Aikido The Peaceful Martial Art                             Stefan Stenudd

Aikido basics
Tachi dori
Sword attacks

For introduction and basic principles, go to INTRO.

Aikido books by Stefan Stenudd

1. INTRO, Aikido basics
2. Tachiwaza - mae (standing, attacks from the front)
3. Tachiwaza - ushiro (standing, attacks from the rear)
4. Suwariwaza (tori and uke sitting)
5. Hanmi handachiwaza (tori sitting, uke standing)
6. Tantodori (defense against knife)
7. Tachidori (defense against sword)
8. Jodori (defense against staff)
9. Kaeshiwaza (counter techniques)
10. Henkawaza (changed techniques)
11. Kogeki (attacks in aikido)

Notes on tachidori

Ikkyo on different tachidori attacks. More on ikkyo here.

1. Techniques in parenthesis are less important or can be excluded in tachidori, because they are awkward to execute.
2. Crossed-out techniques should be excluded from tachidori, because they are unsuitable or impossible, or lack in control of the tachi (sword).
3. Entrance on shomenuchi should also protect against yokomenuchi, and vice versa, since it can be very difficult for tori to perceive which one of them uke will attack with. Same with chudantsuki/jodantsuki.
4. Jodantsuki is not necessary to include with the basic in tachidori, but good to practice now and then. Tori should handle it the same way as chudantsuki.
5. In tsuki, the sword is normally held with its edge down. It should also be tried with the edge up or to the side, but that is not basic.
6. Kesagiri, the diagonal cut, is rarely practiced, although it was the most common cut in traditional Japanese sword arts. For clarity in training, uke can start from hasso gamae, the shoulder guard.
7. Do, or yokogiri, the sideway cut, is rarely practiced, but should be tried.
8. Ushiro shomen uchi is rarely practiced, and not really basic. Anyway, it's good to try it.
9. Tachidori can be practiced in suwariwaza and especially in hanmi handachiwaza, but that is not to be regarded as basic. Anyway, the solutions are quite the same as for tachiwaza.
10. Do not underestimate the difficulty in applying a technique and unarming uke, whose two-handed grip on the sword can be quite firm and solid.
11. Tachidori should always be done with good control of the sword, and end with disarming.
12. Returning the sword to uke, should be done with care.
13. Additional comments on tachidori are below the table.
14. About sword exercises, aikibatto, here.
15. Aikido glossary here.

TACHIDORI	shomen uchi	yokomen uchi	chudan tsuki	kesa giri	do	ushiro shomen uchi
KATAMEWAZA (pinning) in order of importance	bas = basic     adv = advanced/difficult - =not basic/possible
ikkyo omote/ura	bas	bas	bas	bas	bas	adv
nikyo omote/ura	-	-	-	-	-	-
(sankyo) omote/ura	adv	adv	adv	adv	adv	adv
yonkyo omote/ura	-	-	-	-	-	-
(gokyo) omote/ura	adv	adv	adv	adv	adv	adv
(hijikime osae) omote/ura	adv	adv	adv	adv	adv	adv
kaiten osae omote/ura	-	-	-	-	-	-
NAGEWAZA (throw) in order of importance	bas = basic     adv = advanced/difficult - =not basic/possible
kokyuho	bas	adv	bas	adv	adv	adv
kokyunage	bas	bas	bas	bas	bas	adv
iriminage omote/ura	bas	bas	bas	bas	bas	adv
shihonage omote/ura	bas	bas	bas	bas	bas	adv
kotegaeshi omote/ura	bas	bas	bas	bas	bas	adv
tenchinage omote/ura	-	-	-	-	-	-
kaitennage omote/ura	-	-	-	-	-	-
koshinage	bas	bas	adv	adv	adv	adv
udekimenage	adv	adv	adv	adv	adv	adv
jujigarami	-	-	-	-	-	-
(ushiro kiriotoshi)	bas	bas	bas	bas	bas	adv
aikinage	-	-	-	-	-	-
aiki otoshi	-	-	-	-	-	-
TACHIDORI	shomen uchi	yokomen uchi	chudan tsuki	kesa giri	do	ushiro shomen uchi

Comments on tachidori

1. IKKYO can be done with the gokyo style grab of uke's wrist, but it is also possible to do ikkyo with the lower arm meeting, like in unarmed shomenuchi and other attacks. If the attack is low, as in chudantsuki, the gokyo grip is the most practical, and if high, the regular ikkyo style grip is easier.
2. NIKYO is very impractical in tachidori, since the sword is in the way. Also, uke's two-handed grip of the sword makes nikyo difficult to apply.
3. SANKYO is possible to do in tachidori, but quite complicated and difficult. Furthermore, it is hard to do with a trustworthy control of the sword. Still, it should be tried. Disarming the uke should be done already at the sankyo twisting of uke's wrist. The sankyo end pinning is not practical for disarming. The gokyo style grip on uke's wrist (as explained in the comments on ikkyo above) is not functional when doing sankyo, which has to start with the lower arm meeting.
4. YONKYO should be avoided in tachidori, since the sword is not at all controlled and easily in the way. Also, yonkyo is difficult to apply with any effect, when uke has a firm two-handed grip on the sword.
5. GOKYO usually differs distinctly from ikkyo only in the pinning at the end, and this pinning is mainly for tantodori. It is not that practical in tachidori, although possible.
6. HIJIKIME OSAE is not recommendable in tachidori, for safety reasons, since it involves leading uke's sword near tori's chest and face. But the technique can be modified for increased safety. Some aikido teachers are quite confident about it.
7. KAITEN OSAE is not recommendable in tachidori, for safety reasons, since it involves uke's sword moving close to tori's face, neck and chest. It is also extremely difficult to do, because of uke's two-handed grip of the sword.
8. KOKYUHO in tachidori should be done so that it ends with disarming uke. Mostly, a kotegaeshi style ending works the best. It is easier to do kokyuho when moving to uke's right side (if uke grips the sword with the right hand in front of the left), than when moving to uke's left side.
9. KOKYUNAGE in tachidori should be done so that it ends with disarming uke. This means holding on to uke - or more often tsuka, the sword grip - through the throw. Mostly, a kotegaeshi style ending works the best, if uke still holds on to the sword at the end of the throw.
10. IRIMINAGE in tachidori should be done so that it ends with disarming uke. This means keeping contact with uke through the throw. Mostly, a kotegaeshi style ending works the best. Some aikido teachers disarm uke earlier in the technique, but I find that less reliable.
11. SHIHONAGE in tachidori should be done so that it includes disarming uke. This can be done right before the throw, or immediately after it - but most reliably the latter.
12. KOTEGAESHI is usually regarded as the easiest and most practical throwing technique in tachidori. It leads to a pinning, where disarming uke can be done in an uncomplicated way. Still, if uke keeps a firm two-handed grip on the sword, both the throw and the disarming can become difficult.
13. TENCHINAGE is not practical in tachidori, because of uke's two-handed grip of the sword.
14. KAITENNAGE is not at all practical in tachidori, because of uke's two-handed grip of the sword. Also, it does not lead to a pinning where uke can be disarmed.
15. KOSHINAGE in tachidori should be done so that it ends with disarming uke. This means holding on to uke - or more often tsuka, the sword grip - through the throw. Mostly, a kotegaeshi style ending works the best. On attacks where uke gets to a chudan kamae, middle level position, the technique is a little tricky to do, since tori has to get uke's arms up high.
16. UDEKIMENAGE in tachidori should be done so that it ends with disarming uke. This means holding on to uke through the throw, which is not easy due to uke's two-handed grip of the sword. A kotegaeshi style ending works the best.
17. JUJIGARAMI does not really apply to tachidori, because of uke's two-handed grip of the sword - and the difficulty in doing the technique with some control of the sword.
18. USHIRO KIRIOTOSHI is not practical in tachidori, since it lacks control of the sword. Except for that drawback, it can be done and should be tried.
19. AIKINAGE should not be applied to tachidori, for safety reasons. Also, it completely lacks control of the sword, and a possibility to disarm uke.
20. AIKI OTOSHI does not apply to tachidori, because of how uke attacks, and because of the lack of control of the sword.

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