Aikido Techniques & Tactics

by Gary Bennett

Aikido is a modern martial art with a strong spiritual side, but its roots go back to the ancient combat systems of feudal Japan. Characterized by joint locks and circular movements, the emphasis is on redirecting an attack and taking advantage of the opponent's physical weaknesses.The benefits of studying aikido are many and can be different for each student. Some practice aikido to attain a spiritual balance. Others find that the practice of aikido...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 088011598X
• ISBN13: 9780880115988
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Human Kinetics Publishers
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A good complementry book

In my humble opinion, this book shows a more direct, less dificult way to employ techniques.This book will not teach you aikido, nor teach you self defense - it is an importent source for active students of the aiki arts, to open thier minds to the application of atemi in order to reduce neccessery footwork, or deal with faster, less powerful strikes.

definately worthwhile

this book has a major strong point in that it is really self defense oriented, so it discusses many ways in which aikido techniques can be modified to make them more brutal and effective. I'd definately recommend this book, not as a way to learn aikido, but as a way to help see how to apply aikido in a real fight.

Ideal for martial artists who wish to add to their style.

This is a perfect source of information for martial artists or just regular people who want to learn how to effectivly neutralize an attack. For myself, I found it to be a perfect guide for what I was looking for - an effective way to end a fight, without having to kill or knock your opponent out. This is ideal for any street situation where you would have to use justifiable force. And you have to admit that it is pretty hard to justify yourself when your attacker is lying unconcious in a pool of blood on the street after an unarmed attack. Anyways, it is perfect for the person who wants to just hack away at the unessentials and learn the skill, without having to get in too deep into the philosophy and history of Aikido. This is not to say that the history and philosophy is not important, because it is, and the book does touch on these aspects. But what the book does not do is hammer spiritual this and spiritual that, into the reader so that he drifts further and further from the true essence of the martial arts. Which is what I find unique and enjoy.