Aikido Randori

[Patrick Skerry]

I had practiced Aikido for a year, yet I have never seen 'free practice' or randori in Aikdo, nor do I understand how an Aikido tournament would take place.

What elements of Aikido would have to be removed in order to compete? And how is the scoring done? Thanks!

 

[Paul B]

Hi Patrick,

As far as competition in Aikido, Tomiki style Aikido or Shodokan,is the only style I know of that has "shiai" for Aikido.

As far as randori or jiyuwaza in a regular Aikido class,the fact that you only studied a year might have something to do with it. As far as I know,true randori isn't available to the lower Kyu. Again,this may vary from Dojo to Dojo,even within a specific "style". Is there anything specific that you wanted to know about randori?

I am afraid I can't help you too much with Tomiki Ryu. I do know that the book "Aikido:Tradition and the Competetive Edge" by Fumiaki Shishida and Tetsuro Nariyama explains the Tomiki Style beautifully.

 

[Patrick Skerry]

Hi Paul B.

I realized that I only studied for a year, but in that year I did not see anything that even resembled Shiai or competition, nor did I see anything posted on a well maintained bulletin board, or hear anyone speak of any upcoming Aikido tournament to which to prepare.
So how does an Aikido tournament progress, how do you attack and defend without breaking an arm? How is it scored? How are the referees trained?
Thanks!

Hi Patrick,

As far as competition in Aikido, Tomiki style Aikido or Shodokan,is the only style I know of that has "shiai" for Aikido.

As far as randori or jiyuwaza in a regular Aikido class,the fact that you only studied a year might have something to do with it. As far as I know,true randori isn't available to the lower Kyu. Again,this may vary from Dojo to Dojo,even within a specific "style". Is there anything specific that you wanted to know about randori?

I am afraid I can't help you too much with Tomiki Ryu. I do know that the book "Aikido:Tradition and the Competetive Edge" by Fumiaki Shishida and Tetsuro Nariyama explains the Tomiki Style beautifully.

 

[Paul B]

All right....I'll look it up for ya . The style of Aikido I studied did not have "shiai" either,so it's all new to me.

There is a senior Aikidoka over on Budoseek! who is very,very knowledgable about Aikido "shiai",seeing how he has, and is, trained in Shodokan. His name is Peter Rhese. He will be able to help you much better than I. He's the mod on the Aikido Forum.

I'll be back with what I can dig up after class tonight.

 

[Paul B]

Excuse me....that would be Peter Rehse,doh!

I would suggest doing a search on Tomiki or Shodokan and looking for randori competition rules,even though I have the book,I am just not qualified to even give my interpretation of it. As it would be easy to mislead,even when not meaning to.