Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere: An Illustrated Introduction (Tuttle Martial Arts)

This book represents the best attempt at documenting Aikido techniques and physical exercises short of training. I got my copy after reading An Open Secret: A Student's Handbook for Learning Aikido Techniques of Self-Defense and the Aiki Way (great book, I highly recommend it to accompany this book). I wanted to get a better understanding of Aikido movement and have a reference for the various techniques taught at class.Westbrook and Ratti, the book's authors have done a tremendous job in compiling diagrams of Aikido technique, movement, exercise and principles. It is an illustrative guide that touches on nearly every aspect of physical Aikido training and attempts to quantify the mental - spiritual aspects that set Aikido apart in the martial arts. This is voluminous work that is nearly 400 pages long in print. When viewed in eBook format it's extremely big. The drawings are all original and illustrative of the author's understanding of Aikido. It's plain that this work was painstakingly created with great care and diligence.There is a brief historic summary of the Japanese martial arts to give a reader some sense of grounded history. The requisite details of proper etiquette, clothing, standard grading and a discussion of "energy" principles are given. This book while prepared in the 1960's, still sets the "standard" for all books on Aikido technique.Where the author's work fall short is in trying to quantify Aikido movement into charts, diagrams, flow charts, mathematical formula and physics. While the later certainly is a key element to initially learning techniques, to truly learn and understand the power of Aikido it must be felt. Like Life itself - Aikido is an experience.On the plus side, Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere represent the most thorough catalog of movement and techniques available anywhere. It is important to keep in mind that names of practices and techniques have been modified within Aikido sub-style since this book's first publication. Subsequent update revisions have not caught these differences.The information presented in this book can be confusing for beginning students. Advanced students will find that the information in this book can provide much insight and detail into the physics of Aikido technique.

I think this is the best book explaining a specific martial art that I've come across.Why is it exceptional? Several reasons. First, the authors are unusually articulate, and at times almost scholarly. Second, the book addresses both the philosophy of aikido (its tenets, values, and meditative characteristics), as well as the technique of aikido (its movements and defensive tactics), and it explains the link between the philosophy and technique in an especially coherent way. Third, the book delves into details of aikido technique using an extensive set of figural drawings and diagrams, which are easier to understand than a series of photographs would be. Fourth, the book also provides brief background regarding the institutional side of aikido: i.e., how is the art typically taught, what does does a dojo look like, what is the etiquette of a typical class, how does ranking work, etc.There's an almost anthropological quality to some of the material in this book -- again, quite scholarly. About the only aspect of aikido background that it doesn't cover in much detail is the history of the art, or of its founder, Morihei Uyeshiba. Notably, the book acknowledges up front that it provides only a limited introduction to the techniques (at ~370 pages): given its intent as an aikido handbook, rather than an aikido encyclopedia, I don't see that as a flaw.By contrast, there are many other martial arts books that basically consist of lists of techniques, with illustrative photographs that are very difficult for a non-practitioner to follow. Such books are often poorly written or poorly translated, and don't really convey the essence of what a particular martial art is, with regard to technique, philosophy, or pedagogy. This book stands out because it does convey that essence, and because the style of the writing itself actually *feels* a bit like aikido.If you are interested in either aikido or martial arts generally, this book is worth picking up. You won't be disappointed.

I have read this many times. This is my second copy. I recommend it.

This book is pretty comprehensive in describing the movements of aikido. It would be hard to understand if one had never seen or tried aikido.I have watched aikido for many years and finally started to practice. I realized right away that I needed a good guide to the movements and some of the philosophy behind the movements. This book is more than adequate for it.I particularly like the warmup exercises and the exercises specific to people practicing aikido. The illustrations are very nice, too. I expect to come back to the book many times to clarify moves or the reasoning behind the moves.

Want to brush up on Aikido? This is the perfect book for your! Beginner? Great place to start.

Most of the other reviewers have said it already, so I'll cut to the chase- this is an incredible book. A few months ago, I began learning aikido. Frustrated with the lack of handouts with basic newbie information, which were provided in the judo/jujutsu I used to train at, I went looking for a book. So much of Aikido is bodily physics, and I had begun to draw the kind of force diagram one learns in a basic HS/College Physics course. After reading reviews, I went for this book and I can't say I regret it. It is the most comprehensive text I've seen, and for me the diagrams are much more helpful than more photographic demonstrations, though a combination of both seems to be the best. Perhaps it has to do with the way a person thinks- for me, this book is right on.I bought the book used for under $10, labelled as being in Good condition. I was very impressed wit the quality of the binding and paper, much nicer than your average hardcover and even of the more expensive type of book meant for academia. Definately worth the money, even at more than that!

Better than I had thought. Very well written and accessible.

This is simply the best book ever written about Aikido.

I’m very pleased with this book as a whole it details Aikido and it’s practice very well. I myself come from a Japanese Ju Jutsu background and was wanting to expand my knowledge of it’s descendent arts, such as Aikido and Judo. I’ve taken a couple of Aikido classes and personally come to the conclusion that it is not effective as a style of self defense but with the help of this book and my Ju Jutsu knowledge I have concluded that it is in fact a good practice in theory but the techniques while displaying some kind of resemblance to that of Ju Jutsu wrist locks, joint locks, etc. But they are too far from an effective Martial Art. During a class I once asked a Aikido black belt about specific attacks and how he would use Aikido to defend against them, he then showed me what he thought was the effective defense, I went further and asked him why exactly he would chose to do that or what principles he was using, he replied “I’m not quite sure, my master showed it to me like this, and it worked for him, so it will work for me.” I was very confused by this response as in Ju Jutsu we learn that you can’t teach the same thing to everyone, because everyone moves differently and not one person is the same, we are different heights, weights, strengths, etc. This is another reason why Aikido doesn’t work as self defense because it’s founder isn’t the same size as half of the people I’ve trained with. Im very happy with this book because of the detailed philosophy and practice of Aikido and I find it interesting to look at other Martial arts and see where they fail as self defense. Another book I got by the same authors is “secrets of the samurai”, I recommend that book as-well if your interested in martial arts.

イラストの風合いがいいです。

A VERY GOOD BOOK, EASY TO READ, CLEAR PICS, SEEMS TO HAVE ALL THE BASIC MOVES TO GET YOU STARTEDI have a 2nd Dan in Judo so have seen lots of good and bad books of this kindI have only just taken up Aikido and this has helped me remember and analyse the stuff in the dojoAND NOT TOO MUCH OF THE YING-YANG-ZEN STUFF, WHICH IS ONLY GOOD IF YOU WANT TO SLEEP