Defining a Creative New Budo

Taido is a martial art founded in Japan by Seiken Shukumine.

Taido has its beginnings in old-style Japanese martial arts. Fearing that Japanese Budo, particularly karate, were not adapting to meet the needs of society, Shukumine developed a style of Karate called Genseiryu in 1953. 

Later, Shukumine grew to see karate as narrow and static. He decided that the limitations of karate lay in its linearity. In 1964, he expanded his theories of motion beyond the boundaries of karate and established Taido. 

Shukumine meditated on how to make techniques more adaptable and universal. Taido’s techniques offered many innovations: the inclusion of spinning and twisting movements, aerial maneuvers, fast and effective footwork, and a changing body axis. In Japanese, Taido means “way of the body.”

Why is Taido different from karate? Taido techniques employ changes of the body’s axis in order to facilitate simultaneous defense and kicking techniques. Taido also relies on the use of footwork to take strategic angles and distance to the opponent. This footwork is functionally connected to the body mechanics that form the basis of each kick, punch, or other technique. Taido uses exciting body movement to create strong techniques and determine the spatial relationship with the opponent.

Taido’s strategy is based on immediate reaction to dynamic challenges instead of pre-determined algorithms of aggression and defense. Taido’s movements are also designed for improving health and longevity.

Taido’s original objective was, and continues to be, the application of scientific methodology and classical values to the evolution of the martial arts. According to its creator, Taido’s ultimate  objective is to enable its practitioners to function at a high level in society.

There are five essential principles in Taido. Keep your mind as clear and uncluttered as the polished surface of a still pond. This way you will understand the heart of your environment. Having a responsive attitude will help you avoid confusion. Be confident. Body and spirit must be united. Hold yourself with dignity and you need never fear insult. Invigorate your spirit from the source of energy deep in your abdomen. With the right intention you will never be threatened. In every thing you do, follow the correct precepts you have practiced. Following these principles, you react quickly. Be adaptable in your movement and keep freedom of physical movement. The right methods will prevent you from being defeated.

Taido includes five classes of body movements: vertical spinning movement, ascending and descending jumping movement, lever-like movement characterized by tilting the body’s axis, horizontal spinning movement, and gymnastic movements.

These movements are connected with punches, kicks, and other attacks. The last category, called “tentai,” includes gymnastic movements, for instance back-flips, which makes Taido exciting to watch. Taido has a special mehtod of footwork, which is called unsoku, as well as non-stepping locomotion, called unshin.

Tournaments in Taido include sparring, forms, and Tenkai, which is a mock combat between one “hero” and five opponents. In Tenkai the judges award points to the teams in a similar manner as is done in figure skating.

Even after this explanation, unless you’ve actually witnessed Taido, you probably still won’t have any solid concept of what Taido is about. Also, merely watching the techniques doesn’t show you what Taido is necessarily about. To truly get any budo, you have to get an idea of why the techniques are performed as they are.

Of course, Taido is changing art, so no explanation can really encapsulate everything that Taido is. Everyone eventually develops their own ways to apply Taido to what they do and skills. Taido students practice responding creatively. This is not a martial art that will stand in one place for long.

Though most students practice in Japan, Finland, and Sweden, there are also schools in the USA, Australia, and several other European countries.

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