Glossary

Aikiken is a sword practice that has a clear relation to empty-handed Aikido techniques. It is practised with the wooden bokken.

The bokken (or bokuto) is a wooden sword which is used to practise Aikiken techniques.

Partner exercises, where the staff is used to defend against a sword attack

Counter-attacking movement in Aikiken, in which the attacker's cut is first deflected with a circular movement that leads directly to a counter-attack with Shomen-Uchi (literal translation: ‘returning the cut’)

"Empty" posture: non-threatening sword posture, when the BOKKEN is lowered sideways to invite UKE to attack

Cutting exercise with bokken: cutting in all four directions

Basic exercises with bokken or jo.

Punch, thrust or stab with the fist or a weapon (bokken, jo, tanto); pronounced "tski".