Some Aikido Vocabulary A-H

Agatsu = "Self victory." According to the founder, true victory (masakatsu) is

the victory one achieves over oneself (agatsu). Thus one of the founder's "slogans" was masakatsu agatsu - "The true victory of self-mastery."

Aikido = The word "aikido" is made up of three Japanese characters: ai - harmony, ki - spirit, mind, or universal energy, do - the Way. Thus aikido is "the Way of Harmony with Universal Energy." However, aiki may also be interpreted as "accommodation to circumstances." This latter interpretation is somewhat nonstandard, but it avoids certain undesirable metaphysical commitments and also epitomizes quite well both the physical and psychological facets of aikido.

Aikidoka = A practitioner of aikido.

Aikikai = "Aiki association." A term used to designate the organization created by the founder for the dissemination of aikido.

Ai hanmi = Mutual stance where uke and nage each have the same foot forward (right-right, left-left).

Ai nuke = "Mutual escape." An outcome of a duel where each participant escapes harm. This corresponds to the ideal of aikido according to which a conflict is resolved without injury to any party involved.

Ai uchi = "Mutual kill." An outcome of a duel where each participant kills the other. In classical Japanese swordmanship, practitioners were often encouraged to enter a duel with the goal of achieving at least an ai uchi. The resolution to win the duel even at the cost of one's own life was thought to aid in cultivating an attitude of single-minded focus on the task of cutting down one's opponent. This single-minded focus is exemplified in aikido in the technique, ikkyo, where one enters into an attacker's range in order to effect the technique.

Ashi sabaki = Footwork. Proper footwork is essential in aikido for developing strong balance and for facilitating ease of movement.

Atemi = (lit. Striking the Body) Strike directed at the attacker for purposes of unbalancing or distraction. Atemi is often vital for bypassing or "short-circuiting" an attacker's natural responses to aikido techniques. The first thing most people will do when they feel their body being manipulated in an unfamiliar way is to retract their limbs and drop their center of mass down and away from the person performing the technique. By judicious application of atemi, it is possible to create a "window of opportunity" in the attacker's natural defenses, facilitating the application of an aikido technique. "Atemi" can also have the connotation of a "vital strike". As such, it is important that the strike be delivered to a vulnerable target and with sufficient force as to eliminate the attacker's ability or willingness to continue the assault.

Bokken = bokuto = Wooden sword. Many aikido movements are derived from traditional Japanese fencing. In advanced practice, weapons such as the bokken are used in learning subtleties of certain movements, the relationships between armed and unarmed techniques, defenses against weapons, and the like.

Budo = "Martial way." The Japanese character for "bu" (martial) is derived from characters meaning "stop" and (a weapon like a) "halberd." In conjunction, then, "bu" may have the connotation "to stop the halberd." In aikido, there is an assumption that the best way to prevent violent conflict is to emphasize the cultivation of individual character. The way (do) of aiki is thus equivalent to the way of bu, taken in this sense of preventing or avoiding violence so far as possible.

Chokusen = Direct. Thus chokusen no irimi = direct entry.

Chudan = "Middle position." Thus chudan no kamae = a stance characterized by having one's hands or sword in a central position with respect to one's body.

Chushin = Center. Especially, the center of one's movement or balance.

Dan = Black belt rank. The highest rank possible to obtain is 9th dan. Below dan are called kyu ranks.

Do = Way/path. The Japanese character for "do" is the same as the Chinese character for Tao (as in "Taoism"). In aiki-do, the connotation is that of a way of improving one's character through aiki.

Dojo = Literally "place of the Way." The place where we practice aikido.

Dojo cho = The head of the dojo. A title. Currently, Moriteru Ueshiba (grandson of the founder) is dojo cho at World Aikido Headquarters (hombu dojo) in Tokyo, Japan.

Domo arigato gozaimashita = Japanese for "thank you very much." At the end of each class, it is proper to bow and thank the instructor and those with whom you've trained.

Doshu = Head of the way (currently Moriteru Ueshiba, grandson of aikido's

founder, Morihei Ueshiba). The highest official authority in aikido.

Fudo shin = "Immovable mind." A state of mental equanimity or imperturbability. The mind, in this state, is calm and undistracted (metaphorically, therefore, "immovable").

Fukushidoin = A formal title whose connotation is something approximating "assistant instructor."

Furi kaburi = Sword-raising movement. This movement in found especially in

ikkyo, irimi-nage, and shiho-nage.

Gedan = Lower position. Gedan no kamae is thus a stance with the hands or a

weapon held in a lower position.

Gi (do gi) (keiko gi) = Training costume. Either judo-style or karate-style gi are acceptable, but they must be white and cotton.

Gyaku hanmi = Opposing stance (if uke has the right foot forward, nage has the left foot forward, if uke has the left foot forward, nage has the right foot forward).

Hakama = Divided skirt usually worn by black-belt ranks. In some dojo, the

hakama is also worn by women of all ranks, and in some dojo by all practitioners.

Hanmi = Triangular stance. Most often aikido techniques are practiced with uke and nage in pre-determined stances. This is to facilitate learning the techniques and certain principles of positioning with respect to an attack. At higher levels, specific hanmi cease to be of importance.

Hanmi handachi = Position with nage sitting, uke standing. Training in hanmi handachi waza is a good way of practicing techniques as if you are with a significantly larger/taller opponent. This type of training also emphasizes movement from one's center of mass (hara).

Happo = 8 directions; as in happo-undo (8 direction exercise) or happo-giri (8

direction cutting with the sword). The connotation here is really movement in all directions. In aikido, one must be prepared to turn in any direction in an instant.

Hara = One's center of mass, located about 2" below the navel. Aikido techniques should be executed as much as possible from or through one's hara.

Hasso no kamae = "Figure-eight" stance. The figure eight does not correspond to the arabic numeral "8," but rather to the Chinese/Japanese character which looks more like the roof of a house. In hasso no kamae, the sword is held up beside one's head, so that the elbows spread down and out from the sword in a pattern resembling this figure-eight character.

Heijoshin = "Abiding peace of mind." Cognitive equanimity. One goal of training in aikido is the cultivation of a mind which is able to meet various types of adversity without becoming perturbed. A mind which is not easily flustered is a mind which will facilitate effective response to physical or psychological threats.

Henka waza = Varied technique. Especially beginning one technique and changing to another in mid-execution. For example, beginning ikkyo and changing to irimi-nage.

Hombu dojo = A term used to refer to the central dojo of an organization. Thus, this usually designates Aikido World Headquarters. (see aikikai)

Hidari = Left.