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What is Aikido?
Aikido is the way of harmony. The techniques and philosophy of Aikido, a Japanese martial art, were formulated by Morihei Ueshiba, 1883-1969. More commonly referred to as O-sensei (great master), he was a true visionary who saw Aikido not only as effective self-defense, but also as a more powerful, loving way of life.
Aikido emphasizes active, nonresistance in which you blend with the energy of an attacker rather than fight it. Using Aikido techniques, the force of the attacker can be redirected, resulting in a throw or a take-down. These techniques of attack and defense are practiced in a positive atmosphere that is noncompetitive and non-aggressive. In addition to self-defense, Aikido is excellent for physical exercise, emotional well-being, and spiritual development.
What is meant by "Quantum Aikido"?
The word quantum has been brought into usage by the new physics to explain the nature and workings of the universe. Matter - as our senses perceive it - is now known to exist as both particle (solid state) and wave (energy state). Quantum can mean to jump to a totally different level, as in quantum leap, or to reach such an elemental state that cannot be further dissected or understood, as in sub-atomic particles. Aikidoists who have trained themselves to a deep level can attest that all of the above comes up in dedicated training. Just as we have entered an age where the body's relationship to the mind has brought out the term "quantum healing," so has Aikido from its immediate and ancient roots emerged as a quantum self-defense.
How old does my child have to be to start training in aikido?
Age six, because learning aikido requires a certain amount of attention span.
At the other end of the age spectrum, how old can I be and still train in aikido?
Theoretically, there is no age limit. You just need a body that can be trained in some way. You're training just means that you respect where your abilities are in the moment. Just because you can't do something now doesn't mean you won't be able to do it eventually. People of all ages train at Aikido of San Jose, some of them what people call "senior citizens." They do fine, as long as they take it easy when they start, and then build up to whatever level they build up to.
How non-athletic can I be?
At Aikido of San Jose, we take people from whatever starting place they are at, and if they train with some dedication and focus, they can change from their starting place pretty dramatically. They key thing is to not force or strain. If you're just starting, you should enjoy being a beginner.
Why should I train in aikido rather than another martial art?
Aikido appeals to students who are looking for a non-competitive martial art. There is no competition structure in aikido. While some people prefer a competitive environment, in aikido the training is really an on-going thing, and the victory we're looking for is a kind of self-victory. In aikido, we're working towards overcoming parts of ourselves that keep us from meeting our full, potential being. The philosophy is one of nonviolence and non-resistance.
How does is aikido different from other martial arts?
As regularly practiced, aikido teaches you to deal with an attack without punching and kicking. It doesn't mean that you can't punch or kick as part of the technique, but the ideal in aikido is to be able to redirect the force of an attack by blending, or becoming one with it, and then redirecting the energy from the attack back on the attacker smoothly, and even humanely, if possible. A punch or a kick in the middle of that practice would stop the flow. It doesn't mean you can't do it, and to some degree, if you understand the principles of aikido. It's not something we practice or emphasize.
Aikido is noncompetitive, so there are no matches or tournaments. The training itself is really training to find a balance with oneself is the major pursuit at Aikido of San Jose. The techniques of aikido work off of achieving that state of being in balance with one's self. The actual spectrum of the movement and the efficiency of the technique is connected to achieving that balance.
Also, most aikido techniques are practiced with a partner. There aren't forms where you stand by yourself and go through movements by yourself. The processes of centering and balancing are learned while under pressure. So you're working with a partner almost from the beginning of your training.
Why do we bow?
The bow in aikido reflects the Japanese culture in which aikido was created. Retaining cultural influences enriches the experience of learning an art that came from that culture, so at Aikido of San Jose we have chosen to continue the tradition of bowing.
If you watch the movie "Above the Law" with Steven Seagal, in the very first part of the movie he does the four claps, and that's the most formal form of bowing you can have. The formal bow to begins the class, which serves to unite the energy of the whole group towards the purpose of training. At the conclusion of a class, there's another formal, which has the same meaning.
The individual bow to our training partner is a process of showing respect. Oftentimes, if martial arts are taught without the bow to one's partner, the arts can degenerate into forms of combat.
In pursuing the way, or path, of aikido, we're aspiring to polish the inner self through the whole dimensions of training and bowing in a quiet, unassuming way. This is a core practice that we have. One can bow outwardly perfectly and yet be basically disrespectful. It's called a formality. To some degree, someone who knows absolutely nothing about the outer form of bowing or the culture can generally offer respect in other ways. In doing the bowing, we're at least affording this practice of mutual respect a place in space-time so that we have an opportunity to manifest that sincerity, which may be there without the form, or may be not there if the form is practiced in a very empty way.
Technique, just the actual mechanical movements of a self-defense movement, whether it be aikido or some other art, devoid of some kind of spirit or content, is basically useless. And as we learn to fill the bow with a certain amount of respect, sincerity, and energy, there is a sense where we start to put that energy into our movements. That may happen without the bow, but there's an area where we're all in the process of going upwards together, of showing respect to one another; the bowing is quite important in that way.
Why do we clap four times during the formal bow?
The two bows and the four claps are Shinto for heaven-earth-water-fire, says Jack Wada, chief instructor of Aikido of San Jose. "But I kind of look upon it more like Carl Jung does, because in Jungian terms the number four is wholeness, or balance. So for me, its a process that goes way beyond anything religion can contain. And in the symbology of it, the coming together of the hands and the clapping, for me, means the meeting of opposites. The expanded contraction is a form of rhythm in terms of energy and breath. And so four claps is pretty universal, something around balance." At some schools they clap twice, and at some schools like the Hombu dojo in Tokyo, they don't do the claps at all: They just do a simple bow.