DAIRYUKAI AIKIDO/IAIDO

6380 Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1M9, (514) 222-2641

DAIRYUKAI.COM

AIKIDO

GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS

In all martial arts, the code of conduct is very important and Aikido is no
exception. This guide summarizes practical information to help new students.

Respect is one of our DOJO’s (practice location) main values. Please respect
each other’s differences.

TO REMEMBER:

¾ Please be punctual;

¾ Make sure that your GI (kimono) is clean and does not smell at all times;

¾ Bow to O’Sensei (picture of the founder of Aikido) before entering the

practicing room;

¾ Bow to O’Sensei before entering the TATAMI (mat surface);

¾ If you are late, please wait outside until the instructor gives you the
authorization to access the mat surface;

¾ A few minutes before the class starts, sit in SEIZA (on your knees) forming
a line in front of the picture of O’Sensei (the founder of Aikido). The
student with the highest rank sits on the extreme left of the line and the
most junior student sits on the extreme right of the line;

¾ Before each class bow to O’Seinsei and then to your instructor;

¾ At the end of each class bow to your instructor and then to O’Sensei.

¾ Bow to your partner before training with him;

¾ When your instructor shows you something during the class, sit in SEIZA
and thank him after the demonstration by bowing to him;

1
 DAIRYUKAI AIKIDO/IAIDO
6380 Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1M9, (514) 222-2641

DAIRYUKAI.COM

¾ At the end of the class, bow to all students with who you have trained
during the class;

¾ When training with a partner make sure not to injure him;

¾ Keep your toe and finger nails short;

¾ Do not wear jewellery during class;

¾ If you wish to leave the TATAMI (mat surface) during class, please ask
your instructor’s authorization;

¾ Do not leave the TATAMI during class to drink;

¾ If you sweat a lot while you are training, keep a handkerchief on you;

The well being of each student is very important for us, therefore, if there is
anything which bothers you, please talk to one of your instructors about it.

ENJOY TRAINING!!!

2
 DAIRYUKAI AIKIDO/IAIDO
6380 Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1M9, (514) 222-2641

DAIRYUKAI.COM

Counting

1. Ichi 2. Ni 3. San 4. Shi(Yon) 5. Go

6. Roku 7. Sishi(Nana) 8. Hachi 9. Ku(Kyu) 10. Ju

Clothing and equipment

boken Wooden sword

Gi Uniform
Jo Wooden stick
Hakama Wide pleated trousers
Obi Belt
Shitabaki Pants
Tanto Wooden knife
Tatami Practice mat
Zori Sandals

Manneer

Rei Bowing (appreciation and respect)

Ritsurei Bow standing
Zarei Sitting bow

Roles

Nage The person who does the technique

O’sensei The founder of Aikido
Sensei The instructor
Uke The person who receives the technique

3
 DAIRYUKAI AIKIDO/IAIDO
6380 Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1M9, (514) 222-2641

DAIRYUKAI.COM

Posture

Ai hanmi Partners face each other, each with the

right or the left foot forward
(right/right or left/left)
Gyaku hanmi Partner face each other, one with the
right foot forward the other with the left
foot, or vice-versa (right/left or left/right)
Maai Proper distance between the two
partners facing each other
Seiza Kneeling position, sitting on the heels
with back straight

Falls (Ukemis)

Kojo kaiten Back roll

Mae ukemi Forward roll
Tobu ukemi Break fall
Ushiro ukemi Back roll
Zempo kaiten Forward roll

Warm up

Haishin undo Final back strech

Ryote tori senobashi undo Final back strech

4
 DAIRYUKAI AIKIDO/IAIDO
6380 Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1M9, (514) 222-2641

DAIRYUKAI.COM

Category of movements

Tachi waza Standing technique

Hanmi handachi waza Technique done with uke standing and
nage sitting
Suwari waza Sitting technique
Omote waza Entering movement in front of uke,
considered positive
Ura waza Entering movement behind uke,
considered negative
Soto kaiten Outside turning movement
Uchi kaiten Inside turning movement
Irimi Entering movement going toward uke
Tenkan Turning movement
Tenshin Nage steps back

Attacks

Katate tori One hand grasp of a wrist

Ryote tori Two wrists grasp from the front (one
hand per wrist)
Morote tori Two hand grasp of a wrist
Kata tori Shoulder grasp
Ryokata tori Two shoulders grasp
Ushiro tekubi tori Two wrists graps from behind
Ushiro ryokata tori Two shoulders grasp from behind
Shomen uchi Descending strike to the top of the
head
Yokomen uchi Sideways strike to the head
Tsuki Thrust punch

5
 DAIRYUKAI AIKIDO/IAIDO
6380 Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1M9, (514) 222-2641

DAIRYUKAI.COM

Techniques

Ikkyo Arm pin

Nikkyo Wrist control by turning it in
Sankyo Wrist control by twisting it
Iriminage Entering throw
Shiho nage Four corners throw
Tenshi nage Heaven (ten) and earth (shi) throw
Kote gaeshi Throwing by turning out uke’s wrist
Kaiten nage Throwing by pushing diagonally on one
of uke’s arm while maintaining down
his head
Kokyu ho Breathing exercise

EXIGENCES POUR LE PASSAGE DE GRADE

6 th Kyu (30 hours) 5 th Kyu (60 hours)

Double tenkan (tai Sabaki) 1. Shomenuchi Ikkyo

Tenkan 2. Shomenuchi Iriminage
Mae ukemi 3. Katatetori Shihonage
Ushiro ukemi 4. Ryotetori Tenchinage
Yoko ukemi 5. Tsuki Kotegaeshi
Shikko 6. Ushiro Tekubitori Kotegaeshi
Aihanmi ikkyo omote and ura 7. Morotetori Kokyuho
Shomenuchi ikkyo omote and ura
Katate tori shihonage omote

6
 DAIRYUKAI AIKIDO/IAIDO
6380 Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1M9, (514) 222-2641

DAIRYUKAI.COM

4 th Kyu (80 hours) 3 rd Kyu (100 hours)

1. Shomenuchi Nikkyo 1. Yokomenuchi Iriminage (2 ways)

2. Yokomenuchi Shihonage 2. Yokomenuchi Kotegaeshi
3. Tsuki Iriminage 3. Tsuki Kaitennage (uchi & soto)
4. Ushiro Tekubitori Sankyo 4. Ushiro Ryokatatori Sankyo
5. Ushiro Ryokatatori Kotegaeshi 5. Morotetori Iriminage (2 ways)
6. Suwari waza Shomenuchi Ikkyo 6. Shomenuchi Sankyo
7. Suwari waza Katatori Nikkyo 7. Suwari waza Shomenuchi Iriminage
8. Suwari waza Katatori Sankyo 8. Suwari waza Shomenuchi Nikkyo
9. Hanmi handachi Katatetori Shihonage
10. Hanmi handachi Katatetori Kaitennage

2 nd Kyu (200 hours) 1 st Kyu (300 hours)

1. Shomenuchi Shihonage 1. Katatori menuchi - 5 techniques

2. Shomenuchi Kaitennage 2. Yokomenuchi - 5 techniques
3. Yokomenuchi Gokyo 3. Morotetori - 5 techniques
4. Ushiro Tekubitori Shihonage 4. Shomenuchi - 5 techniques
5. Ushiro Tekubitori Jujinage 5. Ryotetori - 5 techniques
6. Ushiro Kubishime Koshinage 6. Koshinage - 5 techniques
7. Morotetori Nikkyo 7. Hanmi handachi Ushiro Waza - 5
8. Hanmi handanchi Shomenuchi techniques
Iriminage 8. Tantotori
9. Hanmi handanchi Katatetori Nikkyo 9. Freestyle: 3 attackers
10. Hanmi handanchi Yokomenuchi
Kotegaeshi
11. Freestyle: 2 attackers

Shodan (400 hours) Nidan (600 hours)

1. All of 1-st kyu requirements 1. All of Shodan requirements

2. Tachitori 2. Tachitori - 2 attackers
3. Jotori 3. Kaeshi Waza
4. Henka Waza 4. Freestyle: 5 attackers
5. Freestyle: 4 attackers

Sandan (700 hours)

Subject of exam to be determined by examiner
at the time of the exam

7
 DAIRYUKAI AIKIDO/IAIDO
6380 Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1M9, (514) 222-2641

DAIRYUKAI.COM

Morihei Ueshiba’s Life

Morihei Ueshiba was born on December 14, 1883 in Tanabe, a town in the
prefecture of Wakayama, Japan.

After having studied numerous martial arts during his youth and being marked by
several encounters, Morihei Ueshiba whom his students often called O’Sensei
(which means Great Teacher) because of his great expertise in martial arts gave
his training a new direction by eliminating the notion of enemy and winner of a
fight.
He envisioned Aikido not only as the synthesis of his martial art training but as an
expression of universal peace and reconciliation.
In 1927, he opened his first dojo called Kokuban. Today it is known as Aikikai
Hombu Dojo and is located in the neighborhood Shinjuku inTokyo.

Morihei Ueshiba first taught most of Daito Ryu Jujutsu’s curriculum which Sokaku
Takeda had passed on to him. He combined it with techniques of Kenjutsu and
Jojutsu adapting them to form a more “peaceful” martial art.
He named his style Daito Ryu Aiki Jutus until Takeda forbid it in 1922; he then
named it Ueshiba Ryu Jujutsu until 1924, Ueshiba Ryu between 1925 and 1926,
and finally Aiki Budo from 1927 onwards as well as Kobu Budo and Aikinomichi.
The Aikido Morihei Ueshiba was practicing in this early period was still very close
to Daito Ryu but some authors also mention a Chinese influence. It was a more
violent style than the one he developed in later years.

In 1940 O’Sensei had a second vision. Discarding all techniques he learnt until
then, he envisioned them under a different angle, not only as means to project or
immobilize an opponent but as a vehicle to opening up to life, to knowledge,
virtue and to common sense. During the final years of O’Sensei, the Aikido of
flowing circular movements was born.

8
 DAIRYUKAI AIKIDO/IAIDO
6380 Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1M9, (514) 222-2641

DAIRYUKAI.COM

In 1942 he decided to call it Aikido. In the same year he opened a dojo in Iwama
and dedicated a temple to Aikido which has been reconstructed at the beginning
of 1960.
After the Second World War, there was a hiatus on all Japanese Martial Arts and
in 1952 Aikido was the first Martial Art which could be taught again in a school.
Since Morihei Ueshiba always considered his martial art as a gift to humanity, he
did everything he could, even though he only spoke Japanese, to promote it
internationally by sending emissaries to several European countries and to
America. He also accepted foreigners who wished to train in Japan and who had
the required determination.

During the years following the Second World War O’Sensei started to give public
demonstrations of his art which largely contributed to its visibility among the
Japanese public.

The founder of Aikido did not worry about transmitting his art. He retired at the
end of the war to a little village called Iwama and only visited some dojos of his
former students. He considered it being the responsibility of his most advanced
students to spread Aikido around the world.

Each student’s technique, physical constitution and attitude while training is a

different aiki and all these forms are within the principle, of aiki ”way” of Aikido.
Ueshiba said; “There is no form or style of Aikido. It is the movement of nature
and it’s secret is deep and infinite”.

In January 12, 1968, O Senseï gave his last public demonstration.

In 1969, even though he seemed to be vigorous, his health deteriorated. He died

peacefully on April 26, 1969. On June 14th of the same year his son Kisshomaru
Ueshiba was designated as his official successor of the new Aikikai Foundation.