Taido was thought up Seiken Shukumine. He started this Japanese budo style in 1964. The definition for Taido karate is “way of the body,” and it is based on an older Okinawan karate form called Te.
This was not the only time that Shukumine had founded a new martial arts style. When he was only 25, he created a new kind of karate he called Gensei-Ryu.
Karate and other martial arts had been widely practiced in the West for a number of years. In those years, prior to Taido, most instruction was rudimentary and the original techniques for this “empty handed” style of fighting remained essentially unchanged. yet, the world was going through a transition and Shukumine was a keen observer who could see what would have to be rethought as far as how old-style karate ideas of training were concerned.
Shukumine determined that there were some problems with karate that limited the way it was able to be used and learned. There wasn’t enough creativity and independence and the training methods of the commonly taught movements would quickly bore most students.
This martial arts tactics involved rigid and uninspired movements. Karate didn’t change over the years as far as the methods and instructions that were given to the students.
Shukumine felt that a martial art could be accepted as a defensive art form if he could devise a way to include more adaptable movements and techniques. He desired to provide students the chance to be inspired by their practice and this required that the work and teacher had to inspire them. These thoughts became the impetus that would help him to create Taido.
Prior to Taido, Seiken Shukumine taught a martial arts form that was called Genseirvu karate. This was universal in its appeal, but still he knew it wasn’t enough.
He felt that he would have to update {traditional} karate attacks and training methods, and finally in 1965 his new Taido karate form debuted. Taido is a modern, sophisticated styleof martial arts that employs many aerial moves. It teaches a student to make use of twists, spins, speed and changing angles of the body. Shukumine’s desire was to use Taido karate to evolve the study and training of karate and other martial arts.
The purpose of Taido is to increase the awareness of the students who study this martial arts form. Shukumine had one ultimate goal as far as the study of Taido karate was concerned. He expected to be able to help all Taido practitioners reach their maximum potential in everything they do.
The Guiding Prinicples of Taido
A Taido student should keep their mind is calm and clear. The mind should be as smooth as a polished mirror. Then they will perceive the truth of any situation. When the mind is kept calm and even it will prevent a student from being confused.
In Taido, the mind and body must be united in their purpose. They must operate as a single entity. When a person conducts himself in the right manner, any type of insults will not trouble him.
Taido students are encouraged to practice calling upon the deepest power that rests at the center of their being. Once a Taido karate practitioner has achieved this level, they will not experience any fear of confrontation or battle.
If a Taido student follows these actions, they will always choose to conduct themselves in an honorable and correct manner.
Taido teaches free thought, adaptability and flexibility in both movements and ideas. When a person has appropriate moves, their challenges cannot defeat them.
Basic Taido Body Movements
Sen- Taido movements that involve vertical spinning. Un – movements making use of wave like motion such as jumping techniques. Hen – techniques that are initiated by a toppling motion resulting in changes to the axis of the body. Nen – movements displaying horizontal spinning. Ten – tumbling or flipping motions.
In addition to the punches and kicks, there are two different methods that are used to set up the strikes. Unsoku – fast and strategic footwork for controlling space and angle to the opponent. Unshin – propulsion movements that are acrobatic in nature and involve no actual stepping on the floor.
A tournament in Taido
There are three special types of Taido Karate competitions that students can engage in. Jissen is Taido’s sparring, like karate’s kumite. Taido forms are known as “Hokei” – closely related to kata in Karate. Tenkai- these are routines that are {acted outenacted} by teams of Taido members in which a defender is given the opportunity to defeat five of his “opponents” and demonstrate challenging or new techniques.
