Learn Aikido

Mirroring the attack to be out of reach (maai) In katatedori (wrist grab) and some other attack forms, it is possible to create a distance enough to stay out of reach for a follow-up attack. That distance is maai, where none can strike the other without advancing. Extend your hand towards the grip, proactively, with unbendable arm. This unexpected move will make the attacker sort of bounce back enough not to reach you with a strike. From that position you can redirect into an aikido technique. Going up to go down Aikido is full of paradoxes. If you want to bring the attacker down, you may need to bring him or her up first. That sort of unlocks the resistance against being pulled down. It also works reversed: go down to go up. And if you wave your hand up and down, you can get the attacker way out of balance. Extended spirit, short move You must extend your spirit to make your aikido techniques work. When you do, your movements don't need to be big. It's the spirit of them that counts. If it's properly extended, the actual movement can be so small it's almost invisible and still have a big effect. Returning through the attacker's center (tanden) When you have opened up the situation by accepting the attacker's direction of energy, you can return in a curve and bring the energy of the attack back sort of through the attacker's center (tanden) and to the floor. Like a wave returning from the shore. It's not enough to return it to the attacker's center, which would just make him or her stable and strong, but through it. The wave goes over and past the attacker. Collapsing inwards Collapsing inwards means bringing it all deep into your own center (tanden). It makes outside structures, such as that of the attacker's posture and grip, collapse. Since it is to your center, your own stability and capacity are unaffected, if not improved. Notice that you still have to start with the taisabaki evasive move, or you just collide.