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Extracted from: http://www.healthanswers.com.sg/ (This site is no longer in
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Date reviewed: August 02, 2000
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Get your way through non-violent means. Vincent Leong of HealthAnswers reports
on the beauty of Ki-Aikido.
The two men
tower over a petite Alice Koh. She stands there, calm and collected. The
men stand flanking her, each holding on to one of her arms. At the count of
three, they take a deep breath and try to lift her. A few seconds pass, and
Alice is
still standing there. The men's faces turn red as they continue to exert
all their strength - to no avail.
This is not a magic
show. Alice Koh Sensei, in her 40s and a mother of two, is demonstrating
the basic mind and body co-ordination of Ki-Aikido. In the day, Alice is a
merchandising manager at a leading departmental store, but for three
evenings each week, she is Alice Kow Sensei to 40-odd Ki-Aikido
enthusiasts. Alice
is Assistant Chief Instructor at Singa Dojo at the Singapore Martial Arts
Instructors Association.
Physical
And Mental Fitness
According to Alice,
who has been practising ki-aikido for more than 12 years, it has
made her a totally different person. Not only is she fitter physically, she
feels that she is now stronger mentally, more focused in everything she
does. She also finds that she is not as timid as she used to be.
"I used to have severe gastritis, and I was very timid," says Alice. "After I
joined the Ki-Aikido class for about a year. I found that my gastric
problem was not bothering me anymore, and I was not afraid to watch horror
movies!"
Physical fitness and
mental well being comes almost as second nature for Ki-Aikido
practitioners.
"A lot of people live very stressful lives. The breathing exercises we
learn here are very helpful to executives or just anyone who lives a
stressful lifestyle, as it helps them to regulate their breathing,"
laughs Alice.
"We always tell our students that if they fall sick or catch the flu,
it is because they haven't practised their Ki breathing
enough."
She goes on to
explain: "People who practise Ki-Aikido have stronger
resistance. We have students who suffer from asthma, and they always find
that their asthma condition improve over time after practising the
breathing exercises."
Razali Hussein Sensei,
another instructor at the Dojo, also feels that Ki-Aikido has made
him a healthier person. Razali picked up Ki-Aikido after learning
karate for seven years. A karate first-Dan holder, he has taken part in
numerous karate tournaments on the regional level. However, he took to Ki-Aikido
and has found it much more beneficial health-wise. He says: "It has
definitely make me more resistant to common cold and viruses."
How
Ki-aikido Works
The philosophy of Ki-Aikido is this: Instead of going all out to
counter an opponent's attack, Ki-Aikido martial artists neutralise
the situation by gaining control of the aggressor. Instead of breaking
bones and throwing the opponent across the ring, like what other styles of
martial arts may teach, Ki-Aikido training emphasises rhythm,
flexibility, mental strength, and co-ordination.
Students of Ki-Aikido
do not go all out in full contact sparring, but instead, they practise in
pairs going through fluid motion.
Each student who is taking up the role of the defender borrows the strength
of the attacker at the moment of attack and leads him to an unexpected
vulnerable position. The defender, instead of counter attacking,
neutralises the situation by either pushing the attacker to a roll or
locking his limbs.
Francis Chong Sensei,
the chief instructor at Singa Dojo, explains it this way, "How can you
convince others to share your views? And at the same time avoid conflict?
You can do this by respecting other people's views. Because in turn, others
will respect your views."
A
Form Of Self-Defence
Despite the "soft" nature of this martial art, the accomplished
practitioner can also use it as a self-defence skill.
 "At the very advanced
level, ki-aikido can definitely be use as techniques for
self-defence. Aikido actually evolved from Jujitsu, a very
hard martial art. In ki-Aikido, we apply a lot of locks to the
limbs, and these locks can hurt and can be painful to the opponent. Certain
locks can actually break a person's joints or bones," says Alice.
"After practising ki-Aikido for so long, our tendons and
muscles are more supple, and a lock applied on me will hurt too, but it
will not be that much. But if the same lock is applied to someone who does
not practise Aikido, it may feel very different."
Kevin Ho, a first-Kyu
belt holder, thinks he benefits most from learning the principles of Ki-Aikido
and applying them to his daily life.
"It is a soft-art, and it is not a martial art whereby you take to the
streets to pick up fights. For example, you actually learn to respect your
seniors and it can be translated to filial piety at home," he says.
Ki-Aikido For Life
If you are looking for an activity that not only helps you build your
physical strength, but also strengthens your mental fitness, improves your
flexibility, plus calm your stressed nerves; ki-aikido is for you. At Singa
Dojo, there are trainees from 12 to 55 years old. You can call Tel: 65-466-2503
or Fax: 65-467-2646. You can also e-mail: ki-aikido@ki-aikido.com.sg to enquire
about new ki-aikido classes at Singa Dojo.
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