Does Aikido Need Modernising?

I recently noticed (especially since lockdown) that there are a number of discussions within the Aikido community about Aikido questioning its effectiveness or whether Aikido needs modernising. This is certainly an interesting topic to be discussing for sure.

Here is my personal view on these discussions:

I do not think Aikido needs modernising. The Art that O'sensei left us towards the last 10 years of his life was a final research of his Aikido, which led to the forming the Aiki Ken and Aiki Jo with Taijutsu strong interlinks. The Bukiwasa study will help any Aikidoka to have a sense of increased Zanchin and feeling of being surrounded, which Taijutsu have in each and every techniques (Starting with Tai no Henko for instance).

So, I do not think the attacks need to be modified, it is all there but the difficulty for many to understand is that it takes years of practice to do them well and to understand the fundamentals behind these techniques. To me, Aikido is complete and very advanced.

There is therefore no need to want to add any new things or want to simplify them. If one is struggling with any technique, then it is because you have not yet applied it correctly, so the technique is not to blame.

For instance, many techniques will require Atemi, Awase (blending) with strong principles of triangle, circle and square for instance. If you take any of one of them out, the technique will simply fail.

Some discussions extend to even add competitions in Aikido. In my view, if we adopt an ideology of winning/losing in our mind for competition, we simply deviate away from Aikido spirit is all about.

Indeed, one needs to find the connection and use it to your advantage to overcome Uke, breaking his/her balance from start to finish is the ideal Aikido to me and of course using the right power from hips and Kokyu, not the physical muscular added strength to overcome your opponent. If you use the latter and your opponent is stronger, you will simply not succeed, therefore your Aikido will have limited effectiveness.

The key is to remain relax and adopt the right mindset, which is to connect, reconcile and have the upper hand of the situation as Tori and for Uke to feel the technique and learn to know where and when it becomes an effective technique. Adding competition in Aikido, would kill this mindset and the ideal connection or blending (Awase) that we want to achieve, takes years of practicing it (I reckon 10 years plus!)

One needs to be very patient and seek to study at one's pace. Unfortunately after a couple of years (3-5 years) often the practitioner wants to see some strong results but to begin to be good in Aikido may take over 10 years at least (if not more) so it is a long journey.

However, the journey in learning Aikido is a wonderful path and is truly fascinating as no matter how far you go, you will always continuously learn the Art - there is no end goal to it!

If someone is seeking quick results then Aikido is probably not the right Martial Art. Remember Aikido study (if you are serious about it) is a lifetime commitment.

There are no shortcuts to get to the top and it is up to us, as individuals to find the correct way to apply techniques. We need to be honest within ourselves if we want to truly progress.

However, if you apply all the right principles that O'Sensei left us then, there is no doubt in time that you will understand these principles more deeply and that you will then begin to create or innovate Aikido following these principles, which I believe is the next level up called 'Takemusu' Aikido where one can perform spontaneous techniques from the body (and not the brain) from any given situation exposed...