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Taido is a Japanese martial art created in 1965 by Seiken Shukumine (1925 - 2001). The word "Taido" can be translated as the way of the mind and body (or internal and external self). Taido has its roots in traditional Okinawan Karate. Feeling that the martial arts particularly karate were not adapting to meet the needs of a changing world, Shukumine first developed a style of karate called Genseiryu around 1950.
Founding: Eventually, Shukumine became convinced that the limitations of karate lay in its two-dimensional nature. He considered how to adapt the martial arts to a three-dimensional world and introduced the new art as "Taido." Taido's techniques offered many innovations: the inclusion of spinning and twisting movements, gymnastic maneuvers, speedy and effective footwork, and a changing body angle.
Taido's purpose was, and continues to be, the application of scientific methodology and traditional values to the evolution of the martial arts. The concepts that make Taido unique include three-dimensional movements, combination of defense and counter-attacks, application of scientific principles to body movement, outlined methods of creating new techniques, and emphasis on the practitioner's relationship with society.
1945
Towards the end of World War II, Seiken
Shukumine Saiko Shihan (supreme instructor )
of the Gensei school, received secret orders
to carry out a special forces style attack
on an enemy ship off the coast of Okinawa.
He thought long and hard about the most
effective means of attack. The answer he
came up with was based upon the gymnastic
principles of turning, moving, changing,
twisting and rolling. In this way he
invented a technique which could be adapted
to spatial movement in three dimensions.
1946
Shukumine worked on these techniques of
moving ( Ungi ), changing ( Hengi ), and
tumbling ( Tengi ) first, in the mountains
of Meiji Village in the Minami Kaifu Country
area of Oita Prefecture....
1948
.... and later on an uninhabited island
belonging to Kunigami Nakushi village in
Okinawa Prefecture....
1949
He gave the first public demonstration of
these techniques in Ito City, Shizuoka
Prefecture.
1953
For the next ten years, while constructing
and experimenting at more than 120 dojos
around the Tokyo area - places such as
universities, the Defence Forces, and
corporate groups. Shukumine formulated the
basic principles necessary to establish a
new martial art.
1962
With the final integration of the spiralling
( Sengi ) and twisting ( Nengi ) techniques,
the new martial art was complete. Shukumine
named it Taido - the way of the Body and the
Mind.
1963
By way of scientific elucidation of the five
practical techniques of Taido, Shukumine
formulated a fundamental theory based on the
interdependent relationship between human
existence, the structure of society, our
attitude towards the universe, the
self-evident "truth" which is the
underpinning of every martial art, and the
concept of perfect form.
1965
The various elements of Doko ( principles of
physical control ), Seigyo ( principles of
combat ), Taiki ( principles of breathing ),
Hokei ( body, form, mystery ) and Keiraku (
harmonisation of yin and yang ), and the
different aspects of physiology, psychology
and emotion were all brought together in the
unified theory of Taido.
1969
It has been said that in 1969 when film
footage of Neil Armstrong in space and on
the moon was sent back to earth and into
people's homes across the globe, Shukimine
was watching. He saw, as did many, that
gravity had almost no effect on Armstrong,
that there was little resistance to his
twisting and turning. Armstrong could change
the axis of his body with ease. This gave
Shukimine much inspiration and reinforced
his beliefs in what he was trying to achieve
with Taido, especially in the way of
changing one's body axis at any time and in
any situation.
Since then, Taido has won many new
enthusiasts and is currently practised in 12
foreign countries, including European
countries, the United States and Australia.
The first martial art to explore the
possibilities of attack and defence by
adjusting the body axis, Taido promises to
evolve and develop to meet the challenge of
the 21st century.
Five Principles of Taido:
- Keep your mind as clear and calm as
the polished surface of a mirror. This
way you will see to the heart of things.
Having the right state of mind will help
you avoid confusion.
- Be composed. Body and mind should be
as one. Bear yourself correctly and you
need never fear insult.
- Invigorate your spirit from the source
of energy deep in your abdomen. With the
right spirit you will never fear combat.
- In every action, follow the correct
precepts you have been taught. By doing
so you cannot act wrongly.
- Be adaptable in your techniques and
maintain freedom of physical movement.
The right technique will prevent you
from being dominated.
Five Types of Body Movements:
- Sen - Vertical spinning movement
- Un - Ascending and descending
wave-like movement
- Hen - Falling movement characterized
by changing the body's axis
- Nen - Horizontal spinning movement
- Ten - Rolling and tumbling movement
These movements are combined with
punches, kicks, and other techniques. The
last category, Ten, includes acrobatic
movements, for instance back-flips, which
makes Taido spectacular to watch. Taido has
a special kind of foot-work, which is called
unsoku, as well as non-stepping (acrobatic)
locomotion, called unshin.
Competition: Competitions in Taido include Jissen (sparring), Hokei (which is similar to kata), and Tenkai, which is a made up fight, where one "hero" defeats five opponents during the last part of a 30 second bout. In Tenkai the judges give points to the competing teams in a similar manner as is done in e.g. figure skating.
Miscellaneous Info: Taido is practiced in Japan, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Denmark, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Australia and the USA. There is also another Japanese martial arts named Taido ( 太道 / taidō ), but it is only practiced in Japan. |
