Taido - a Dynamic Martial Art
Karate master, Seiken Shukumine created Taido as a modern martial art.
Shukumine was trained in the classical budo tradition of Okinawa. After WW2, he began to feel that karate no longer met the needs of a changing society. In 1953, he founded his Genseiryu school to address those changes.
After ten years of teaching Genseiryu, Shukumine grew to see karate as stagnant and unchanging. He realized that the limitations of karate lay in its two-dimensional nature. In 1965, he expanded his theories of motion beyond the confines of what could be considered karate and founded Taido.
Shukumine meditated on how to make defense movements more adaptable and universal. Taido's techniques offered many innovations: the addition of spinning and twisting movements, gymnastic maneuvers, speedy and effective footwork, and a changing body angle. The name Taido means "art of the body."
So what makes Taido different from karate? Taido techniques employ changes of the body's bearing in order to facilitate simultaneous defense and kicking techniques. Taido also emphasizes the use of footwork to take advantageous angles and distance to the opponent. This footwork is functionally connected to the body mechanics that launch each kick, punch, or other technique. Taido uses exciting body movement to create powerful strikes and determine the spatial relationship with the opponent.
Taido's thought process is based on appropriate reaction to dynamic situations instead of preset patterns of attack and protection. Taido's movements are also designed for improving health and longevity.
Taido's original purpose was, and continues to be, the application of scientific methodology and traditional values to the evolution of the martial arts. According to its founder, Taido's ultimate objective is to enable its practitioners to perform at a high level in society.
There are five main principles in Taido. Keep your mind as clear and calm as the reflective surface of a mirror. This allows you to understand the reality of things. Having the right attitude will help you avoid confusion. Be composed. Body and mind should be as one. Hold yourself correctly and you need never feel inferior. Invigorate your spirit from the source of energy deep in your abdomen. With the right intention you will never be threatened. In every thing you do, follow the principles you have trained. By doing so, you cannot act wrongly. Be adaptable in your techniques and keep freedom of physical movement. The right technique will prevent you from being dominated.
Taido makes use of five types of body movements: vertical spinning movement, rising and falling jumping movement, dropping movement characterized by changing the body's axis, horizontal spinning movement, and rolling and tumbling movements.
These movements are followed by strikes, kicks, and other techniques. The last category, called "tentai," includes gymnastic movements, for instance back-flips, which makes Taido fun to watch. Taido has a unique kind of footwork, known as unsoku, as well as non-stepping locomotion, called unshin.
Competitions in Taido include sparring, Hokei, and Tenkai, which is a mock combat between one "hero" and five opponents. In Tenkai the judges award scores to the competing teams in a similar manner as is done in figure skating.
Even after saying all that, unless you've actually seen Taido, you probably still won't have any concrete idea of what Taido is about. Also, just knowing about the techniques doesn't tell you what Taido is aiming for. To really understand any martial art, you have to get an idea of why the techniques are developed as they are.
Of course, Taido is changing martial art, so no definition can really encapsulate everything that Taido is. Each student eventually develops their own ways to apply Taido to what they do and how they move. Taido itself emphasizes creativity and the development of new techniques. It is not a martial art that will remain the same for long.
There are Taido dojo in ten countries around the world.
Shukumine was trained in the classical budo tradition of Okinawa. After WW2, he began to feel that karate no longer met the needs of a changing society. In 1953, he founded his Genseiryu school to address those changes.
After ten years of teaching Genseiryu, Shukumine grew to see karate as stagnant and unchanging. He realized that the limitations of karate lay in its two-dimensional nature. In 1965, he expanded his theories of motion beyond the confines of what could be considered karate and founded Taido.
Shukumine meditated on how to make defense movements more adaptable and universal. Taido's techniques offered many innovations: the addition of spinning and twisting movements, gymnastic maneuvers, speedy and effective footwork, and a changing body angle. The name Taido means "art of the body."
So what makes Taido different from karate? Taido techniques employ changes of the body's bearing in order to facilitate simultaneous defense and kicking techniques. Taido also emphasizes the use of footwork to take advantageous angles and distance to the opponent. This footwork is functionally connected to the body mechanics that launch each kick, punch, or other technique. Taido uses exciting body movement to create powerful strikes and determine the spatial relationship with the opponent.
Taido's thought process is based on appropriate reaction to dynamic situations instead of preset patterns of attack and protection. Taido's movements are also designed for improving health and longevity.
Taido's original purpose was, and continues to be, the application of scientific methodology and traditional values to the evolution of the martial arts. According to its founder, Taido's ultimate objective is to enable its practitioners to perform at a high level in society.
There are five main principles in Taido. Keep your mind as clear and calm as the reflective surface of a mirror. This allows you to understand the reality of things. Having the right attitude will help you avoid confusion. Be composed. Body and mind should be as one. Hold yourself correctly and you need never feel inferior. Invigorate your spirit from the source of energy deep in your abdomen. With the right intention you will never be threatened. In every thing you do, follow the principles you have trained. By doing so, you cannot act wrongly. Be adaptable in your techniques and keep freedom of physical movement. The right technique will prevent you from being dominated.
Taido makes use of five types of body movements: vertical spinning movement, rising and falling jumping movement, dropping movement characterized by changing the body's axis, horizontal spinning movement, and rolling and tumbling movements.
These movements are followed by strikes, kicks, and other techniques. The last category, called "tentai," includes gymnastic movements, for instance back-flips, which makes Taido fun to watch. Taido has a unique kind of footwork, known as unsoku, as well as non-stepping locomotion, called unshin.
Competitions in Taido include sparring, Hokei, and Tenkai, which is a mock combat between one "hero" and five opponents. In Tenkai the judges award scores to the competing teams in a similar manner as is done in figure skating.
Even after saying all that, unless you've actually seen Taido, you probably still won't have any concrete idea of what Taido is about. Also, just knowing about the techniques doesn't tell you what Taido is aiming for. To really understand any martial art, you have to get an idea of why the techniques are developed as they are.
Of course, Taido is changing martial art, so no definition can really encapsulate everything that Taido is. Each student eventually develops their own ways to apply Taido to what they do and how they move. Taido itself emphasizes creativity and the development of new techniques. It is not a martial art that will remain the same for long.
There are Taido dojo in ten countries around the world.
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Learn more about Taido Karate. Stop by Taido/Blog site where you can find out all about unsoku and unshin and how it makes Taido creative and unique.
