Pages: 1 2

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

Recent visits to the site (search terms):

• aikikai vs yoshinkan (41)
• aikikai style aikido (27)
• Yoshinkan vs Aikikai (16)
• hard aikido (4)
• aikikai vs yoshinkan aikido (2)
• yoshinkan vs iwama (2)
• shodokan vs yoshinkan (1)
• shodokan aikido hard style (1)
• singapore aikikai vs yoshinkan (1)
• what kind of sport is yoshin kan (1)
• yoseikan aikido (1)
• yoshinkan aikido vs other aikido (1)
• yoshinkan aikikai (1)
• yoshinkan or aikikai (1)
• yoshinkan vs aikiki aikido (1)
• yoshinkan vs akikai (1)
• shodokan aikido art movie (1)
• old style yoseikan vs new style (1)
• aikido schools aikikai yoshinkan (1)
• aikido uniform aikikai (1)
• aikido vs aikikai (1)
• aikikai or yoshinkan? (1)
• Aikikai styles (1)
• aikikai vs aikido (1)
• aikikai vs ki society (1)
• aikikai vs yuishinkai (1)
• akido videos japan style (1)
• hard aikido style (1)
• Is yoshinkan associated with aikikai (1)
• aikido aikikai Yoshinkan (1)

Pages: 1 2

Like all martial arts or sports for that matter, Aikido has their own set of uniforms. The aikidogi or the uniform used in aikido is similar to the keikogi used in most martial arts. Keikogi is a term used to refer to uniform for training.

This is a general term used to refer to uniforms of donned for traditional martial arts class. For Aikido it’s the aikidogi, for Judo it’s judogi, for Jiujitsu it’s the jujutsugi, karategi for Karate, kendogi for kendo and the shinobi-iri and shinobi shozoku for Ninjutsu arts. The training uniforms used in martial arts are often times referred to as mere gi or dogi.

The aikid?gi consists of simple trousers and a white jacket or uwagi or upper garment. For aikidogi, wraparound jackets used in judo and karate are acceptable. Judo jackets are thicker and are built for durability since in judo the jacket receives considerable stress from the techniques like seizing and throwing.

For aikidokas, judo jackets might be advisable since some Aikido techniques also involve some keikogi grabbing which could tear the cloth during practice. Sometimes, aikido uniforms are customized to handle precisely the stress in some techniques. Although, personalized or specialized aikodogis are uncommon. If you do find keikogi specially made for Aikido training, you’ll notice that the gi has reinforced kneepatches.

The jacket is also a little longer around the waist which allows the aikidoka to easily tuck them to their hakama. The Aikdo jacket might also have shorter sleeves since basic techniques of Aikido focuses on wrist grabs and twists. The uwagi might be made from heavyweight tightly woven terrycloth which is similar to uwagi of Judo or from heavy canvas similar to karategi. Regardless, both are strong enough to withstand the regular grappling and throwing found in Aikido training.

Aside from the trousers and wraparound jackets, Aikido schools also add hakama, which looks like a dress or skirt, to the uniform. The concept behind wearing a hakama is to be able to hide the movements of the feet. The hakama is commonly black or indigo in color and are usually reserved for aikidokas that have received the dan rank.

In Aikido, most of the styles or schools use the ky?/dan ranking system which is the norm in the martial arts world. However, each style has different qualifications for meeting each rank and each style might use colored belts for ky? levels while others do not. In some schools the hakama is worn by all students regardless of rank. While in other styles, only female aikidokas are required to wear them.

When buying for first aikidogi it is important to make sure that the size and fit is right. Uniforms that are too small will constrict your