Recommended Books & Videos

The following books and videos are recommended as tools for the further understanding of Aikido as presented by Saotome Shihan, Ikeda Shihan, and their senior instructors in the ASU. Links to sites where they may be purchased are provided.

Books by Saotome Sensei

Soatome Sensei is the head Shihan (master instructor) of the ASU and was a direct live-in student of the founder of Aikido for 15 years. More information about Saotome Sensei can be found here.

The Principles of Aikido: Presents and explores both technique and the complex underlying principles of Aikido technique in multiple step by step photographs.

Aikido and The Harmony of Nature: Examines the philosophy and principles of Aikido as explained by Soatome Sensei.

Videos and DVD's featuring Saotome Shihan

The following videos are highly recommended viewing. They provide many examples of Saotome Sensei's mastery of the many aspects of Aikido. The videos are professionally produced and of high quality. Click the links for a description and ordering information.

The Principles of Aikido	The Sword of Aikido
The Staff of Aikido	Oyo Henka
Takemusu Aiki	Two Swords of Aikido

Videos and DVD's featuring Ikeda Sensei

Videos featuring Ikeda Shihan are all available from Bu-Jin design, Ikeda Sensei's martial art supply company. All 4 videos may be purchased combined on a single DVD or purchased separately. Each of the videos are professionally produced explorations of different aspects of Aikido and how they relate to movement from the center. They are presented by Ikeda sensei with many of his senior students as Uke.

Irimi, Buki, Koshi, and Za DVD

Videos By George Ledyard Sensei, 6th Dan

Ledyard Sensei is a senior Aikido Instructor in the ASU and has been a student of Saotome Sensei for 30 years. Instructional material featuring Ledyard Sensei can be purchased directly from his website at www.aikieast.com.

Principles of the Sword and Saotome Sensei's 1st 5 Kumi Tachi - 2 DVD set: These DVD videos cover the basics of Aiki-sword such as kamae, cutting, thrusting, proper ma-ai and more as presented by Ledyard Sensei. There is also an in-depth study of the underlying movements and principles of Saotome Sensei's first five Kumi-tachi. Each Kumi-tachi is broken down into its basic movements and then reconstructed to give an understanding of the "how" and "why" of the forms.

The Principles of Randori Video Manual - in CDR format for PC: This instructional manual is given in Powerpoint presentation format for the PC (it will not play on a set-top DVD unit), all software needed to view is included. It is a unique approach to instructional videos. It contains written slides and diagrams combined with video demonstration covering the movement principles and strategies of Aikido Randori (free-style mutliple attacker practice).

Books and Videos Featuring William Gleason Sensei, 6th Dan

William Gleason Sensei is a highly regarded Aikido instructor. He began his practice over 35 years ago in Japan under Yamaguchi Seigo Sensei, a direct student of O'Sensei. During his years in Japan he also studied Japanese Swordsmanship, religion, and language. In 1980 he returned to the United States and founded the Shobu Aikido Dojo in Boston to continue his training and teach Aikido. He has continued to study Aikido with Saotome Sensei since 1985 when he affiliated with the ASU. Books and videos by Gleason Sensei may be purchased directly from his website at www.shobu.org.

The Spiritual Foundations of Aikido - This is the first book introduced to the west that truly explores the little known teachings of O'Sensei's subtle understanding and underlying spiritual principles of Aikido. O'Sensei's spiritual teachings were often veiled in esoteric Shinto language, with complex cosmology and religious symbolism. These concepts are explored and explained by Gleason Sensei with details of O'Sensei's teaching and spiritual beliefs given in a systematic interpretation. These spiritual teachings are rarely understood or passed down, even in Japan, today. Complex but worthwhile reading for those wishing to gain a deeper insight into the religious aspects of Aikido's founder, Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei.

Aikido and the Japanese Sword DVD - Gleason Sensei demonstrates various sword movements and how they relate to the empty hand practice of Aikido technique. Demonstrations of various kata and sword movements are shown to be essentially the same as bare hand Aikido techniques.

Materials by various Authors

Center, The Power of Aikido - by Ron Meyer and Mark Reder: This book is written by two students of Ikeda Sensei and is a great summary of many of the points Ikeda Sensei stresses in his teachings. The book focuses on many aspects of learning one's body structure, how to develop and apply power to uke through proper application of body alignment, connection, uprooting and spiral movements. The book focuses less on individual technique and instead looks at overall general principles of body structure and movement.

Abundant Peace, The Biography of Morihei Ueshiba - by John Stevens. A biography of the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei, as written by Aikido practitioner and scholar John Stevens. It includes many photos of O'Sensei in daily life and practice.

The Art of Peace - by Morihei Ueshiba, translated by John Stevens: A collection of O'Sensei's poems regarding Aikido, called "doka" . These doka were written as a way for O'Sensei to describe aspects of Aikido as metaphor. This edition also contains many examples of O'Sensei's calligraphy, plus a short biography of his life by John Stevens.