Concatenations

Kaeshiwaza & Renzokuwaza
返技 & 連続技

concatenation

Concatenations
in Aikido - and also in other Budo arts - are sequences of techniques in the way that only the last of the techniques ends in a final throw or a fixation. According to this definition, tsuzukiwaza are not concatenations. The concatenations consist of standard techniques of Aikido. The roles of Uke and Nage can change. Kaeshiwaza are counter techniques, so the roles change. If the roles remain the same it is renzokuwaza, which means after a "failed" technique Nage performs an alternative technique.

Kaeshiwaza
Nage starts a technique, Uke can block it and then begin a technique him/herself. What could be the purpose of kaeshiwaza?
1. Show weaknesses in the execution of techniques.
2. Being able to win against an aikidoka too.
3. Dissolve the fixed roles of uke and nage.
You don't have to answer weakness in the execution with counter techniques, you can teach it differently, as Tohei Sensei did it. Since an aikidoka is by definition peaceful, there is no need to defend oneself against him/her. Remains point 3. Usually, the roles in Aikido practise change constantly, so it is unnecessary to do this in a concatenation. Kaeshiwaza tends to weaken the quality of actions. Therefore, kaeshiwaza may promote agility or adaptability or blending with the other, but it will not develop the ability to clearly control a situation. Yoshigasaki Sensei has always spoken out strongly against Kaeshiwaza.

Renzokuwaza and Kaeshiwaza

A demonstration in 2015, Kobayashi Aikido. The attack is always shomenuchi, except for the last technique in the video.
Renzoku: Ikkyo, Nikyo, Sankyo, Yonkyo.
Kaeshi: Ikkyo-Ikkyo, Ikkyo-Nikyo, Ikkyo-Sankyo, Ikkyo-Yonkyo.
Groupkaeshi: Ikkyo - Kotegaeshi, Kotegaeshi - Shihonage, Shihonage - Iriminage, Iriminage - Ikkyo, Ikkyo - Iriminage, Iriminage - Iriminage, Iriminage - Ushiro otoshi, Ushiro otoshi - Sankyo, Sankyo - Sankyo, Sankyo - Kokyunage, Kokyunage - Yonkyo, Yonkyo - Shihonage, Shihonage - Iriminage, Iriminage - Kotegaeshi, Kotegaeshi - Kotegaeshi, Kotegaeshi - Zenponage, Zenponage - Ikkyo.

Renzokuwaza
is a "connected sequence of techniques". Sometimes the classical suburi, e.g. performing 100 times the same movement, are also referred to as renzokuwaza. In concatenations, renzokuwaza means that the roles don't change. One technique doesn't work, so you switch to another. This idea is also in the concept of tsuzukiwaza, "sequences of techniques". (If you omit the first kanji of renzokuwaza 連続技, you get tsuzukiwaza 続技). The techniques in the tsuzukiwaza build on each other in such a way that the following technique is a situational variant of the previous one. Renzokuwaza can be further developed by replacing Aikido techniques by elementary Aikido acts, as suggested by Yoshigasaki Sensei.
The alternative techniques of the renzokuwaza were originally only intended for Aikido teachers, in order to be able to show that Aikido always works. So, there is a renzokuwaza alternative for most basic techniques. In the following video with Mitsugi Saotome Sensei (*1937), who is one of the last direct students of Morihei Ueshiba, you can also see some techniques that are no longer practiced in Ki Aikido.

Renzokuwaza

Alternative techniques

Nikyo - Kotegaeshi, Ude kime osae - Kokyunage sokumen, Ikkyo - Sumiotoshi, Kotegaeshi - Nikyo, Sankyo - Kotegaeshi, Shihonage - Tenbinnage, Kotegaeshi - Iriminage, Shihonage - Zenpo otoshi, Udekimenage - Koshinage, Udekimenage - Aiki otoshi, Kotegaeshi - Zenpo otoshi, Shihonage - Aiki otoshi.


Ki no michi
is an art of movement that was developed by Masamichi Noro (1935 - 2013) in Paris after 1979. Noro Sensei was an uchideshi of Morihei Ueshiba. Ki no michi is based on Aikido and various European movement teachings. In the following video, his son Takeharu Noro demonstrates typical movements that obviously have their origins in Aikido.

Ki no michi

Concatenations

Demonstration in 2019
Katatekosadori - Shihonage, Ikkyo, Kotegaeshi, Nikyo, Sankyo, Tai Sabaki, Kotegaeshi Nage, Iriminage
Ushiro eri tori - Shihonage, Yokomenuchi - Kokyunage - Zenponage
Shomenuchi - Kokyunage, Sudorinage, Udekimenage
Yokomenuchi tenkan Kotegaeshinage ...