Takemusu Aikido Intercontinental
Transmitting an authentic knowledge of Traditional Aikido as founded by Morihei UESHIBA
Mistake #1 - Pinning down kote gaeshi and nikyo
Confusion between kote gaeshi and nikyo pinning locks.
Kote gaeshi's starting position is the opposite of nikyo's. This is why they can't be done the same way.
Nikyo
For nikyo your body is behind uke's arm and therefore controls it naturally.
Besides, when your back hand lets uke's elbow go, your back arm is already positioned to receive the arm in your elbow. Therefore uke can't escape by lowering his arm backwards.
Therefore it is possible to end up in nikyo no katame directly.
Kote gaeshi
On the contrary, with kote gaeshi your body is in front of uke's arm: it controls nothing. Uke's arm is held by your back arm with the support of your thigh. The position is reversed.
That's why for kote gaeshi, you must hold uke's wrist with your front hand and then only can you lower your knee and switch your thigh with your arm.
Done this way, there is no gap in the pinning that would allow uke to escape by lowering his arm backwards. Your hand must maintain a strict control on uke's wrist until the end.
That way to execute kote gaeshi's pinning comes from a confusion between the two locks. When tori stops holding uke's right hand to lock with his left arm, his left elbow is high. During the time needed to lower it, uke's arm is not controlled anymore Uke can escape by lowering his arm. It is impossible to execute kote gaeshi's lock in the same way as nikyo's without running the risk to see uke escape.
Sections
What is Traditional Aikido?
Aikido is not a sport, it is a martial art which laws (takemusu) are in harmony with the laws of the universe. Studying them allows the practitioner to understand his place in the universe. Aikido was born in Iwama, O sensei achieved in that village the synthesis of tai jutsu, aiki ken and aiki jo.
Where to practice Traditional Aikido?
The International Takemusu Aikido Federation (ITAF) brings to the practitioner the structure he needs in order to work as close as possible to the reality O sensei MU defined. The official national representations are the guarantee of a teaching faithful to the Founder's.
The weapons of Aikido, aiki ken and aiki jo
In modern Aikido, weapons are hardly taught, if taught at all. In O sensei's Aikido, on the contrary, aiki ken, aiki jo and tai jutsu are unified and form together a riai, a family of harmonious techniques stemming from one unique principle. Each techniques helps understand all the others.
Aikido, a martial art or an art of peace?
Peace is a balance between a human being and the world around him. The true martial art's goal is not to become stronger than one's opponent but to find in that opponent a way to realize harmony. There is no enemy anymore as such, but an opportunity offered to reach unified ki.