Shioda, Koichi Tohei, Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Morihiro Saito, etc.

Each of these teachers received a different scoop of O Sensei’s teachings and developed it into their own system. However, none of these is sufficiently comprehensive to lead a beginning student to O Sensei’s achievement.

Fast forward to the present time and beside a collection of standard forms (the techniques of Aikido) we have as many different styles of Aikido as there are teachers, with most of these focused on the standard techniques of Aikido. Compared to other more mature traditional martial arts, the present-day Aikido curriculum has the middle section, and is missing the beginning - conditioning and basics - and the tail-end - energetic and spiritual. Stated differently, we received some stems with flowers from O Sensei and tried to grow them, without minding the seeds, and ignoring the fruit.

Many contemporary teachers have made laudable effort to fill the gaps by borrowing elements of other traditions such as Zen, Yoga, Taichi, Daoist chikung, Iaido, Kyudo, Jujutsu, etc. However, oftentimes these elements were imported wholesale into Aikido without the necessary paring and adjustments, resulting in the juxtaposition of incongruent practices with Aikido training, such as doing Yoga asanas or Taichi movements for warm-up in an Aikido class. Ideally, these complementary elements must be distilled into their essential parts before being grafted into the main stem of Aikido and allowed to sprout naturally within the Aikido environment. For example, breathing techniques in yogic pranayama come with Yoga accoutrements, namely terminology, concepts and practices that are intrinsic to this tradition that need to be trimmed down to just the bare essential elements before insertion into the Aikido curriculum.

We have used this approach to distill and refine essential elements from the Daoist tradition, which we believe is closest to Shinto and Aikido; and from selected Chinese wu-shu traditions which we believe were the origins of Budo, to arrive at a comprehensive curriculum that we describe in the balance of this paper.

The Current State of Aikido Training
The present mode of training in most Aikido schools consists of class sessions at a dojo in which an instructor demonstrates a variety of techniques for students to copy and replicate several times with their training partners. Students first learn the general form of the techniques then gradually soak in the more intricate details and refine the movement as they advance. The aim is for students to become proficient in the standard techniques of Aikido, such as Ikkyo, Kotegaeshi, Iriminage, etc. Serious students attend classes regularly (three or four times a week) for several years and build a good repertoire of technical skills. Students are tested and ranked on how well they demonstrate the techniques contained in the curriculum.

This type of training result in enhanced fitness, improved physical coordination and balance, kinetic awareness, and the acquisition of basic self-defense skills. These results surely improve students’ life yet will not lead to the heart of Aikido as conceived by the Founder. As the truly serious seekers dig deeper, they find no roadmap for the depth work, no traveled path that leads to the essence of Aikido. To make matters worse, many of the old arduous methods of training are being gradually diluted and lost.

In the eighties at the Oakland Aikido Institute, before or after classes, students used to practice variations of rolls, continuous tobukemi, tanren-uchi, kokyu extension against each other’s arms, hitting the makiwara, ken and jo suburi, target practice with bokken and jo, etc. These informal training sessions sometimes ran for an entire hour after the formal class. This is a rare sight at dojos nowadays.

The curriculum in most Aikido schools does not include methods that lead to an understanding of Aiki, the universal force oft referred to by O Sensei in his lectures, nor methods to reach the spiritual awareness that caused O Sensei to proclaim that we are one family and Aikido is love. These are two huge gaps in the present-day Aikido pedagogy, causing several derivative deficiencies in training and teaching that will be pointed out below. The Founder did not leave us any method, only various hints here and there in his abstruse speeches, and through his demonstrations. Each of his closest disciples received a different scoop of his vast experience, with none being able to transmit the total experience to their students.

We realized these deficiencies several years ago and have used our experience in Aikido and internal martial arts as a springboard to research and experiment with ways to close these gaps and offer the following recommendations to Aikido exponents.

Essential Components of Aikido Training
Aikido is not just a collection of techniques. A well-rounded Aikido curriculum that leads to the Founder’s spiritual achievement must include the following essential components, many of which are missing in present day training.

Essential components of an Aikido training program include:
·      Body conditioning (Tanren)
·      Code of conduct (Rei)
·      Basic drills and techniques (Kihon undo)
·      Energy work (Ki undo)
·      Breath practices (Kokyu undo)
·      Personal training program (Shugyo)
·      Study and research (Kenkyu)
·      Connection to the sources (Kishin)
·      Meditation (Chinkon) and prayer

Body Conditioning
In a typical contemporary Aikido class, the instructor may conduct some warm-up in the form of stretching or calisthenics in the first few minutes; many instructors ask students to do their own warm-up before class and focus instead on teaching the techniques.
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In more traditional martial arts, the beginning students are required to undergo a serious body conditioning program before being allowed to perform techniques. Horse stance, resistance training, joint strengthening exercises with various implements, even dojo chores, etc. These are tanren (forging) practices that can take different forms. Take a look at the Hojo undo (supplementary exercises) of Goju-ryu karate as explained by Morio Higaonna Sensei in this video (or use this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZG4SDf8NG8). One can find similar body conditioning in other well established traditional martial arts, e.g., Shaolin, on YouTube.

O Sensei performing Tanren uchi

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Training in an authentic martial art requires that the body be properly conditioned to address these five aspects of movements:

1.     Stability. The body must be well anchored as a platform to deliver force. In this respect, stance training, including postural alignment, is of utmost importance. The horse-riding stance, the hanmi stance and the hitoemi stance and other footwork should be part of preparatory exercises. This emphasis is sorely missing in contemporary Aikido.

2.     Centering. Integrating all parts of the body in any movement through connection with our center is another key principle. Exercises to create and reinforce awareness of the body centerline are crucial. They should be part of Tai Sabaki, Ken Sabaki and Jo Sabaki in Aikido training.

3.     Mobility. Moving the body efficiently (with the least expenditure of energy) and effectively (to achieve proper awase) is essential. This quality is acquired through Tai Sabaki work, in which essential segments of oft-used movements are repeated endlessly until they are wired into the body. Tai Sabaki should follow warm-ups and be an integral part of all classes, as well as be a key component of the serious student’s personal daily practice.

4.     Flexibility. Flexibility increases the range of movement around joints and improves any movement art. A daily regimen of stretching, both external (lengthening of tissues) and internal (loosening of soft tissues), is a requisite in an Aikido training program. It should be noted that stretching to improve flexibility is not the same as warming up for a work-out and should be done outside of regular classes, e.g., as part of a personal training program.

5.     Connection and integration. This aspect of training is often overlooked in mainstream Aikido. This is the aspect of training that helps the different parts of the body to connect with each other through a central axis, thus allowing the body to function as one unit. Practices include stance training (e.g., pole standing), moving the central axis with footwork, rolling practice. Rolling practice (often referred to as ukemi) is a powerful body integrator, besides being a superlative kokyu extension exercise.

Code of Conduct
At the heart of a true martial art lies a rigorous code of conduct that defines and governs one’s interaction with others and one’s environment. Strict adherence to such a code provides the martial adept with the inner strength to plumb the depths of the martial art and face life and death with equanimity. Without this strength of character, the martial artist can only scan the superficial layers.

Unfortunately, proper etiquette (bowing, deference to seniors, dress code, decorum, etc.,) is disappearing quickly in many martial art circles, including Aikido dojos. We decry this deficit for it is the reason for the popular decline of Aikido and Budo in general. For Aikido to prosper, rei must be restored.

Each dojo should establish and enforce a code of conduct based on these three pillars of martial excellence: awareness, humility, and perseverance. This is not an easy task given that societal trends are going in the opposite direction: chaotic liberalism and supreme materialism are turning heretofore fundamental human values into irrelevance.

Basic Drills and Techniques
This is the domain of current Aikido training, though it is fraught with incorrect focus. Many advanced Aikido students train with the goal of building up their repertoire of complex techniques, thus aiming at the many rather than the depth of few and straying from the return to essence.

There are certain basic exercises (kihon undo) that do not fall in the body conditioning mentioned above and are not complete techniques in themselves; however, they form the core from which techniques are developed. These are:
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·      Ukemi rolls
·      Shikko (knee walk)
·      Ashi sabaki (foot work)
·      Tai sabaki
·      Ken and Jo sabaki

These practices guide the growth of the conditioned body into full-fledged techniques; they are like the stakes that support and guide the growth of young plants. They should be part of the Aikido curriculum and included in regular classes and daily practice.

O Sensei performing sayu undo as part of Tai Sabaki

After having tempered their body, students gradually learn the core techniques and their variations, continuing with increasing complex techniques. As they progress to higher level, around sandan and yondan, they should refocus on technical details and learn to dig for the essence of each technique. For example, work on the intricate details of Ikkyo and understand the essence of this technique: how does the central axis initiate and control the entire technique? What does it feel like when performing Ikkyo or when receiving the technique? Does uke feel like being swept up by a strong wave? The student must put heart and soul into practice until there is a clear bodily feel for this technique.

Each core technique has a signature feeling or sensation that is stored in the body and recalled any time one needs to execute the technique. Students must work hard to discover this signature feeling, rather than entertain themselves with a variety of forms.

Here are some methods to drill into the depth of a technique and extract its essence:
·      Slow down the execution of the technique.
·      Request uke to provide resistance to test the movement.
·      Break the technique into key component moves and rehearse each of them separately.
·      Focus the training on the core techniques and repeat their kihon form numerous times.

Energy Work
To truly understand Aiki and facilitate its manifestation in our body, we need to understand and improve the functioning of our energetic system. It is a tenet of a traditional martial art that anyone who wants to achieve excellence in the art must turn inward to find the path thereto. This is the domain of internal energy work (chi kung), from which we borrow key concepts for the purpose of this paper.

There are three centers (tanden, or dantien) that control the flows of energy in the body: one in head, one in the chest, and one in abdomen; all three aligned vertically in the central axis of the body. The strengthening and realization of these centers, specially the one in the abdomen, are prerequisites for the integration of the body as one unit and for the integration of the body and the mind.

Though it is obvious that O Sensei has reached beyond this level of integration, the standard Aikido curriculum does not contain the theory nor the practice that would allow students to achieve the above-mentioned unity. They need to keep an open mind, go beyond the standard Aikido curriculum, and dig into the ancient energy practices of the internal martial arts, borrowing from such tradition as Taoit neigong.

Breath Practices
Kokyu means breath and is a concept often used in Aikido. Kokyu ho is the method of the breath and kokyu nage is a breath throw. However, students find scant explanation about breath and a dearth of instructions about breathing practice. Instructors often repeat breathing movements from their teachers or borrow from other sources without understanding the underlying theory.

O Sensei performing Kokyu undo

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O Sensei considered that Aikido practice is essentially a purification process (misogi), in which breathing figures prominently, as he explained below.

“All things of heaven and earth have breath – the thread of life that ties everything together. The act of breathing connects with all the elements of heaven and earth. . . The resonance of one’s breath, originating from deep within our spirit, animates all things. Breath is the subtle thread that binds us to the universe. This pristine fountain of existence is where our breath and actions originate, and we must utilize it to purify this world of maliciousness.”
. . .
“The act of breathing, regardless of whether you are conscious of it or not, naturally ties you to the universe; if you advance in training, you can sense your breath spiraling to all corners of the universe. Breathe that universe back inside you. That is the first step in developing breath techniques. Breathe like this and your spirit will become truly calm and settled. This is the initial step in developing aiki techniques. In time, aiki techniques can – indeed must – be performed with no premeditation.”
 
Morihei Ueshiba, The Secret Teachings of Aikido, p 64-66, Kodansha International 2007.

O Sensei’s instructions on breathing practices are not specific but are generally consistent with Shinto misogi rites and similar to Taoist practices, which emphasizes natural flow, engagement with Heaven and Earth, and merging with energy and consciousness. Breathing exercises should be a regular part of class practice as well as personal practice.

Personal Training Program
Students attend classes at school to receive new knowledge and do homework to reinforce and absorb this knowledge. Upon joining a dojo an enthusiastic beginning student may rehearse at home the moves that he learned in classes. Over time the excitement cools down and the student feels that class attendance is enough training. This is often the trend unless the teacher continuously emphasized the need for personal practice beyond class.

Two problems arise. First, class instruction is generally aimed at the needs of a generic middle-of-the-pack student in the class, and not the specific needs of individual students. Therefore, a beginning or an advanced student’s training needs are not addressed by simply attending classes. Second, in class students are exposed to new details of techniques and have limited time and opportunity to reinforce this new material; the only way to get this new stuff ingrained in oneself is to practice it outside of formal class, either after class or at home.
Many students attend classes and seminars given by outstanding teachers, even going to Japan to learn from such; however, they do not engage in a personal training program to reinforce what they learn, and as a result, their exposure to the outstanding teachers has limited effect.

All serious students of Aikido, including instructors of all ranks, should engage in shugyo (ascetic path) and commit to a daily training program that is commensurate with their level.

Study and Research
Rehearsing what we learn in class is a sure way of inculcating new material into our mind and body. However, we must remember that it is only one tiny strand of life, among the zillions of other strands in the vast tapestry of life. Therefore, we must always remain open to new experiences; this is the gist of life, absorbing new experiences. There are numerous other experiences beside those that we had with our teachers that are worth exploring.
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As rational beings we use our mind to explore new territories before allowing the body to step into them. Life is movement; to be in sync with this movement, our mind should be constantly awake and scanning the unknown for new possibilities, so that when life throws a curved ball at us, we have ways to receive and engage with it.

O Sensei studying books

The higher the skill in martial arts, the more the risk of narrow mindedness. I have trained for over five decades, I am an expert, why bother with other ways and methods? This attitude leads to dogmatism and stunted growth. If martial arts are our lifelong pursuit, we must be aware of this risk and constantly cultivate humility while continuously studying and researching new ideas and concepts.

An additional risk lies in the fact that most traditional martial arts originated from matured societies which are steeped in culture and traditions. As we pointed out earlier, this is an excellent milieu to build great skills and get grounded, but it is also a trap for intransigeance, e.g., this method has been passed down for several generations and it works, why look for something else? If our teachers hail from this environment, we are at risk of getting out of sync with life, which constantly evolves. "We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden", counseled the German poet and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Connection to the Sources
This is the ultimate phase in the physical training of martial arts and is referred to as Takemusu Aiki in Aikido. It is the natural result of all the training aspects mentioned above up to this point. We mention this phase here to complete the picture, but also to warn students that, though this is the ultimate goal, they should not keep it in mind as a training goal; it would be as bad as focusing our training on randori. Doing so would cause the ego to interfere and hamper the training: let it happen naturally in due time.

Meditation and Prayer
If Aikido is to lead us to union with the spirit deep within us, our practice must include a process for us to shed the mundane detritus that have been piled on us through our unconscious doings. Meditation is the process which helps us to rid this rubbish off us and allows the light deep within us to emerge and rejoin the universal consciousness (Kishin, return to the source]. An authentic martial art system that aspires toward spiritual enlightenment has meditative practices that guide students. Within Aikido, it is recorded that O Sensei often immersed himself in meditation (Chinkon) and prayer for hours on his own; however, besides his talks, he did not leave instructions for his students.

O Sensei praying

We found that Zen meditation and Taoist meditation practices are most congruent with Aikido principles; students should choose one of these paths and deepen their training or refer to our guidelines on meditation.

How to Incorporate New Elements into Aikido Training
Aikido is a relatively modern martial art with room for evolution and refinement. We refine the art by paring it down to the essential components and adding new elements in a deliberate manner. We have discussed at length how to discover its essence in prior papers, for example In Search of the Essence of Aikido. Here we examine the process of adding new elements. We can say that we have successfully added new elements and enriched Aikido when these elements are effectively integrated with Aikido practice: their underlying principles are consistent with Aikido principles, and they flow seamlessly with Aikido practice. We describe below the process that we have personally used.

When we encounter an element that seems to be useful for Aikido training, rather than adopting it right away in its current form, we should engage in its practice in its native environment. For example, you were impressed by the presence of mind exhibited by an Iaido expert during a demonstration. Instead of adding sword drawing in your Aiki Ken classes; or copying the rituals (the composure, the posture, the bow, etc.) into your Aikido classes; you should enroll in an Iaido school and train in this art for several years until you have grasped its essence. There will be a time when during Aikido training you suddenly realize that a particular aspect or movement feels the same as an element of Iaido. Not until then can you attempt to extract the relevant portion of its essence and transplant it into Aikido training. Just like with any transplant, you should gently guide its growth in the new environment by making the necessary adjustments then allow it to mature with time. Eventually, the transplanted elements will integrate with Aikido practice and take roots in Aikido principles. The process will take a few decades of relentless correction and adjustment and will contribute to the natural evolution of Aikido training. We believe that it is the same process that O Sensei went through to create Aikido from his experience in various martial arts.

Conclusion
Passing on what we learned from our teachers to the next generation is a commendable deed, as long as we are transmitting the seed and not the outer layers or the skin. The seed is what perpetuates the art; we ought to let go of the body and the skin. The latter are merely protective layers that reflect the climate and conditions of a certain time and locale in the past and must now be regrown to adapt to the present surrounding conditions.
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In Aikido, the techniques are constantly changing, for change and adaptability are part of the essence of Aikido. I am always training and studying in that spirit, constantly altering the techniques according to the circumstances.
. . .
Aikido has no forms. It has no forms because it is a study of the spirit. It is wrong to get caught up with forms. Doing so will make you unable to respond with proper finesse.
 
Morihei Ueshiba, The Secret Teachings of Aikido, p 15, Kodansha International 2007.
 
We must use the knowledge and experience that we received from our teachers as a springboard to chart an evolutionary path for Aikido and carry its essence into the future, lest the art devolves into irrelevance and dies from stagnancy. We must strengthen and give direction to our training, pierce the outer form to find the precious inner core and discover the proper way to preserve it.
 
Hoa Newens
October 3, 2023