yes-have studied Aikido for 13 years - 2nd dan, plus many years Karate - 3rd dan, and currently BJJ. Just finished a Seminar, here in NZ, with Numata Sensei - that is Takeda Senseis top student. Enjoyable.
I hear you but! excuse the, too long reply. Donovan Waite-style acrobatic ukem I may, now, be able to add a few reasons why OShinobu Takeda sensei's style is so effective and effortless. All of the below happen at the same time. 1 - In his teaching he often referred to “a string from heaven”. Being supported by this string gave him his vertical posture which - 1b - dropped his bodyweight through his centre - onto uke. He often felt as heavy as a Rhinoceroses we would say after his class at any of the three dojos. 2 - He cuts(full cut) with both hands giving him two entry points into uke’s centre. Two “circles and spirals” as he put it. If you don’t do full cuts then the hand/arm is just the same as a “handle” then you need to move the body to make it work - bend the body/shoulders all the way down to the mats. This is compensation for a none cut. It can take many steps. - a second attacker would take the head off every time. In vertical posture the elbows are already at the hips and the cut is 18 inch below at the hand. You don’t need to take the shoulder down there. you are already there. 3 - He cuts on the spot. His vertical body weight gives him the powerful cut. Teachers say the body follows the noes = shoulder style. His nose follows the hip = centre style (driven by his grounded feet). There are very short Torifun in there as well. 4 - He always taught, to look in the direction we were going, taking the centre with us. we were not facing Uke. We had his centre that we faced. Gives a expansive open energy force in the direction of the cut. 5 - armpits were closed often. Two hips move/open taking the elbows with them and the cutting hands. The distance between the hips gives him two different size circles. That how Uke turns. He is thrown into two circles of a different size. - hope this part is understandable. When you are on the receiving end you get it. The long cut throws and the short cut stops. It creates Ukes turn. A good Uke follows the energy. This is enough. The fancy Donovan Waite-style acrobatic ukemi you mentioned is a must here as it is the way his/the energy goes because of the two different size circles that Uke is thrown by. The hips open before the cut takes place, one hand cut is long the other hand cut is shorter = a turning Uke.
well for those who hasn't try this aikido. You got to experience it . Only then you can understand what Osensei been doing in the video. Remember aikido is wellknown because Osensei technique not by the throwing and the locking technique which can be found in lots of jiujitsu
Having done Aikido for 13 years, but also some really hard arts - including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I understand both sides of the comments here. He has beautiful form, but there is also that part of the uke "flying around him." I do Senseis style and recognise he has a "cult" around him. All said and done Aikido is just Aikido it is truely more Art than anything else now (not in all styles but this one it is).
I attended a semianr with Taleda sensei. He's the real thing, sharp, very skilled and knows how to get balance with light touch. On th eother hand the ppl at the seminar are only an external parody of what Takeda sensei does... he has a sort of cult around him (like Endo) because of the external beauty of their waza... but most don't know what he's really doing.
I truely don't aim these comments at you, but at Aikido exponents in general. In 20+ years of training I have yet to see an Aikido person step into a ring and fight using Aikido. But I am very happy to be corrected on this... Of course Aikido comes from a 'war art,' - but it has evolved, as you say, and it still evolves. Evolution of life requires things evolve because they are tested in a living environment. Aikido isn't tested anymore. Good luck with your training.
as an after thought even Takeda (the guy in the video if you didn't know) said to another sensei here in response to the question"is Aikido really a martial art any more?" Takeda said "it is more an expression of your personality than anything else." So that gives you an idea where all this comes from..
Hey OldAikiDog - I think you are correct in that last comment Aikido does tend to eclipse other styles as you progress this (in my humble opinion) is due to a heavy mental and spiritual requirement to really master it. Few other styles can say this. Oh! I do agress that Aikido can be used in self defense it is just that if you do a martial art for that just purpose their are better martial arts out there for it.
Well, I was actually lucky enough to receive ukemi from a sensei whose techniques were very similar to those in the clip. They are far from fake. Actually, it's another level of effectivity then the more effective-looking, ju-jutsu like techniques. He actually moves you always in the way to unbalance you. And no ki-brain-washed things or magic. :)
Beautiful technique, all I can say. By the way- if you try taking the fancy Donovan Waite-style acrobatic ukemi here, that has become the fashion, I doubt it will work-and could even be dangerous. .. You have to just let go and slap as fast as you can!
The human spirit has the wondrous capacity to extend a hundred million light years beyond the limits of space... Let us try to purify our minds in practice. If you can focus clearly only for an instant, in that moment you will know yourself with the mind of the Universe. Takeda Yoshinobu Shihan
Uke make this kind of ukemis because he is connected to nage center, with this kind of keiko AIKIDO found the real meaning, the armony with he universe, you think ukes fakes his ukemis but his reaction ifs because he is so well connected to nages's centers, when you start to practice like this you achieves higher level of felling, and you became one with the universe
i would be interested in knowng if any of the 'negative' viewpoints ever really experienced that moment of clarity when you have nowhere to go EXCEPT around sensei's centre... forget the 'timing' - look at the centre... stanous
"aikido is as usable as anything," - fair enough, walk down to your local judo or jiu jitsu club and try some stuff then in a grappling/sparring environment. I'm sure they would welcome you (unfortunately as fresh meat as opposed to anything else). Hey - Aikido is enjoyable I have done it for a very long time. Just train for the enjoyment, but please if you ever teach Aikido be careful using the above comments, because you would be misleading your students.
