Naturally!
By Linda Hughes


In Aikido we try to make our movements as natural as possible. We do not think about walking, we just do it. The angles and the movements in Aikido must become as natural as walking and reflexive as answering to our own name. Unlike other Martial Arts, Aikido achieves this naturalness by changing the techniques to suit each individual, small, tall, physically weak, strong etc...

Judo for instance requires a certain amount of strength, but in Aikido by using nature to our advantage i.e, by using the opponent's centre of gravity and unbalancing it.

Using your opponent's energy in this way is like an unborn child thriving of it's mother. You are the mother, your opponent's energy is the lifeblood and the technique is the unborn child. The mother, without the lifeblood no child is born. No proper attack, no attacker's energy, the correct technique cannot be administered. Also a child is nurtured when born, so is a technique. In the beginning the technique is unnatural and rough around the edges. As practice continues, time passes (and with nurturing help from the instructor) the movement becomes more natural and flowing. Like a child learning to walk.

Aikido, though deadly, can also be gentle; it protects the user and surprisingly the opponent too. A tigress carries it's young in it's mouth. In this instance the technique is the mothers grip. In the dojo our actions are careful and deliberate (unharmful as we learn to Ukemi for protection also), our partner is the tiger cub. In the street, doing the same technique could break an arm or even kill our opponent, this is the tigress' enermy. The tigress uses the same grip to carry her young to safety as to kill her enermy. Naturally!