What Is Yoshinkan Aikido - A Quick Introduction

Yoshinkan Aikido is a style of Aikido that was founded by Gozo Shioda in 1955.

It's considered to be one of the more "aggressive" or "hard" styles of Aikido, and it's mostly known as a martial that harmonizes two opposing forces - the attacker and the receiver.

It's also one of the more discipline-focused styles, with a strong emphasis on correct posture and form. This makes it an excellent choice for those who are looking for a structured approach to martial arts training.

In this article, we'll take a close look at Yoshinkan Aikido, some history and techniques, and what sets it apart from other styles of Aikido.

Brief History of Yoshinkan Aikido

Gozo Shioda was one of Morihei Ueshiba's (the founder of Aikido) top students who developed his own style of Aikido.

He named his style of Aikido after his father's dojo, which literally means "Hall of Spirit Cultivation". There are a few differences between the original school of Aikido (commonly referred to as Aikikai) but they are generally two faces of the same coin.

Over the years, Yoshinkan Aikido became well-known for its disciplined and regimented approach to training, as well as its effective self-defense techniques from Gozo Shioda's military exposure.

The Yoshinkan Style

Yoshinkan Aikido's style places heavy emphasis on correct form, distance, balance, flow, and timing.

Many of the techniques are designed to off-balance an attacker by using the attacker's force, putting the attacker at a disadvantage from the start.

There's only one stance in Yoshinkan Aikido known as kamae. Students are required to perfect this one stance as it serves as a fundamental to all techniques.

The basic techniques serve as a base for the 150 basic techniques and these techniques are then encouraged to be practiced repeatedly until it becomes their second nature, allowing students to develop a deeper understanding of the mechanics of each technique before having to worry about things practicality, speed, and timing.

There are 6 structured basic techniques known as kihon dosa, designed to instill correct posture and correct movement from the start. This fundamentally helps students avoid developing bad habits that can be difficult to break later on.

Conclusion

Whether you're looking for an effective self-defense system or simply want to explore a different style of martial arts, Yoshinkan Aikido is definitely worth checking out. 

Its linear techniques make it unique among other styles of Aikido, while its regimented and structured approach to training helps ensure that students develop a deep understanding of each technique before moving on to live training settings.