Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere
Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere is a comprehensive technical introduction to 1960's-era Aikikai Aikido as taught in the United States. The book is effectively in two parts. The first part provides an overview of Aikido, including its history and organization, its technical place among other Japanese martial arts, its primary technical features, and its theory of defense. It is from this theory of defense that the book draws its title.
The second, and far larger, part of the book presents a detailed basic technical curriculum, from preparation exercises and posture through to basic techniques and some advanced techniques. Both sections pair descriptions with hundreds of hand-drawn illustrations. Since the book sets out to introduce Aikido from a Western point of view, Western terms are substituted for Japanese terms throughout. For example, "ikkyo" is called "immobilization no.1".
The book also includes many charts, including a detailed fold-out chart close to the center showing all the basic "techniques of neutralization". Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere is one of the earliest aikido books to achieve widespread success and has subsequently been reprinted many times.
by A. Westbrook & O. Ratti. Softcover. 375 pp.
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