Agape Power Martial Arts™

Basic Terms and Forms

--General Terms-----------------------------------------------

Jutsu: Techniques; art or method

Taijutsu: A Japanese martial system of body techniques and unarmed combat methods.  The term is most often used to describe the Iga Ninja family methods first developed in 1100’s Japan.  Taijutsu employs all of the Go Dai (elements – see Go Dai below) in striking methods, grappling methods, and body movement forms.

Aikido: A Japanese martial art developed in the early 1900s, mainly from Daitō-ryū aiki-jūjutsu, and based on the notion of blending rather than clashing with an attacking force.  Emphasis is placed upon joining with the rhythm and intent of an opponent to find optimal position and timing.  Aikido primarily employs the wind elements of the Go Dai (see go Dai below).

Go Dai:  (Five natural elements.)  Often used to describe the types of martial techniques.

Earth element techniques:  Japanese Martial arts techniques used when a defender must (or chooses to) hold his ground.  The Japanese word for earth is “Chi”.

Water element techniques:  Japanese Martial arts techniques where a defender moves like a wave (retreats from an and then crashes back inward with power and intent). The Japanese word for water is “Sui”.

Fire element techniques:  Japanese Martial arts techniques where a defender pre empts and attacking force.  The Japanese word for fire is “Ka”.

Wind element techniques:  Japanese Martial arts techniques where a defender moves in unison with an attacking force to the degree that, if done perfectly, an attacker never feels the defender’s efforts.  The Japanese word for wind is “Fu”.

Void element techniques:  A point reached where the student is able to smoothly switch between elements.

Dojo:  Training hall

Sempai: Senior student

Sensei: Teacher

Ukemi: Literally "receiving-body"): A martial arts term for protective techniques, such as parries, rolling escapes, or falling to the ground safely (known as break falls) or safe falls.

Kata: Pre arranged forms or battle scenarios for practicing techniques. 

Kamae: Basic defensive stance, attitude, or posture; Bait

Agatsu: Victory over self, a principle of martial arts.

Rei: Bow

Reigi: Etiquette, courtesy, politeness

Bugei: Martial arts skill

Kihon: Foundation

Ki No Nagare: Free flowing, adapting

Kokyu Ryoku: Breath power

Waza:Technique type or category (standing, sitting, sword, empty hand, etc)

Kaeshi Waza: Counter techniques

Henka Waza: Changing techniques (starting one and changing when needed)

Ranking Terms

Kyū: pre black belt ranks

Dan: Black belt ranks

Clothing

Gi: The clothing worn in Taijutsu and Aikido.  Simple trousers and a wraparound jacket, usually black for Taijutsu and white for Aikido. 

karate-style gi (uniform) is used for Taijutsu.  Judo and karate-style gi (uniform) are both used in Aikido.  The Judo style is often preferred for Aikido because it has a thicker weave.

--Aikido Terms--------------------------------------------------

Aiki:  A martial arts principle or tactic that describes an idea of blending in the midst of combat.  

Morihei Ueshiba: Founder of Aikido (developed between 1920 and 1941; named in 1941)

Aikido body positions

 (Note: Nage/Tori is the defender who applies an aikido technique.  Uke is the aggressor).

• Hanmi: Body stance. (In Aikido there are only two basic Hanmi, left and right)

• Migi Hanmi: Left Hanmi (side stance with left foot forward)

• Hidari Hanmi: Right Hanmi (side stance with right foot forward)

• Ai Hanmi: Same side stance (two partners facing each other with the same foot forward)

• Right Hanmi: Mirror stance (two partners facing each other with the opposite foot forward)

• Mai-ai: Proper distancing/posture (verifying you are not too close or to far from an opponent)

• Omote: front/seen; movement to a place seen

• Ura: rear/behind/hidden; movement to a hidden place

• Ushiro: From behind

• Ushiro Waza: Technique to deal with something from behind.

Common Aikido techniques

 (Note: Nage/Tori is the defender who applies an aikido technique.  Uke is the aggressor).

• Ikkyō - (first technique) a control using one hand on the elbow and one on near the wrist to leverages uke to the ground. This grip also applies pressure into the ulnar nerve on the medial side of the arm.
• Nikyō - (second technique) an adductive wristlock that torques the arm and applies nerve pressure.
• Sankyō - (third technique) a pronating technique that directs upward-spiraling tension throughout the arm, elbow and shoulder.
• Yonkyō - (fourth technique) a shoulder control similar to ikkyō (see illustration), but with both hands gripping the forearm. The knuckles (from the palm side) are applied to the recipient's radial nerve against the periosteum of the forearm bone.
• Gokyō - (fifth technique) a variant of ikkyō in which the hand gripping the wrist is inverted. Common in tanto (wooden knife) and other weapon take-away practice.
• Shihōnage - (four-direction throw) the recipient's hand is folded back past his or her shoulder, locking the shoulder joint.
• Kotegaeshi - (wrist return) a supinating wristlock-throw that stretches the extensor digitorum.
• Kokyūnage - (breath throw) a general term for the various types of flowing "timing throws". These throws are against the arms, shoulders, body, chin, and more.
• Iriminage- (entering-body throw) throws in which nage moves through the space occupied by uke. The classic form superficially resembles a "clothesline" technique.
• Tenchinage - (heaven-and-earth throw) From uke grabbing both wrists of nage. Moving forward, the thrower sweeps one hand low ("earth") and the other high ("heaven"), which unbalances the opponent so that they easily topple over.
• Koshinage - (hip throw) aikido's version of the hip throw. Nage drops his or her hips lower than those of uke, then flips uke over the resultant fulcrum.
• Jūjinage - (shaped-like-'ten'-throw) a throw that locks the arms against each other. (The kanji for "10" is a cross-shape.)
• Kaitennage - (rotation throw) nage sweeps the arm back until it locks the shoulder joint, then uses forward pressure to throw.

For each technique, tai sabaki (body movement) is used to blend with uke’s incoming force. 

Aikido Movements

• Irimi (entering-body) are movements towards uke but outside (or inside) his line of attack.

• A tenkan (turning) style uses a pivoting motion.

• An uchi ("inside") technique takes place in front of uke.

• A soto ("outside") technique takes place to his side.

• An omote technique is applied in front (can be seen).

• An ura version is applied using a turning motion (from a hidden place).

• Seated techniques are called suwari-waza.

• Most standing techniques can also be performed while in seiza (seated).

Atemi

Atemi: Strikes (or feints) employed during an aikido technique. Most Aikido schools view atemi as being methods of distraction meant to enable other techniques. .

Attacking Strikes practiced against

Many uchi/attacker strikes of aikido resemble blows from a sword or other grasped object, which suggest origins in techniques intended for armed combat.

• Shōmen'uchi - (front-face-strike) a vertical  strike to the head.

• Yokomen'uchi - (side-face-strike) a diagonal strike to the side of the head or neck.

• Mune-tsuki - (chest-thrust) a punch to the torso. Specific targets include the chest, abdomen, and solar plexus.

• Ganmen-tsuki - (face-thrust) a punch to the face

• Front Kick - only some schools practice defending against these.  We are one.

Attacking Grabs practiced against

Many grabs used in Aikido are historically derived from attempts to pin a hand down so a weapon could not be drawn.

• Katate-dori- (single-hand-grab) one hand grabs one wrist.
• Morote-dori- (both-hands-grab) both hands grab one wrist.
• Ryōte-dori- (both-hands-grab) both hands grab both wrists.
• Kata-dori- (shoulder-grab) a shoulder grab. (both-shoulders-grab is ryōkata-dori)

Randori and Jiyūwaza

• Randori exercises a person's ability to intuitively perform techniques in an unstructured environment, generally with multiple ukes.

• Jiyuwaza exercises a person’s ability to employ a variety of techniques against a particular kind of attack.

Aikido Weapons training

• Jo: Wooden staff, generally 1” think and between 48”-50 inches long.

o Jotori: Technique taking wooden staff from opponent

o Jo Waza: Technique keeping wooden staff from opponent

• Bokken: Wooden Katana (Japanese sword) used for practice.

o Tachitori: Technique taking sword from opponent

o Rachi Waza: Technique keeping sword from opponent

• Tanto:  Wooden Japanese knife All of the above are used for weapon-taking, weapon-retention, and forms where both parties are armed.

o Tantotori: Technique against a knife

Hakama: Black or indigo Japanese riding chaps often reserved for practitioners with dan (black belt) ranks to indicate status.

--Taijutsu Terms--------------------------------------------------

Taijutsu:  Unarmed Combat. Techniques resized in the way of using body's natural weapons such as weight, balance, and moving with a natural attitude, rather than force and toughness, one being able to defeat stronger or bigger adversaries. 

Taijutsu comprehends all the techniques executed with the body, and includes procedures of rolling, leaping, walking, kicking, punching, grabbing, throwing, strangulations, joint locks, etc. Taijutsu includes Taihen Jutsu (rolling, leaping and evasion movements), Daken Taijutsu (punching, kicking, blocking) and Jutaijutsu (joint locks, throwing, quite similar to the samurai's ju-jutsu).

Daisuke Nishina: Samurai and Founder of what became the Togakure ryu, the root of all Taijutsu systems and the true historical system for what is often called “Ninjutsu” by today’s drive by media (1100’s AD).  This system was developed to protect farmers from local lords (Daimyo) who wanted to subjugate them and their farms.

Taihen Jutsu: Rolling, leaping and evasion movements

Daken Taijutsu: Punching, kicking, blocking

Jutaijutsu: Joint locks, throwing, quite similar to the samurai's ju-jutsu

Bojutsu: Stick and staff fighting

Taihenjutsu: Body change arts.  Rolling, leaping, silent movement, tumbling, breakfalls.  This is Taijutsu’s comprehensive UKEME.

Hiken juroppo: Sixteen hidden weapons (fists)

Ken: Blade/Fist/striking point

Kyusho: Vital points, pressure points, weak points (primary targets for applying any strike or technique with minimal effort and maximum effectiveness)

Randori (chaos technique): Freestyle practice, a method of sparring (slightly different use that in Aikido)

Taijutsu Body Postures/Kamae (See Taijutsu Strikes and forms pictorial Chart)

Other posture basic terms

Ge-dan: lower level (held low_

Jo-dan: Upper level (held high)

Chu-dan: Middle level

Common Taijutsu techniques - Basic Striking methods (See Taijutsu Strikes and forms pictorial Chart)

Other Common Taijutsu techniques

The techniques in Taijutsu are numerous.  A separate list will be provided later.  

Taijutsu Basic weapons

The weapons used by Taijutsu practitioners are numerous.  For simplicity’s sake, only some of the most general terms are listed here.

Ken-Jutsu: Methods using a sword

Muto-Dori:  Unarmed against a sword

Bo-Jutsu: Methods using a six foot long staff.

Shuriken-Jutsu: Protection methods using flat bladed weapons (sometimes called “Ninja stars” by people outside the loop) or any other handheld objects close at hand.