Scribd
Upload
469 views1 page

Aikido: The Complete Basic Techniques

This book provides a concise yet comprehensive manual of basic Aikido techniques. It was written by Gozo Shioda, a direct student of Aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba and founder of the Yoshinkan style of Aikido. The book is aimed at beginners and breaks down the fundamentals of stances, falls, and 10 basic throwing and pinning techniques. It also offers practical guidance on applying Aikido techniques in real-life self-defense situations. The writing and illustrations provide clear instruction without intimidating beginners. The reviewer declares an affiliation with Yoshinkan Aikido but finds the book to be highly informative for newcomers to the art.

Uploaded by

raghav ool
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
469 views1 page

Aikido: The Complete Basic Techniques

This book provides a concise yet comprehensive manual of basic Aikido techniques. It was written by Gozo Shioda, a direct student of Aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba and founder of the Yoshinkan style of Aikido. The book is aimed at beginners and breaks down the fundamentals of stances, falls, and 10 basic throwing and pinning techniques. It also offers practical guidance on applying Aikido techniques in real-life self-defense situations. The writing and illustrations provide clear instruction without intimidating beginners. The reviewer declares an affiliation with Yoshinkan Aikido but finds the book to be highly informative for newcomers to the art.

Uploaded by

raghav ool
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Aikido: The Complete Basic Techniques

Author: Gozo Shioda


Genre: Aikido and Other Martial Arts
Publisher: London/New York/Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd, 2006
ISBN: 4-7770-3019-3
RRP: £19.99 (+£2.80 p&p)

This is the third instruction manual written by Yoshinkan Aikido founder Gozo Shioda that I
have read, and happily, this book has drawn in all the good bits from its predecessors.

Shioda Sensei, known to his students as ‘Kancho’ (Headmaster) was one of the first students
of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba, and was ultimately promoted to 9th Dan by him. In the
1950s Shioda received O’Sensei’s permission by to open his own dojo, which he named
‘Yoshinkan’. It has since evolved into one of the world’s largest martial arts organisations.
Whereas the first of the author’s books in English, Dyanmic Aikido, could be seen as
an introductory text, i.e. small, short and not overly complicated, the next book, The Master
Course, was aimed at the more experienced practitioner and gave a far more in-depth
break-down of the various techniques in the syllabus. This book fits in the middle.
Originally written in Japanese as an in-house manual many years before the death of its
author, it is a text of just over 200 pages split into 3 main sections, and is of a similar size
and construction to The Master course as a result. The difference lies in the emphasis, which,
as with Dynamic Aikido, is geared towards that of the beginner. Whilst section one, ‘Basics’,
goes through kamae, break-falls and so on, the second, ‘Basic Techniques’, focuses on ten
basic throws and pins from many attacks, with and without weapons and from both
standing and sitting. The third section, ‘Practical Techniques’, (as the title may suggest)
then offers pointers on using Aikido in a real-life environment. Best of all are the boxes
marked ‘Important Points’ throughout the book, warning students of the rookie mistakes
sure to make their technique unfeasible in the real world and/or fail them in a grading.

I have to declare an interest here. Though we lost the official link with Japan many years
ago, the club in which I train is heavily influenced by the Yoshinkan, indeed we have a
picture of Shioda Sensei next to the Founder in our shrine. As such, I’m naturally disposed
towards liking this book. The written instructions and the overall layout are informative
but not intimidating and include very good pictures of each technique being
demonstrated, (almost always of the author himself). Ultimately, and at the risk of
sounding a little ‘partisan’, I must say that I really find anything wrong with this book.

10 sausages out of 10

RW Feb 2014

You might also like