Sword

Sword and Aikido, the connection.

Do Aikido and Sword Compliment each other?

Having spent quite a few years studying Sword and Aikido type movements the similarities of these two martial arts always resonate very strongly with me.
But why ask the question?
Well it’s a good question if the answers may improve the aikido of an Aikido-Te student or improve the sword of the sword student!

But we can come to that a little later, first its useful to understand that although the origins and who the first practitioners of a style of movement we now call ‘Aikido’ are and who they were is often open to debate, we can be certain that its lineage comes through to us from the Japanese warrior caste; the Samurai, who were mounted warriors practiced in the arts of Sword, Spear and Bow.
So we can detect these ancient combat strategies and movements within modern Aikido, unlike say Okinawa Karate that has its own unique development and lineage different from the Samurai arts.
If you think of how the Katana (Japanese sword) generally cuts, then it is all within circles and arcs, this best utilises its curved cutting edge, the Aikido student too uses their body and hands in a similar fashion, moving them within circles when meeting an attack or confrontation. Also we see the mirror in the footwork and stances of both styles, to derive maximum cutting power down through or up though a target, the swords man will need his hip behind each cut, deriving this power through wedge shaped angles downward or upwards, this again is the same for Aikido, a student who wishing to meet an attack, and redirect and then throw the opponent away, will need to find these similar spiral and 45 degree wedge shaped movements, doing so through their hips and stances, so often then a swordsman’s stances and foot work will mirror that of Aikido.
So I have found that an Aikido student will move easily to sword and weapons while the sword student feels just as at home in the cutting type movements needed to throw somebody within Aikido, much more than the Karate student does with their linear power and fixed stance work.
But to me the beauty and understanding lies in the beholder of these subjects, the mind of the martial artist if you will! If an Aikido student perceives the need and the simple imperative of the ‘cut’ then their Aikido achieves this same purpose, and dynamism, so often lacking in pure practice, while the swords man who feels the flow and connectivity required in Aikido for their sword, and who blends effortlessly with his opponent must perceive mastery of sword one day!
So do Aikido and Sword complement each? In the eyes of a true martial artist, the answer must be;…”why the question!”