Название: Aikido: Method for Flowing Movements: A Theory of Movement to Solve Dynamic Conflicts
Автор: Francisco-Shu Kitaura
Издательство: Science & Arts
Год: 2020
Страниц: 247
Язык: английский
Формат: pdf, epub
Размер: 25.9 MB

This book presents Aikido as a theory of movement based on a fundamental principle encoded in its name: the way of harmonising energy flows. A deductive reasoning approach is applied to derive the method to solve dynamic conflicts, and its link to physics is developed. This enables the establishment of objective criteria to assess the quality of the Aikido movements. The relationship to the Japanese sword -the katana- is investigated in detail. This allows the introduction of the Aikido-script. In this way, an Aikido technique can be written as the combination of a series of basic katana movements, which are interconnected through the dynamic centre's smooth flow path.

The physical minimal energy condition and the mathematical smoothness condition governing the flow paths in Aikidō are introduced. An analysis of the most relevant classical Aikido techniques shows that these conditions are fulfilled. In this framework, the complex mechanical movements performed by each hand, arm, leg, hip, foot, etc., serve to construct a unique flow.

Hence, the ideal practice of Aikido is based, on the exercise of solving dynamic conflicts by conducting dynamic flows without causing aggression. This provides a solid argument for why Aikidō can be regarded as the martial art of peace, in which combat and competition do not make sense.

The simplicity and beauty of Aikido consist of taking that unique path. The difficulty lies in finding it since there is a wide variety of paths encoded in the choice of the final state and some possible additional constraints along the path (where the path should or should not go through). A life-long training of the body and the mind is required to dominate the ensemble of harmonic flow paths asymptotically.

"If you want to know what a martial art has to do with vacuum cleaners, Voyager1, Superman rescuing Lois Lane, phantom limbs, the least action principle, the brachistochrone, abductive learning, driving a car in a garage, Dirac's belt, and many more things, then you will have to read this book."