Aiki-ken: an organisational overview

(NOTE: The term “old series” refers to the techniques performed as they appear in Saito Sensei’s first series of books, “Traditional Aikido”

1. Ken suburi

(7 techniques - basic cuts and steps from ken kamae, starting from right hanmi)

1. Ichi no suburi (Shomen uchi komi, raise and cut from chudan ken kamae)
2. Ni no suburi (Shomen uchi komi, step back to jodan kamae, left hanmi then step forward to cut, right hanmi)
3. San no suburi (Shomen uchi komi, raise, step back to gedan kamae, left hanmi, then step forward to cut)
4. Yon no suburi (Shomen uchi komi, stepping foward and cutting in left and right hanmi, raise tip)
5. Go no suburi (stepping forward and cutting left and right hanmi, raise handle)
6. Roku no suburi (Shomen uchi komi, tsuki, cut and thrust in same hanmi)
7. Shichi no suburi (Shomen uchi komi, tsuki; cut in right hanmi, step and thrust in left hanmi)

2. Ken suburi-awase

(same as above, done with a partner standing opposite each other)

1. Ichi no suburi-awase (Both sides perform the cut)
2. Ni no suburi-awase (Both sides perform the cut)
3. San no suburi-awase (Both sides perform the cut)
4. Yon no suburi-awase (uchi-tachi steps forwards while uke-tachi steps back, both cutting shomen uchi)
5. Go no suburi-awase (uchi-tachi performs 5th suburi, uchi-tachi steps back parrying with shomen uchi)
6. Roku no suburi-awase (uchi-tachi performs 6th suburi, uke-tachi steps back with shomen-uchi, slides back with tsuki)
7. Shichi no suburi-awase (uchi-tachi performs 7th suburi, uke-tachi steps back with shomen-uchi, steps back with tsuk)

3. Happo giri

(5 techniques - 8 directional cut from ken kamae)

1. Old kihon (half step, half committed cut, hip turning on the spot, 3150 turn step 5)
2. New kihon (half step, half committed cut, hip turning on the spot,, on the spot, 225 deg turn step 5)
3. Henka #1 (committed cut, stepping forward with right foot each cut)
4. Henka #2 (cut followed by tsuki as in suburi #6)
5. Henka #3 (cut followed by tsuki as in suburi #7)

4. Ken awase

(7 techniques - sword blending patterns with a partner, each with several variations)

1. Ichi no awase (step off line to right in R hanmi and cut shomen uchi as opponent cut
2. Ni no awase (step back to jodan kamae as opponent performs tsuki, then step forward cut)
3. San no awase (same as #1, then as opponent raises for second cut, tsuki to throat)
4. Yon no awase (slide forward, cut shomen uchi, opponent parries, step w/ L foot in and tsuki)
5. Go no awase (same as awase #1 henka #1, then as opponent raises for 2nd cut, step in cut wrist)
6. Roku no awase (Awase #1 + #5 together - 3 steps, finish with wrist cut)
7. Shichi no awase (as opponent raises to cut, feint to face, then large yokomen uchi to left, cut neck)

5. Ki-musubi-no-tachi

(1 technique - a 3 step pattern to practice awase, and introduce kumi-tachi)

1. Kihon (same as roku no awase, with 3rd suburi as first movement)

6. Ken-tai-jo

(10 techniques - jo against sword)

7. Kumi-tachi

(25 techniques, paired partner practice. Henka #1-4 old series, 5 and on are the new)

1. Ichi no tachi (3 steps and cuts, shomen uchi against yokomen uchi, uketachi initiates)

1. Henka #1: Sword (step in with L foot and cut R wrist on 2nd step)
2. Henka #2: Body (step in with L foot and catch tsuka with L hand on 2nd step - throw)
3. Henka #3: Sword (step in with R foot and cut L wrist on 3rd step)
4. Henka #4: Body (step in with R foot and cut L wrist on 3rd step)

2. Ni no tachi (5 steps, parrying tsuki and yokomen uchi, uchitachi initiates)

1. Henka #1: Sword (step in with L foot and cut R wrist on 2nd step)
2. Henka #2: Body (step in with L foot, take R hand with L - throw kote gaeshi)
3. Henka #3: Sword (step in with R foot and cut back of neck on 3rd step)
4. Henka #4: Body (step in with R foot, catch tsuka with R hand on 3rd step - throw koshi nage)

3. San no tachi (3 steps, knock opponents sword, parry yokomen uchi, uketachi initiates

1. Henka #1: Sword (half step forward to L on 2nd step, hold down sword with L hand)
2. Henka #2: Body (step forward to L on 2nd step, catch tsuka, step on R foot - kokyu forward)
3. Henka #3: Sword (same as Henka #1, but on R side at step 3)
4. Henka #4: Body (step in with R foot, catch tsuka with R hand on 3rd step - throw koshi nage)

4. Yon no tachi (3 steps, parrying tsuki and yokomen uchi, uchitachi inititates)

1. Henka #1: Sword (step in with L foot and cut R wrist on 2nd step - see Ni no tachi henka #1)
2. Henka #2: Body (step in with L foot, take R hand with L - hiji katame)
3. Henka #3: Sword (step forward with R foot on 3rd step and under L arm, hold up with sword)
4. Henka #4: Body (step in with R foot, catch tsuka with R hand on 3rd step - throw kokyu nage

5. Go no tachi (5 steps, parrying yokomen uchi, thwarting attempt to catch tsuka)

1. Henka #1: Sword (step under sword, slice abdomen on 4th step)
2. Henka #2: Body (step to R with L foot into opponents abdomen and knock down on 4th step)
3. Henka #3: Sword (control R elbow at 4th step, holding back of blade with L hand)
4. Henka #4: Body (step in with L foot at 4th step, catch tsuka with L hand - throw koshi nage)

8. Tachi-dori

(10 Techniques - sword taking. 1-10 are the old series, 11 and on are the new)

1. Kokyu nage (from right hanmi, entering to left, throwing ura)
2. Kote gaeshi (from left hanmi, entering to left)
3. Irimi nage (from left hanmi, entering to left)
4. Hiji katame (from left hanmi, entering to left)
5. Kokyu nage (from left hanmi, entering to left, throwing omote)
6. “Shinken shirahara dori” (from left hanmi, entering to left)
7. Shomen uchi kokyu nage (from right hanmi, entering to right)
8. Kokyu nage (from right hanmi, entering to right, throwing omote)
9. Sankyo (from right hanmi, entering to right)
10. Yonkyo (from right hanmi, entering to right)

9. Supplemental ken training exercises

1. Standing in ken kamae (to develop a stance without opening)
2. First suburi from varied kamae (to equally develop both sides of the body)
3. Tanren uchi (using a tanren bokken and striking a resistant surface)
4. Suburito-no-keiko (using a variety of heavier bokken to build strength and grip)