Kanai Sensei Chapter 4

Technical Aikido

by Mitsunari Kanai, 8th dan

Editor's Note: Following is an excerpt from Kanai Sensei's forthcoming book. The video version has been released and is available from Aikido Online. It is also being serialized in "Aikido East", the journal of the USAF Eastern Region.

Chapter 4 - Relationship between Joints and Power, and How Power is Produced

Part 1

We will now examine the relationship between the body's joints and power, and how correct use of the body's joints produces power.

In examining this subject, we can begin to understand the expression of AIKIDO on the physical level, and by focusing on the nature of the body, understand the concept of unification of mind, body and spirit

The concept of unification has suffered because it has usually been a very vague concept. In the past, emphasis on the mind aspect of unification (mainly "how-to-use-KI" ideas) has been used to compensate for the fundamental contradictions and appearance of disunity of AIKIDO's widely varied collection of attacks, joint techniques and throwing techniques

However, as I hope is becoming clear through the previous discussion, it is my belief that by analyzing the workings of the body, a clear and effective logic can be defined and established for AIKIDO practice.

If we use the logic of the physical body as a basis for clarifying what would otherwise be the vague concept of "unification", we can begin to clarify one's understanding, and escape the ambiguities in most In order to gain this much deeper understanding of AIKIDO, you must learn to use your "entire-self" in AIKIDO practice.

Expressed in physical terms, using your entire-self means that you must use your entire body in performing each movement or technique. Moreover, since the joints are the structures that connect the various parts of the body you must use all of the joints of your body. To do this you must understand the function of the joints of the human body.

There are three important functions of the joints:

First, appropriate and flexible joint movement can soften or avoid a collision with an opponent's power.

Second, joints can create flexibility. Each individual joint has a range of motion, but in order to maximize total body flexibility, one must make all of the joints, including the hip joints, adjust from moment to moment..

The more joints that can be adjusted in a coordinated way, the more the body will be totally flexible.

Third, joints can produce power. Muscles create power, and multiple muscles and their associated connective tendons are attached to each joint. When multiple muscles are used in an organized way, the power created necessarily must be proportional to the number of muscles used. This power is manifested through a movement of the joint to which the muscles are connected. If this is true of one joint, then it is better to use two joints than one, and three joints than two, etc. The more joints one uses, the greater the power one can generate and transfer to the opponent.