Easy Aikido Moves To Save Your Hide

Easy Aikido moves are those which get you off the line of attack. You'll need to practice your Aikido avoidance movements enough so they become a reflex action... so instead of jumping back from your attacker's fist, boot or weapon, you'll move just enough to avoid getting hit and then take control of your attacker's power. This way you control his balance and movement.

If uke (your attacker) has a weapon, then you will control that arm (or leg) and take him to the ground. There are dozens of basic ways, with thousands of minor variations. So lets keep it simple.

In Irimi-nage, for example, you move so to blend with him and lead him into a circle, pushing his neck down from behind. Uke is bent almost double, but immediately reacts by trying to stand upright again. And as he does so, you reverse direction hooking his face with the inside of your forearm - which takes him crashing to the ground on his back. A classic Aikido throw "made easy" when it is described this way, but it requires many hours of practice in class to make it smooth and automatic.

In Shomen-ate, as another example, you would lightly check Uke's attacking arm and then counter-attack by pushing at his chin to break his balance and running strongly directly at him, with your leading foot going straight through his open legs. This will slam him onto his back as soon as he loses his balance. And if he tries to back away from you, you just keep running. He's going to fall first ... or hit a wall, a tree or whatever.

With Kote-gaeshi , you would step to one side and catch Uke's wrist or foot. You then swivel back towards your attacker and twist his wrist or ankle back towards him. Keep turning and swiveling, and something's got to give. As long as Uke is skilled at Aikido Ukemi (escapes and breakfalls) and has some idea of what might be coming, he should be able to jump and do a safe breakfall to the ground. But if he doesn't have these skills, or is a bit slow in using them, the joint you are twisting will almost certainly be broken - and Uke will fall heavily and be hurt even more.

That's why learning Aikido needs to be done in a safe, controlled environment. So find yourself a Dojo today and get started. You really can't learn this stuff on your own.