Among the various martial arts that have emerged over the years, Aikido is one of those that continue to gather more practitioners. Simply because more and more people believe that martial arts should not instigate attacks but should place great emphasis on motion and the dynamics of movement especially of the opponents' and use it against him or her.

Having the basic principle of "not fighting force with force," aikido has become popular and has been practiced in different parts of the globe today.

AIKIDO TEACHINGS CAUGHT ON TAPE

If you are interested in learning aikido but do not have the time to attend classes in dojos or you are short of cash to enroll in an aikido class, then purchasing an aikido video would be suitable for you. By buying several aikido videos, you can learn the basic principles of martial arts.

You can even learn the different aikido techniques and practice these in the comfort of your own place. Here are some of the most popular and reliable aikido videos available today.

1. The Essential Teachings of Aikido. This aikido video features Hikitsuchi Michio Sensei, 10th Dan, as he continues his life-long dedication to the "direct transmission" of Aikido he learned first-hand from the founder of Aikido, Ueshiba Morihei Osensei. This aikido video is a three-volume videotape series that is professionally produced with English-language voice-over.
Shot entirely on location at the Aikido Kumano Juku Dojo in Shingu, Japan, individual tape includes point-by-point technical instruction, exciting demonstrations, and spirited discussions of the foundations of Aikido. Volume 1 features Hikitsuchi Sensei as he teaches how to practice "instantaneous aiki," while the Volume 2 shows Hikitsuchi Sensei teaching "kihon waza." A set of the Essential Teaching tapes can be bought at around $170-190.

2. The heart of Aikido Volume 1 to 3. This set also features Hikitsuchi Sensei as he demonstrates how the movements of Aikido stemmed from the workings of the sword and the staff. He also the "aiki bojutsu" he learned directly from Osensei. More than half of the tape is dedicated to the demonstration of numerous Aikido techniques. This autobiographical video can be bought at around $60 ?80.

3. Practical Aiki-Do - Volume 1 to Volume 5. This series of aikido demonstrations is already in a DVD format. Compiled by Robert Koga, a former law enforcement instructor for LAPD and consultant for countless agencies in the US and across the globe, each individual volume is considered among the finest and most comprehensive works on Aikido.

Here, Sensei Koga takes the audience beyond the theory of aikido and takes them into the real world of practical Aikido by teaching techniques that can be used in everyday real-life situations. Each tape ranges from 50 minutes up to 56 minutes of playing and priced at $29.95 each.

4. Morihei Ueshiba: King of Aikido, Tape 1 to Tape 2. This series is also available in DVD format. The tape 1 and tape 2 of Morihei Ueshiba: King of Aikido present exciting historic video and features spectacular 1930s "pre-war" footage of aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba.
These tapes contain interesting collection of O-Sensei's technique demonstrations. Playing time ranges from 60 to 65 minutes and can be bought at $24.95 each.

5. Aikido. This aikido video comes in DVD format. Compiled by Patricia Guerri, Aiki Bukikai 6th Dan, this video will lead the audience to the mastery of Aikido weapons. This aikido video comes on different languages such as French, English, Dutch, Spanish, Japanese, Arabian, and Hebrew.

It also divided into chapters, interactive menus, making of, photo gallery, certificates, and trailers as its Special Features. Playing time is approximately 85 minutes and can be bought in $29.95.

Within the world of Aikido a variety of styles exists. The major ones include Aikikai, Yoshinkan
Yoseikan, Shodokan Aikido, Ki Society and Iwama. Aikikai is a style led by O-sensei's decendants and remains to be the largest Aikido organization.

Meanwhile, Yoshinkan was founded by Gozo Shioda and is known for its rigid practice of being precise or accurate. The Shodokan Aikido use to train with sparring and rule based competitions. The Ki Society in the meantime focuses on special training or programs for developing the ki. The Iwama style gives more attention to integration of weapon and barehand techniques. These are just a few of the major schools of Aikido. Let us focus on one: the Yoshinkan style.

Gozo Shioda, like most of the founders of the major Aikido schools, was a student of O-sensei or Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido. Most of the students of O-sensei built their own schools of Aikido based on their understandings on the teachings and basic principles of Aikido that O-sensei taught them.

Shioda's Aikido Yoshinkan focuses on the basics of Aikido. The six basic movements or the kihon dosa are taught repeatedly to Yoshinkan students. Students of this style spend a considerable time of their training regimen repeating basic movements in Aikido techniques.

However, outside observers sometimes view Yoshinkan Aikidokas or those that practices Aikido as having too automatic or too rigid movements because of their strict adherence to the techniques and in the correct execution of each movement.

This is why Yoshinkan is sometimes referred to as the "hard-style". Yoshinkan Aikidokas will practice the basics in the form of solo movements called kata. Nevertheless, as Yoshinkan Aikidokas gain more experience, their movements become more fluid and will eventually develop spontaneity of techniques.

Another distinguishing factor in Yoshinkan is the positioning of the Aikidoka's feet and hips. In other Aikido styles, the Aikidoka would position their body in such a way that the front foot is pointing straight forward while the back foot is at 90 degree angle to the front.

The hips meanwhile are a bit to the side. This position is called kamae. For Yoshinkan Aikidokas on the other hand, the basic or normal stance involves square hips with the front foot angled slightly out.

Training under the Yoshinkan Aikido means repeatedly practicing some 150 basic techniques until you get exactly the correct execution of each movement or technique. Mastering each and every technique will lead Aikidokas to master the remaining 3,000. Unlike other styles, Yoshinkan does not study any weapon forms and only practices with weapons as part of the Aikido's open hand techniques particularly in the areas of defense movements against weapon bearing opponents. Also, Yoshinkan Aikido does not participate in competitions. The focus of Shioda's Aikido is self defense.

It was Robert Twigger who made Yoshinkan Aikido popularized through his book Angry White Pyjamas. Twigger, a British travel writer and adventurer, detailed in his book the strict and more often gruesome training course that he had to endure when he signed up to an 11-month program intended to train Yoshinkan instructors.
Twigger's description of rigorous and agonizing training routines earned him a whole bunch of criticisms from the martial arts community. Nevertheless, he did receive some praise for relaying the realistic view of his experience with Yoshinkan Aikido.

Aikido means "The Way of Harmony with the Spirit" and is considered a non-violent form of martial art. However, don't be fooled. Aikido when used correctly is very powerful often are able to block and neutralize strong attacks and counter them with an equal force.

Morihei Ueshiba, now known as O-sensei to the world of Aikido, founded the martial art. O-sensei is a master of Jujitsu or unarmed combat, Kinjitsu or sword combat, and sojitsu or spear combat and studied philosophical and religious teachings.

Because of the religious and philosophical foundations of Aikido, principles of the martial art include ways to harmonize with the ki or spirit within oneself and the bigger spirit of nature. Among the principles of Aikido include oneness, circular motion and ki.

Among the philosophical teachings of Aikido, one of the more basics and more important is learning to control oneself. Maintaining an inner balance is necessary to harmonize with others enabling to control an opponent's attack or applying an effective technique. Self-control is the key to achieve and maintain harmony.

The Principle of Oneness is another basic principle in Aikido. An aikidoka must learn to become one with any situation. Becoming one means having an attitude of respect for all things and situations, friend or foe. By training to become one with every situation, harmonization will follow and it will become possible to execute Aikido techniques, movements and forms accurately and efficiently.

Harmony also means synthesis. And the spiritual circle which is a foundation of all Aikido techniques synthesizes everything. Aikido is a combination of circular movements. Its techniques and movements revolve around the concept of circular motions. When an opponent attacks, the aikidoka uses a circular motion of the lower abdomen to control the attack and execute Aikido techniques to counterattack.

It is said that defense is the greatest offense. In Aikido to defend properly an attack, one must learn to move away from the range of effectiveness of the opponent's attack. However, as you try to defend by getting out of the opponent's effective range, you must also try to maintain your own range of effectiveness in order to counterattack efficiently.

You won't be able to give an effective counterattack if you stepped too far away from your opponent. Similarly, being too close would definitely lessen the effectiveness of your techniques. Everything will depend on the situation. As an Aikido practitioner, you must learn to determine how to avoid your opponent's range while controlling your own in various situations.

Finally, the Principle of Ki involves believing that every thing in the universe is governed by a force or spirit. Ki is also the energy and our life force. Ki is the force that binds the mind and the body. It is the energy that harmonizes us to our surroundings. By learning to control our Ki, we will be able to unify our mind and our body maximizing efficient movements and execution of Aikido techniques.

Aikido focuses on the distance, motion, speed, and projection of an attacker. By using blending, spiraling, and extension techniques, the attack will be neutralized and by using one's centeredness and hips, the same amount of force can be applied to the attacker. In Aikido, the spiraling and circular movements reflect what the martial art is: a fluid and flowing movement of spirit and energy.