Summary:
Iwama style is the latest expression of O-sensei's Aikido, taking twenty-four years after the war to complete in Iwama and O-sensei named it "Takemusu Aikido". Compared to Aikikai style, Iwama style makes much use of "Katai-keiko (Solid practice)" and has the abundance of the techniques and includes the Weapons techniques as well as the Body techniques.
First Katai-keiko requires training in the appropriate forms and order of each technique before one enters into the practice of Ki-no-nagare (Flowing practice). Ki-no-nagare requires training Tori to harmonize to Uke's free attack one-sidedly.
Next the total number of the techniques is extremely abundant because the great number "the varied and applied techniques" are produced from "the basic techniques" of Katai-keiko.
The weapons techniques themselves and the Riai (the common principles) of Ken, Jo and the Body techniques that O-sensei embodied in the late 1950s and the early 1960s in Iwama can even be practiced by the general public using "the phased teaching method" (Refer to Chapter 2 (Note 6) that was devised by Morihiro Saito sensei. Therefore we can assert exactly that Iwama style Aikido was created by O-sensei and was spreaded for general public by Morihiro Saito sensei.
Beginners feel rather severely tested at first, however it is profound enough to be the reason for living for those who practice it. Furthermore it is suitable for women and older people, too, if there is a good teacher.
One of the features of Iwama style is great importance placed on the practice of Katai-keiko (Solid practice). One practices Ki-no-nagare (Flowing practice) only after mastering Katai-keiko. Next is the abundance of the techniques and another is the training together the Weapons techniques (Ken and Jo) with the Body techniques in order to acquire the appropriate basic forms.
Generally speaking it is said that Iwama style is rather severe at first but it is natural to learn the above mentioned features in that order. After overcoming this initial severity, interest will increase step by step and this style will be found to be boundless. In contrast, it is normal that Aikikai style is rather easy to learn but feels something unsatisfactory later.
First I would like to explain about Katai-keiko again, although I already addressed it in Chapter 2 and 5.
Katai-keiko means the practice of the basic forms of each technique. These forms define how each technique should be performed correctly and sharply with your breath power even if you are grasped firmly by your partner.
You may have a little pain in your wrist, arm or elbow. However it isn't a persistent pain. It is a temporary pain that will disappear after the grip is released. More or less, there is such pain in all styles of Aikido but it can be said that you feel more sharp pain in Iwama style because its techniques are much more severe and sharp.
It is not unnatural even if I say that we have to endure such kind of severity in order to acquire the real self-defence techniques. By these severe practices we can train our wrists, arms, legs and hips, and then we can use our techniques in an actual self-defence situation. I can also say that this pain isn't injurious and dangerous since every techniques of Iwama style is composed completely rational and refined. In a way we can call it "safe pain" as far as we practice the correct forms.
Of course it is true that the techniques of Aikikai style are also rational without Katai-keiko. However concerning the level of the rationality it is also true that Iwama style is much superior to Aikikai style. If the forms are not rational even a little they will be eliminated naturally through Katai-keiko by the collisions of mutual martial powers. As the result the forms of each technique will ultimately be converted into a highly refined one in Iwama style.
Of course there are some techniques that can't be executed in the form of Katai-keiko but are only functional in the form of Ki-no-nagare. In these cases, it is important that we perform the movement slowly (See Chapter 2 (Note 7)- Flexible Practice) and then increase the speed step by step. This practice at slow is the equivalent to the Katai-keiko of other techniques.
Concerning this matter the 2nd Doshu makes the objections as follows: "It is unnatural that the forms of each technique are formalized in martial arts to detailed extent." or "It isn't a real martial art that thinks if the opponent attacks like this way, I react like that way."
However after Katai-keiko Iwama style advances toward Ki-no-nagare moving with the partner's movement as same as Aikikai style, so it is not a problem. Ki-no-nagare changes depending on each situation (one after another) and ultimately it changes corresponding with each individual (including his/her character, physique, power and so on), thus it is named as"Takemusu Aikido" (Takemusu means producing the techniques continuously like a fountain one after another).
In our usual practices of Ki-no-nagare it is very essential that Uke attack freely without any collusion/cooperation and Tori harmonize with Uke's movement. Uke should make no effort easily and ready follow Tori's movement. This is the true meaning of Awase (Harmony) of Aikido and it is not too much to say that Awase is the ultimate element that decides the strength (self-defence ability) of Aikido.
Second I would like to explain about the abundance of the techniques (See the chart in Chapter 2).
After O-sensei moved to Iwama in 1942, he was still absorbed in his research which led to technical improvements. Not only had he left many techniques that have no problem in a rational sense but he also tried improving some techniques that left something to be desired even in a minute way. By the use of trial and error O-sensei improved these techniques into complete forms.
Therefore to see through the techniques in Iwama style as the whole, one needs to include three kinds of techniques; O-sensei's techniques in pre-war, the improved techniques in the post-war period and new techniques in post-war period. These techniques have both Katai-keiko and Ki-no-nagare so it is natural that Iwama style has an abundance of techniques. ( Refer to Different Points of Supplementary Material Item ①—Ⅳ, ①—Ⅶ, ④—Ⅱ and so on. )
In other words Takemusu Aikido is easier to achieve through Iwama style than Aikikai style because people train in basic techniques of Katai-keiko first and they can change to many variations and applications of their basic forms in Ki-no-nagare. The more techniques we know the more actual conflicts we can naturally confront, so "Takemusu Aikido" is the essential expression that proves the true strength of Aikido. In this respect another name for Iwama style is "Takemusu Aikido".
Furthermore the number of the techniques in Iwama style increases when we count also the Weapons techniques.
I would like to emphasize that O-sensei had been training consistently in both the Body and the Weapons techniques throughout his life, more than eighty years. We start from Suburi (Striking up and down with the Ken, drawing back and thrusting with the Jo — the basic techniques of the weapons) at the beginning. Suburi is very basic and is also very difficult. It is said from days of old "It takes three years at least to master Suburi."
If you have a preconditioned thinking that Aikido is a martial art of the body techniques, you will find the Suburi stage difficult to endure. We have to understand that the Suburi of Ken and Jo develops strong breath power (It inevitably involves Kiai), a stable axis of our body and teaches us the appropriate Hanmi stance.
We can do Suburi without a partner so it is very convenient and helpful. And if we could make progress to a certain extent, we can enjoy much more weapons techniques alone.
The next stage is Kumi-tachi (Ken and Tachi are the same meaning.) and Kumi-jo, and these can learn teach how to adjust the mutual stance (Maai) and how to harmonize with your partner (Awase). In addition you can make your legs and hips strong and eliminate any wasteful or inefficient body movement. Consequently your Body techniques will become much more effective and sharp through training in the Weapons techniques. Awase (Harmony) besides is the very essence of Aikido that makes Aikido Aikido and we can train and acquire the knack of Awase by practicing the Weapons techniques.
One more important thing, it is said that O-sensei often said that the Body techniques are based on the movement of Ken (the Riai of Ken, Jo and the Body techniques). We can therefore precisely understand the roots of the forms of Body techniques by knowing the Ken and Jo techniques. Therefore practicing the Body techniques means practicing the Weapons techniques. The reverse is also true.
This principle is that we call the "Riai (the Common Principles) of Ken, Jo and Body techniques" and it is the essentials of Iwama style Aikido.
To try to explain above again despite a little tedious, this Riai is not merely an aggregate of each Riai for each technique (the Riai of Shiho-nage is well known by Aikido practioners). This Riai includes much more important Riai, the fundamental Riai related to Aikido itself.
By practicing Ken and Jo (1) we can always relax and pour our breath power out at the decisive points of our body teshniques, (2) we can always move stably on Hanmi or Hitoemi stance in our body techniques, (3) we can always use our body techniques keeping our body axis stable, (4) we can always make our hips movements effective very rapidly, (5) we can always stand at the suitable Maai and harmonize timely to the movement of the opponent in our body techniques.
All these essential common principles are surely dependent on the practicing Ken and Jo techniques. Therefore we could assert that the Weapons techniques are truely indispensable for O-semnsei's lifelong Aikido, Iwama style Aikido.
As I wrote in the previous chapter, O-sensei completed his latest weapons techniques in Iwama after 1955. The 2nd doshu said : "My father never taught the Ken in a systematic manner either. He began to practice the weapon as it is now being done in Iwama around 1955. Before that he mostly practiced unarmed techniques".—Refer to Aiki News No.77 Apr. 1988 the 2nd Doshu's interview—
Therefore the 2nd Doshu who was living in Tokyo, regrettably, wasn't able to be taught and integrate these weapons techniques into his Aikikai style and only Iwama style contain them. ( Refer to Chapter 2 chronological table )
Also in this period, O-sensei had strictly prohibited the Weapons training at Aikikai Hombu dojo in Tokyo since there wasn't anyone who could do even Suburi properly. He allowed only Morihiro Saito sensei to teach the Weapons techniques there on Sundays. This meant that Saito sensei was the lone successor of the new O-sensei's Weapons techniques.
Morihiro Saito sensei became O-sensei's disciple in 1946 shortly after the war. From that time Saito sensei, along with his wife Sata-san, served and supported O-sensei and his wife Hatsu-san for twenty-three years until O-sensei's death. I think it is very natural for Saito sensei to be the successor to O-sensei's latest Aikido, both the Body and the Weapons techniques.
For more than ten years after the death of O-sensei in 1969, Saito sensei continued to devise a teaching method for O-sensei's techniques. Eventually Saito sensei created "the phased teaching method" (See Note 6 of Chapter 2) for the general public especially with respect to the Weapons techniques.
Well, in consequence, Iwama stye people will regard their fundamentals of Katai-keiko and Weapon techniques. It means their goal ( the concept ) is the same one as O-sensei's one"Absolute Strength" ( See Note the end of Chapter 4 ).
Here I would like to explain why Iwama style is suitable for women and older people, if there is a good teacher.
First: Women and older people should know that Iwama style is very safe and is not composed of crude techniques accompanied by physical strength. Although there is some momentary pain in the hands/wrist, arms or shoulders first, Iwama style is safe to practice if practitioners use the appropriate forms.
Students can adjust their Ukemi (defensive fall) to their physical capabilities without strain. In Aikikai style people have to move matching their partners' movement so there may be some difficulty moving/following and in doing Ukemi especially for older people.
Second: It is unavoidable that beginners use some martial power at the first stage of Iwama style. However if people try to relax and pour out their breath power, there will be a lesser need for martial power during the step by step learning process.
If people acquire the appropriate forms of each technique, they can practice the same techniques either fast or slow, far or close, big or small, adjusting as physical condition requires. This will make up for the weakness of aging.
Third: We can practice Suburi of Ken and Jo for ourselves after we acquired some considerable skill level of Suburi.
Of course it is no use practicing inaccurate Suburi even repeating it so much, however it is very useful to train accurate Suburi again and again not only for Weapons techniques but also for Body techniques. The older we are, the more effective and the more joyful it will be.
Fourth: Women and older people should not practice for a long time at one time but had better to train for a short time every regular period slowly and continuously.
By my experience people will surely become the condition that the more practice they train the more joyful feeling they realize in Iwama style.
Fifth: Teachers of Iwama style instructing women or older people have to make adjustments for age, gender and the physical condition of the trainees. Adjustments can be made as to how students are grabbed by the hand/wrist, shoulder or struck on the head.
The beginners, especially women and older people, will be apt to give up if they receive an uncontrolled, painful or dangerous attack from their partners. Therefore teachers must be always responsible for making these adjustments in their teaching methods without regard as which style one belongs. Human beings have the instinct of showing his/her own superiority to his/her partner by applying pain. TeachersO-sensei should never forget that your partner is receiving your techniques for you and you should therefore be respectful and show great self-control.
Well, Iwama style contains all O-sensei's Aikido, so its contents are abundant. Before all else we can feel it is "genuine".
Generally speaking every genuine thing has a fascinating charm that is captivating. Once you discover this charm of Iwama style, you might get more and more absorbed in it. At the same time you will be able to acquire efficiency in your self-defence techniques and at last with this self-confidence (not over-confidence), you can proceed on the way towards real harmonization with your partners.