Aikido and entering

[Dlee427]

I am not too familiar with aikido and its techniques specifically since I have never practiced it but I do know the basics. I was wondering what aikido's philosophy is on "entering" or "attacking the attack". I guess it would depend on the type of aikido and I'm not exactly sure how many or what kind there are (I know of 2: O sensei and the more "harder" jujutsu like aikijutsu if I'm not mistaken).

I have studied jujutsu and was taught as a core principle to attack the attack, and when done correctly, it is extremely effective. I'm interested in aikidos principles of redirection and leading. Why not enter in as the attack comes in, rather than diverting or leading/moving out of the way, and THEN entering? Is it just the style or are there different points of views and reasons for this?

Any opinions and input appreciated. Thanks

[Koshu]

For what it's worth, you can attack an attack while / in the form of re-directing and/or leading it.

[Eric Joyce]

I am not too familiar with aikido and its techniques specifically since I have never practiced it but I do know the basics. I was wondering what aikido's philosophy is on "entering" or "attacking the attack". I guess it would depend on the type of aikido and I'm not exactly sure how many or what kind there are (I know of 2: O sensei and the more "harder" jujutsu like aikijutsu if I'm not mistaken).

I have studied jujutsu and was taught as a core principle to attack the attack, and when done correctly, it is extremely effective. I'm interested in aikidos principles of redirection and leading. Why not enter in as the attack comes in, rather than diverting or leading/moving out of the way, and THEN entering? Is it just the style or are there different points of views and reasons for this?

Any opinions and input appreciated. Thanks

I can't speak for other styles of Aikido, but I did practice Yoshinkan Aikido for about 5 years and we did many techniques where we "attacked the attack". For example, yokomen uchi sankajo osae ni. When uke would attack, shite would enter in deep, taking uke off balance. Shite would also apply an atemi to uke's face before applying the sankajo technique. There are others but this one just sprung to mind.

[Koshu]

Hey David --- How're things going in Texas?

[DSuter]

Irimi...roughly means 'to enter'. Only speaking from my experience, but in cases where we enter, we move into the space the attacker was going to take for their strike. This is often accompanied by atemi and off-balancing in the one movement. Now, aikido has a BROAD range of styles within it and you may not find all dojos practicing this way.

Dean.

[Hanna B]

I have studied jujutsu and was taught as a core principle to attack the attack, and when done correctly, it is extremely effective. I'm interested in aikidos principles of redirection and leading. Why not enter in as the attack comes in, rather than diverting or leading/moving out of the way, and THEN entering? Is it just the style or are there different points of views and reasons for this?

I think you got that a little bit wrong - but so have plenty of aikido people, so that's quite OK. There must first be entering, then diverting/leading/moving out of the way. To quote Ellis Amdur, there is no such thing as tenkan without irimi. (Not sure where his original writings on the topic can be found though.)

[RickMatz]

I can't speak for other styles of Aikido, but I did practice Yoshinkan Aikido for about 5 years and we did many techniques where we "attacked the attack". For example, yokomen uchi sankajo osae ni. When uke would attack, shite would enter in deep, taking uke off balance. Shite would also apply an atemi to uke's face before applying the sankajo technique. There are others but this one just sprung to mind.

I concur. I studied Yoshinkan for quite a while under Kushida Sensei. There was plenty of sen no sen, taking the initiative.