Ki Aikido

Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido (心身統一合氣道) or Ki Aikido (氣合気道) is a Japanese martial art, a gendai budo (contemporary martial art). It is part of the martial arts derived from aikido, which appeared after its founder's death in 1969. It started in early 70's with the creation of the Ki Society of Koichi Tohei,^[1] the previous Aikikai's Chief Instructor. This martial art focuses on mind and body coordination and is based on aikido techniques and Japanese yoga and promote non-violent conflict solving and self-development.^[2]

He was taught Shinshin-tōitsu-dō (also known as 'Japanese yoga') by Tempu Nakamura. He felt that Tempu Sensei's teaching and explanation made clear what Morihei Ueshiba was able to do in his aikido (particularly the idea that the mind moves the body). As a result he started bringing in exercises from Shinshin-tōitsu-dō, such as 'unbendable arm' and 'unraisable body' into his aikido teaching. He started to do this as Chief Instructor of the Aikikai, while Morihei Ueshiba was still alive. He also felt the concepts of Shinshin-toitsu-do were more clearly applicable to daily life. It was later that he formalised his style, including leaving out some aikido techniques that he felt were ineffective against a partner who could coordinate mind and body. Although Tohei Sensei gave the Ki Development aspect of his style the name Shinshin-toitsu-do, it only covered part of Tempu Sensei's curriculum/teaching, and some of it was modified by him.

The teaching of Ki Aikido has been split between different federations, each reflecting the experience of their founders: Ki Society with Koichi Tohei and his son Shinichi Tohei,^[3] Ki no Kenkyukai Internationale Association with Kenjiro Yoshigasaki,^[4] Ki Federation of Great Britain with Ken Williams (or Kenneth Williams)^[5]^[6] and more recently Shin Shin Aikido with Peter Hughes.

Ki Aikido features

Each federation has evolved its own set, but some common features are:

Emphasis on aikido principles, ki (or coordination of mind and body ) principles
Katas (bokken, jo, tanto)
Warmups with "ki development exercises", "coordination of mind and body", with some moves re-used during aikido techniques
Teaching putting emphasis on "ki" (roughly translated by "energy, will, charisma, health") and its development, derived from Shinshin-tōitsu-dō teachings.^[7]
Ki class (or Shinshin-tōitsu-dō class), aikido class
Ki tests
Kyu/dan grades system (similar to other gendai budo), ki exam, aikido exam
Kiatsu (massage/healing method by transmitting ki developed by Tohei Koichi)
Aikido technique standing, kneeling, with one or more persons, randori
Defenses against jo, tanto, bokken
Kokyu Dosa (呼吸動作), exercises done in seiza to break a partner balance
Breathing exercises ("Ki Breathing")
Concept of "one point" (臍下の一点) seika no itten, close to the hara or tanden in traditional Japanese martial arts

4 principles for mind and body coordination

Keep one point
Relax completely
Keep weight underside / Have a light feeling (variation)
Extend Ki

These principles guide the practitioners to keep "mind and body" coordinated and can be applied in daily life (walking, pushing a door, handling a conflict, ...). To follow one is to follow all. To lose one is to lose all.

5 principles for aikido

Ki is extending
Know your partner's mind
Respect your partner's ki
Put yourself in your partner's place
Lead with confidence

These principles also guide the practitioners, when doing aikido techniques. They roughly represent the state of mind of an aikidoka: being aware of your surroundings, trying to understand what your partner/attacker is trying to do, adjusting your moves to match his moves and lead (no clash, etc..).

The principles were translated from Japanese in the 1970s and '80s by translators with no aikido background, causing several different translations to exist. A series of YouTube podcasts made during 2019-20-2021 by the former Hawaii Ki Federation Chief instructor Christopher Curtis Sensei reviewed this.