Hello, I am Sugawara, your instructor.

In a change from my previous columns, I am going to talk about aikido in a geeky way.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to take aikido from another school.

Aikido MUGENJYUKU belongs to a school called YOSHINKAN. It is characterized by its practicality, so much so that riot police and policewomen study it, and by its soft movements that embody the martial art of Wago.

The schools we practiced with this time were from a mainstream aikido school called Aikikai. It is characterized by soft and flowing movements, inherited from the late founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba.

What I wanted to learn from Aikikai

• Anyway, the practice feels good. I am aware of the flow of my body and do it without strain. I can visualize a streamlined shape in my mind. I feel that there are many techniques that make us relax and not stiffen each other's body.
• Focus on the other person and his/her ki. At MUGEN JUKU KAMAKURA, the focus is relatively self-focused, as the participants are mainly beginners.
• The students can practice twice as many techniques and work on them mindlessly because they do not return to their original positions to practice the techniques, but continue to perform them left and right.
• It was like yudansha training, focusing on connection and use of the hips.
• I practiced Ichikyo, which is much more effective than the Yoshinkan's kuji method. The feeling of being controlled is much better here.

Points that reaffirmed the value of the Yoshinkan

• The systematically organized system from stance to bodywork and techniques allows anyone to learn techniques that can be used by anyone in the shortest possible time.
• The process of the technique is broken down and correct answers are provided, and any instructor can teach the same thing to some extent.
• It assumes an opponent who resists and is established as a technique to protect your loved ones.