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Aikido Basic Movements

HomeAikido Basic Movements

Basic Stance

There is a right hanmi, or migi hanmi, and a left hanmi, or hidari hanmi.

    • Face forward, maintaining a straight posture with your upper body. Keep your shoulders square.
    • Place one leg forward, bend the knee slightly (as you look over the knee, you should barely be able to see the toes).
    • Place the other leg to the back, about one and a half steps behind, keeping it straight.
    • Be sure both feet face forward (ai-hanmi) and both heels touch the floor.
    • Distribute about 60 percent of your weight over the front foot; 40 percent over the back foot.
    • Bend your elbows slightly, arms to the side.

Tip: When the hands are placed in front of the body, it is called kamae, or a fighting stance. The position of the hands in kamae is similar to holding a bokken (or sword), In Migi Hanmi with the right foot forward, the left hand is positioned at your ki center and your right hand slightly above and forward as in the holding of the bokken.
Migi Hanmi
Hidari Hanmi
Tsugi-ashi
 From Migi Hanmi, slide right foot forward, then slide the back foot forward without changing Hanmi From Hidari Hanmi, slide left foot forward, then slide the back foot forward without changing Hanmi
Ayumi-ashi
 From Migi Hanmi, step forward with left foot (into Hidari Hanmi).
Keep a good stance forward then return.		 From Hidari Hanmi, step forward with right foot (into Migi Hanmi).
Keep a good stance forward then return.
Tenkai-ashi
 From Migi Hanmi, pivot as you twist your hips in same foot
location so you end up in Hidari Hanmi (facing opposite direction).		 From Hidari Hanmi, pivot as you twist your hips in same foot
location so you end up in Migi Hanmi (facing opposite direction).
Kaiten-ashi
 From Migi Hanmi, step forward with left foot into Hidari Hanmi, then pivot as you twist your hips in
same foot location so you end up back in Migi Hanmi, then strike with a back fist, then step again
with the left foot (to Hidari Hanmi) and pivot as you twist your hips in the same foot location to face the front
(back to Migi Hanmi).		 From Hidari Hanmi, step forward with right foot into Migi Hanmi, then pivot as you twist your hips in
same foot location so you end up back in Hidari Hanmi, then strike with a back fist, then step again
with the left foot (to Migi Hanmi) and pivot as you twist your hips in the same foot location to face the front
(back to Hidari Hanmi).
Tenkan
 From Migi Hanmi, move your back left foot backwards around (away from the front) so you face
in the opposite direction, keeping the right foot in front or forward, then step throw with the left foot and pivot
returning facing forward.		 From Hidari Hanmi, move your back right foot backwards around (away from the front) so you face
in the opposite direction, keeping the left foot in front or forward, then step throw with the right foot and pivot
returning facing forward.
Irimi-Tenkan
 From Migi Hanmi, take a step with the left foot forward (into Hidari Hanmi) then move your right
foot backwards around (away from the front – a Tenkan move) leaving your left foot forward (in Hidari Hanmi),
at the same time bring the left hand to your waist centre and then out in front of
you. Then repeat the steps returning back to the front.		 From Hidari Hanmi, take a step with the right foot forward (into Migi Hanmi) then move your left
foot backwards around (away from the front – a Tenkan move) leaving your right foot forward (in Migi Hanmi),
at the same time bring the left hand to your waist centre and then out in front of
you. Then repeat the steps returning back to the front.
Uchi-Tenkan
 From Migi Hanmi, slide right foot forward then step forward with the left foot (into Hidari Hanmi)
and then do a Tenkan with the right foot so the left is forward (in Hidari Hanmi). As you do this, your hands
move upwards and then down in a cutting motion. Repeat returning back in front.		 From Hidari Hanmi, slide left foot forward then step forward with the right foot (into Migi Hanmi)
and then do a Tenkan with the left foot so the right is forward (in Migi Hanmi). As you do this, your hands
move upwards and then down in a cutting motion. Repeat returning back in front.
Tenshin
 From Migi Hanmi, step back AND off to the right with the right foot at a 45 degree angle
from the direction you are facing.		 From Hidari Hanmi, step back AND off to the left with the left foot at a 45 degree angle
from the direction you are facing.