There is a saying, in which I believe, written by Basho: “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought." This is a concept I have endeavored to follow in my years of Aikido practice. I have developed Hiriki Aikido to adapt and improve all styles of Aikido, to fill the gaps in technique and answer the questions left unanswered. The art of Hiriki Aikido is quite able to stand on its own merits, showing it to legitimately be a new style of aikido, the first American style. I feel there is no end to Aikido in general. There is always room to improve the art as an art form and as a martial science. True to the quotation, I sought what the men of old sought and found it within my art of Hiriki Aikido.

I believe Aikido is a martial science and intended by O Sensei to be that. But he also intended it to be a path of love for all mankind and a way to self-harmony. He often admonished students not to stray from the path of Aiki but I believe that many have because they have become encased in the indifference of “don't ask, just do”. It is my intention to keep Hiriki Aikido both as a martial science and a martial way for self-improvement. Hiriki Aikido is unlike the "aiki aerobics" of many “traditional" forms of Aikido which require a passive partner to "work" with. Some call that blending. I call it lacking the ability to redirect the attacker where you want them to go. If you cannot perform the technique in the dojo without faking it how will it work in the street? Aikido is a martial science first and an art form second. If you can perform the martial science aspect of Aikido the art form is easy to accomplish. Performing Aikido without involving the use of Ki becomes a contest of who is stronger and larger in size; I do not believe this is true Aikido. I have found that strength fades with age so I have developed Hiriki Aikido techniques intertwining Ki and the dynamics of movement to deliver what is needed to complete the technique.

Many styles of Aikido, in my opinion, are becoming Aiki-aerobics: “Just dance around me while I make believe this will actually work in the street”. Sadly it will not. These styles have not adapted to the reality of a modern world and its changes in the new millennium. As an example, people rarely attack with an overhand strike any more. Why practice against it? It seems they hold to outmoded principals and in this process they often overlook the real concept of the technique.

Traditionalists say Aikido is non-aggressive. They say the art is a passive art. I say it is a very aggressive art because when performed correctly the Hiriki aikidoka is applying technique when the aggressor is just beginning to think about becoming aggressive; this is learned through training. I believe that the Hiriki aikidoka is a true Peaceful Warrior. I say this because to be truly peaceful you must have the power to destroy an opponent but choose not to do so. Doing this you show compassion to the opponent. Only a warrior who has overcome the challenge to both mind and body and faced the inner fears of the ego can be a true pacifist. The sword that takes life or the sword that gives life, this is true aikido; the ability to destroy life but the compassion to spare it. To have the ability to choose is a most important attribute of any martial art form. The ability to spare life or take life and having the confidence within the human spirit to truly know it; this is the true spirit of the Hiriki aikidoka, the Peaceful Warrior.

There is a popular concept that the art must come from Japan to be a true martial science. I say this: what matters is the martial science that is taught, not the land it came from. A Hiriki aikidoka realizes that he may have to use the art he is learning to save his life in this violent world. This awareness is the key to his safety. Too many traditional stylists do not care to believe they may be attacked sometime in their daily lives. They walk around with a false sense of security in their art form believing that the techniques they learned will ward off an attack that is trying to end their life. Unfortunately they may learn the truth too late.

Preserving the art form’s core is the right thing to do, of course, but Aikido was made to improve every day. Use the core as a base of learning and the core techniques & philosophies should be improved. O Sensei was asked if his techniques could be filmed. His response was “Why? It will change tomorrow“. It is regrettable that the many styles have forgotten this. A true art form will also reflect the teacher’s experiences and, most important, the innovations and discoveries of his art on his path. If that is not present the art form will be ineffectual and without real substance.

As a Sensei I am concerned with the safety of my students both inside the dojo and outside of it. I have been given the responsibility for their training and their safety both physical and mental and I am confident that, if need be, their training will perform to the level that they need to keep safe from harms way. The law enforcement personnel I train call Hiriki aikidoka “Aikido's Bad Boys”. They say this because of the effectiveness of Hiriki in street applications for the law enforcement community.

I believe that practicing Aikido as a martial science is the true way to develop the inner self. It allows the inner self face fears and doubts and become victorious over them. Without the discipline of a martial science there is no challenge to the character of the student to improve their higher, inner self. I believe the true goal of O Sensei’s development of aikido was to improve the higher self and develop a caring respect for all humanity.

There must be awareness within the Aikido community that the reality of the twentyfirst century is not the same as when the original art form was born. In this modern world, the art form must be able to withstand the challenges as a martial science for both the body and the mind. Remember that most martial arts were developed in wartime contexts and the combative techniques changed to effectively overcome an opponent every time there was a change in the opponent’s tactics. When the conflict stopped the changes in technique often also stopped. Many of the martial arts forms now are just chronicles of those years during which they were developed.

I will not allow Hiriki to become static and develop holes in its techniques. This could endanger the safety of my students and violate their trust in Hiriki Aikido and myself. I know the art must become the student’s own. This means the art form will change with every student who walks the path of Hiriki Aikido. It will change ever so slightly to fit into the individual’s mindset and body characteristics. This is the way it should be. It is the obligation of the art to its students and it is my legacy to my students.

Hiriki Aikido was developed within the United States to ward off the violence of the land it in which it was developed. It was developed so Americans can grasp not only the physical aspects of the art but also the mental aspects of the art in a modern, realistic way without offending their own religious beliefs.

Tags: why hiriki, rusinko sensei

People choose Hiriki Aikido for many different reasons. Some need a safe form of exercise. Some want to learn how to defend themselves and their loved ones. And there are students that have studied different forms of martial arts a large portion of their lives and are still searching. It is a martial science first and foremost. The art form of Aikido is next in the development and challenges the student must face to gain knowledge of the art in an academic sense, to know where the martial science came from, and to be able to understand and interact with any other style of Aikido. It is practiced as a martial science, not the aerobic work out that many schools today are saying is Aikido.

But why do people choose Hiriki Aikido? From forty-four years of teaching experience, I have learned that to retain and promote the student’s confidence from the very first day techniques must work for the beginner as well as the advanced aikidoka. With that in mind an advanced program of learning has been developed to enhance the learning process.

Waza (technique) is taught initially while confronting a near-static opponent which is directly opposite to most other styles of aikido teaching. When the student is taught by handling a static attack it is done to challenge their learning ability in the higher levels of the art. Static is harder to learn because the balance and momentum of the attacker is not given to the beginning student to use as an aide in performing the technique. At the same time the beginning student is taught how to use their Ki energy and develop the body memory of Ki in all the techniques they learn.

The theories of Hiriki Aikido are instructed along with Ki and its applications in practice and daily life. The philosophy of the art of Hiriki Aikido as self-protection for the mind and body is passed on to the student. Unlike most martial arts schools Hiriki Aikido Dojos educate the students to the range of choices they have in response to aggressive behavior, physical or mental, and we train knowing there are always consequences set in motion by our actions.

The foundations, pillars and principles (waza) are taught to the student in actual levels. These levels are like the levels of the Use of Force Continuum taught to law enforcement personnel which is used to judge the correct level of response to a specific threat. This always allows the Hiriki Aikidoka a range of responses necessary to keep safe, physically and legally, giving the beginning student a solid foundation to advance their education to a higher plateau of learning in the future. Hiriki Aikido is based on the foundations of O Sensei’s Aikido (square, circle, and triangle) with added foundations of the Point and Axis; adding these foundations to O Sensei’s original foundations improves the art of Hiriki Aikido’s effectiveness and versatility.

The Hiriki Aikido dojo is a safe place to practice and learn the art of Hiriki Aikido. The dojo membership is friendly and helpful to all its members; there are no bullies or cliques allowed in the dojo. The classes are structured to allow an attitude of enjoyment in being there; the strict military discipline practiced by some dojos is not present. That is not to say there is no respect of the dojo or students; respect is always shown at all times and the students pride themselves on the seriousness of their study and the safety of the learning process of Hiriki Aikido. Class sizes are small and personalized with access to the Sensei being always available and encouraged. Because Hiriki Aikido has the potential to cause injury all students are carefully watched as they progress through the levels of training.

When a student leaves the dojo they feel relaxed, energized, and totally relieved of stress. This is just one benefit of Hiriki Aikido practice. The student looses their necessity to be who they are in the outside world. They are not parents, teachers, lawyers, doctors, or factory workers they are aikidoka and for the time in the dojo that is all they are. They are just students, each walking a different path toward the same goal. They practice an art which enhances their inner self and their physical self toward their betterment as human beings where good energy dwells and manifests as a path which dispels all negative energy; this is what Hiriki Aikido teaches them and it is what each enjoys most.

Tags: beginners, why, rusinko sensei

Level # 1

The first level involves evasion, control and restraint of an attacker with some throwing techniques, which are intended to do minimum damage to the individual who is attacking. At the first level, the student learns the square foundation before moving on to the next level or foundation of movement. The student acquires a very good knowledge of the first ten (waza) principles creating a good beginner level of defense and knowledge of the art. The student also develops their basic falling skills as well as an introduction to specific weapons. Level one also contains two person kata forms of practice and the Aikidoka is introduced to weapons training. In level one the student is also initiated into the use of their energy or Ki.

Level # 2.

The second level involves learning the circle foundation of movement and its use in the previous waza. The more advanced techniques of this level encompass the next ten principles of Hiriki Aikido. These waza are where most other styles of Aikido stop training their students. The waza gives the Hiriki Aikidoka choices to disable an attacker or neutralize the attack. Choice is always offered to the student. All Hiriki students are trained even as beginners to think of the repercussions of their choices. The student will become knowledgeable with the circle foundation at the second level, learning to integrate the circle to the previously learned principles at level one. He will also challenge himself to become more proficient in his falling arts as well as increasing his knowledge in the use of the square foundation. At level two the aikidoka is introduced to two person counter kata forms and embarks on serious weapons training. Finally, the second level student becomes more proficient with his usage of Ki. He is trained to pass level two Ki performance tests and is challenged to enhance his knowledge of more difficult Ki manipulations.

Level # 3.

At level three the student learns the triangle foundation movement and its use both in level three waza and in waza of previous levels. At level three the Hiriki aikidoka learns additional waza which can only be described as deadly force level on the force continuum. These are the forgotten techniques of the art of Aikido. The aikidoka is constantly tested to insure that his level of maturity and development is the proper state of mind for this knowledge. At level three all students are trained to pass level three Ki performance tests. At this level the student is trained to be proficient in the use of weapons. The student also learns the introductory segment to the Inner Self Development category of Hiriki Aikido.

Level # 4.

At level four the student learns the axis or line foundation. In this level the student’s abilities are improved and refined to reflect the high quality Hiriki Aikido is known for. The student also builds the skills of the more subtle teachings of Ki use.

Level # 5

At this level a command of all previous foundations, pillars and principles of Hiriki Aikido are demonstrated and polished. The student is introduced to the Point foundation or “Gen”, as it is called. This level is where the student masters Ki and weapons which includes the use of the traditional bokken and jo. This level also begins instruction in the Hiriki Tanto Kihon (Basic Knife Techniques)


Level # 6

Level six is usually for senior students who will become professional Hiriki Aikido Instructors. At this level all of the principles, pillars and foundations are demonstrated to show the student’s skill level and then polished to reflect the Hiriki Tradition of Excellence. At this level the Advanced Tanto is also learned and demonstrated by the senior student.

Tags: levels, technique, rusinko sensei