Why practice Aikido?

Primarily, Aikido develops self-improvement. Aikido is more than a study of physical techniques; proper etiquette, attitude and behavior are also emphasized. Throwing and falling are stressed equally - your partner is not an opponent, but an assistant: you learn the technique by being thrown, and practice the technique by throwing. Aikido has an ethic: to defend oneself without vengeance, to forgive your enemies, and to harmonize with any attack of any description.

Aikido techniques are a guide to a peaceful way of life: to avoid confrontations, harmonize with unavoidable conflict, and maintain grace under pressure. Because Aikido doesn't depend on physical strength, it is especially attractive to women, children and older adults.

O Sensei's 3 principles of Aikido are:
* Masa katsu... Victory over form or correct style of victory
* Agatsu... Victory over self
* Kiatsu Haya hi... Victory faster than light

Aikido has no tradition of competition, but O’Sensei never turned down a challenge and expected his prewar uchideshis (full time students) to be able to throw anyone who challenged them. He was against the spirit of winning. It was an effective martial art. The claim that aikido was a finishing school for other martial arts was because the prewar uchideshis had trained in other martial arts and found aikido as taught by O’Sensei superior.

Shu / Ha / Ri
Endo Seishiro Shihan
"In Japan, we transmit and learn culture through forms [katas], often becoming captive in those forms, so much so that our culture has been called a “culture of form.” Forms are the heart/mind of our forebearers, and a mode of transmission the same. It is known that, when we learn or train in something, we pass through the stages of shu, ha, and ri. These stages are explained as follows. In shu, we repeat the forms and discipline ourselves so that our bodies absorb the forms that our forebearers created. We remain faithful to the forms with no deviation. Next, in the stage of ha, once we have disciplined ourselves to acquire the forms and movements, we make innovations. In this process the forms may be broken and discarded. Finally, in ri, we completely depart from the forms, open the door to creative technique, and arrive in a place where we act in accordance with what our heart/mind desire, unhindered while not overstepping laws."

Class Etiquette

If you attend a class to watch, you may notice unfamiliar behaviors and customs. Below are listed some of the customs of a dojo, so you can understand what is happening at a class.

Proper behavior and manners are an important part of the practice. One of the key aspects of Aikido is the respect for your Sensei, your fellow students, your dojo, and yourself.

1. When entering or leaving the dojo, and when stepping onto or off the mat, bow in the direction of O-Sensei's picture. This is a tradition of showing respect to O-Sensei, the founder of Aikido.

2. Shoes are to be taken off when entering the dojo, and zori (sandals or thongs) worn near the mats. Zori should be lined up at the edge of the mat.

3. Immediately after stepping onto the mat, students should bow respectively to the shrine - the most proper style is from seiza. Five minutes before the class is scheduled to start, students should arrange themselves in a straight line of proper rank, (higher rank on the right side). Kneel in seiza and await the instructors arrival on the mat. Mediation calms the mind; everyone in the dojo should be silent during meditation.

4. When the instructor comes onto the mat he/she and the students bow to O-Sensei's picture. The students then bow to the instructor formally opening the class.

5. The instructor should be referred to as Sensei during class instruction and not by his/her first name.

6. When the instructor claps, quickly sit down, listen and watch attentively. when the instructor indicates that practice is to resume, bow to the instructor and promptly resume practicing. Change partners when the instructor indicates. When changing partners during class, one should acknowledge both your former partner and your new partner with a bow.

Tests for Promotion

O’Sensei originally taught the Daito jujitsu ryu techniques that he learned from Takeda Sokaku but evolved a style all his own. Other than the original Daito ryu techniques there were no standardized techniques until his son, Kisshomaru Ueshiba became the Doshu and expanded aikido around the globe. To maintain a standard of measurable performance, the Doshu reduced aikido to 35 techniques, 14 of which are testable, against seven traditional attacks. In reality, there is no limit to aikido. When practiced correctly, it can work against any attack.

Testing is not required. Testing is not competitive. It evaluates the performance of katas. Testing allows you to demonstrate skills in a particular area and the ranking system is based on both a sound knowledge of specific techniques and time spent on the mat for the purpose of learning the techniques. A candidate's performance as Uke (the attacker) is observed as closely as his or her performance as Nage (the one who is attacked).

True aikido can work against a variety of attacks other than the traditional seven. Traditional aikido provides the skills needed to work in any fitting situation, however the martial artists needs to know how to get to a position to perform aikido. That requires an instructor with sparring experience in other martial arts. Students of this dojo can chose whether they want to pursue the traditional track of testing by performing katas (shu) or functional aikido (ha) aikido that works in a fight.

The following are the Midwest Aikido Federation Promotional Test requirements.

MAF Glossary of Terms
5th Kyu (60 practice days)

The first term is the attack, the second is the aikido technique used in the counter. i.e. shomenuchi (downward cut/strike to the forehead) countered with "first form" ikkyo, an arm lock. Omote and Ura refer roughly to "front" and "back."

Shomenuchi Ikkyo (omote and ura)
Shomenuchi Iriminage
Katatetori Shihonage (omote & ura)
Ryotetori Tenchinage
Tsuki Kotegaeshi
Ushiro Tekubitori
Kotegaeshi Morotetori
Kokyuho

4th Kyu (80 practice days)

Shomenuchi Nikkyo (omote & ura) Yokomenuchi Shihonage (omote & ura) Tsuki Iriminage Ushiro Tekubi Sankyo (omote & ura) Ushiro Ryokatatori Kotegaeshi Suwari Waza: Shomenuchi Ikkyo (omote & ura) Katatori Nikkyo (omote & ura) Katatori Sankyo (omote & ura)

3rd Kyu (100 practice days)

Yokomenuchi Iriminage (2 ways) Yokemnuchi Kotegaeshi Tsuki Kaitenage Ushiro Tyokatatori Sankyo (omote & ura) Morotetori Iriminage(2 ways) Shomenuchi Sankyo (omote & ura) Suwari Waza: Shomenuchi Iriminage (omote & ura) Shomenuchi Nikkyo (omote & ura) Hanmi Handachi: Katatori Shihonage Katatori Kaitennage (ushi & soto mawari*)

2nd Kyu (200 practice days) (brown belt)

Shomenuchi Shihonage (omote & ura) Shomenuchi Kaitennage (omote & ura) Yokomenuchi Gokyo Ushiro Tekubitori Shihonage (omote & ura) Ushiro Tekubitori Jujinage Ushiro Kubishime Koshinage Morotetori Nikyo (omote & ura) Hanmi-Handachi: Shomenuchi Iriminage Katatetori Nikkyo (omote & ura) Yokemenuchi Kotegaeshi Freestyle-2 persons

1st Kyu (300 practice days)

Katatori Menuchi-5 techniques Yokemenuchi-5 techniques Morotetori-5 techniques Shomenuchi-5 techniques Ryotetori-5 techniques Koshinage-5 techniques Tantotori Hanmi-Handachi (Ushiro Waza)- 5 techniques Freestyle-3 persons

Sho-Dan (400 practice days) (black belt)

All of 1st Kyu requirements Tachitori Jotori Henkawaza** Freestyle-4 persons

Ni-Dan (600 practice days)

Attended 2 seminars per year after Sho-Dan. All of Sho-Dan requirements Tachitori-2 persons Freestyle-5 persons Kaeshiwaza***

San-Dan (700 practice days)

Attend 2 seminars per year after Ni-Dan. Exam Content to be determined by examiner at the time of the exam. Note: Counting the required number of practice days begins from zero after each successful exam.

* uchi & soto mawari (both inside and outside movements)

** Henka waza (switching from one technique to another. Examiner will call the first technique.)

*** Kaeshi-waza (counter techniques. Uke applies technique on nage who reverses it. The original tchnique will be specified by the examiner, e.g., to apply sankyo against nikyo.)