Iwama Style - Technical Characteristics

Technical Characteristics

While most aikido practitioners stress a vertical posture, Iwama stylists practice with the hip tucked to allow the back leg's power to be better exerted (see the Yoshinkan's kamae). Though the back should be kept straight and the center of mass kept between the legs, this creates an impression of leaning forward. The neck is ideally also kept relatively straight. Also, while a number of aikido styles practice with the hips square the front, Iwama stylists often have their hips slightly rotated. This is because the feet are still kept on a line, but the front foot points forward rather than turned out (in contrast to the Yoshinkan). In jo work, the posture of hito-emi, or standing with a dramatically minimized profile facing the opponent, is stressed.

Iwama style Aikido has a large number of diverse kokyu nage codified that give it a large technical repertoire compared to most styles of Aikido. There is also a strong emphasis on the use of atemi during techniques.

Many techniques, especially techniques that begin from shomen-uchi, start with nage initiating a strike to uke in the most basic form of the technique. This was taught by the Founder and is discussed in his book "budo. It is common with Yoshinkan and Michio Hikitsuchi's basic practice, but opposite of how most other styles of Aikido teach the techniques. Once this variation is mastered, students may also practice with uke striking, though it is emphasized that tori is initiating the encounter. Saito-shihan referred to this as the "way of the mountain echo" (yamabiko no michi), presumably after a poem by the founder.

Iwama stylists employ kiai with great consistency.

Koshi-nage in Iwama style aikido is always performed with the hips perpendicular to the uke and the hips acting as a fulcrum.

In ukemi Iwama practitioners will usually attempt to parry the atemi being thrown by nage, which may or may not be encouraged in other styles of aikido.