Aikido speed drills

Some sports use drills to increase foot speed and quick explosive movement. I have been thinking of what similar drills could be used in aikido to work on common footwork and increasing speed. Initially concentrate on

• irimi and pivot (hitoe iriminage & tsuki iriminage)
• irimi, step with back foot and pivot (shomenuchi iriminage)
• ikkyo undo - sliding fwd and back
• tenkan
• tenkan and J step
• tenshin off the line (and then irimi fwd)

Have students stand on a mat seam to visualize the line of attack. They must make movement the smallest amount off the line and at the last moment, to keep from getting hit. Use soft bokken initially as attack. If they move to early off the line, the bokken will track them and they get hit. After completion of the movement, check your position & posture; adjust foot position as necessary to prevent sloppiness and bad habits.

On irimi, the forward foot moves first. The power for this comes from the back planted foot. The irimi should be as deep and quick as possible. Same for tenkan, except you want to end up next to uke's front foot. On tenshin the front foot steps back and is powered by the hip turning.

Try explosive irimi forward for distance. Keep center low. Then try irimi for speed, not necessarily distance.

Try doing each of these with the students holding bokken.

• tenkan - static, motion
• irimi pivot
• ikkyo undo
• rowing
• j step
• step tenkan
• step irimi nage
• maki otoshi tenkan kneeling pivot
• 180 degree pivot with arms
• stepping - 1 foot fwd, alternating feet
• 8 direction cuts
• Chiba foot work with bokken
• Stefan foot work drills
• uki otosh step back, open hips, kneel and knee return