Techniques continued

You also have techniques for defending yourself from strangulation or if your hair is grabbed. The techniques used in aikido are designed to either project or pin your opponent thus neutralising them and their attack. They are most effective when relaxed and applied with little strength but with your ki flowing freely and you move with your centre (hara) with your mind still and free.

With this in mind we mention defence from weapons, which could be from a knife, sword, stick or staff (jo) or even a gun and these attacks could be from the front or from behind. In respect to the gun, if someone were going to shoot you they would shoot first and ask questions later to coin a phrase. What I mean is that they hold the gun to you and while they talk you have moved and applied one of many techniques.

Techniques are made with weapons too, if someone holds your sword arm or hand using ki and technique you can free yourself and render your opponent helpless. There are various kata’s that are performed with sword and or staff, I’ll go into these later it is all part of learning Aikido. But please remember Aikido is not just physical and if you decide to learn it you will find this out. Aikido can be hard and painful but is very rewarding.