Unlock the Secrets of Aikido: An Illustrated Guide to the Dynamic Sphere

D. Bocker: Great read!

United States on Nov 19, 2023

Arctic Fox: This is simply the best book ever written about Aikido.

Sweden on Sep 22, 2023

Valdis: I find most of Aikido to be useful if you realize first it is for fighting unarmed against sword wielding samurai. To use this against a boxer or muay Thia fighter is situational application.

For art it is great for dynamic fight sequences, armor, and weapons design.

United States on Jul 06, 2023

Dave: I needed a new copy so that I could spare my original the abuse of new students. Still a great reference.

United States on Jul 03, 2023

Kyle Novak: Better than I had thought. Very well written and accessible.

Canada on Feb 23, 2023

Tony: It explores quite a lot of history and facts about Aikido

United Kingdom on Oct 27, 2022

Ryan Collings: I’m very pleased with this book as a whole it details Aikido and it’s practice very well. I myself come from a Japanese Ju Jutsu background and was wanting to expand my knowledge of it’s descendent arts, such as Aikido and Judo. I’ve taken a couple of Aikido classes and personally come to the conclusion that it is not effective as a style of self defense but with the help of this book and my Ju Jutsu knowledge I have concluded that it is in fact a good practice in theory but the techniques while displaying some kind of resemblance to that of Ju Jutsu wrist locks, joint locks, etc. But they are too far from an effective Martial Art. During a class I once asked a Aikido black belt about specific attacks and how he would use Aikido to defend against them, he then showed me what he thought was the effective defense, I went further and asked him why exactly he would chose to do that or what principles he was using, he replied “I’m not quite sure, my master showed it to me like this, and it worked for him, so it will work for me.” I was very confused by this response as in Ju Jutsu we learn that you can’t teach the same thing to everyone, because everyone moves...

Australia on Aug 11, 2022

KFM: This is a fantastic book, overall, though I am probably not experienced enough yet to fully utilize it. The techniques are fully illustrated, and there is text to back it up where it's less clear. Foundational techniques like the kote gaeshi are illustrated in great detail, then other techniques that are built off of it are less descriptive, but still show what's going on. This book illustrates the flow of the techniques well, and while I'm sure it would be easier for a more experienced practitioner to follow, it helps me as a beginner to get a better grasp on the techniques that I've learned.

United States on Jun 24, 2016

Kindle Customer: This book represents the best attempt at documenting Aikido techniques and physical exercises short of training. I got my copy after reading  An Open Secret: A Student's Handbook for Learning Aikido Techniques of Self-Defense and the Aiki Way  (great book, I highly recommend it to accompany this book). I wanted to get a better understanding of Aikido movement and have a reference for the various techniques taught at class.
Westbrook and Ratti, the book's authors have done a tremendous job in compiling diagrams of Aikido technique, movement, exercise and principles. It is an illustrative guide that touches on nearly every aspect of physical Aikido training and attempts to quantify the mental - spiritual aspects that set Aikido apart in the martial arts. This is voluminous work that is nearly 400 pages long in print. When viewed in eBook format it's extremely big. The drawings are all original and illustrative of the author's understanding of Aikido. It's plain that this work was painstakingly created with great care and diligence.
There is a brief historic summary of the Japanese martial arts to give a reader some sense of grounded history. The requisite details of...

United States on Jan 05, 2015

Mark: I was strongly advised to buy this while starting to learn the art, from what I heard from others this book is one of the best books written about it for its detail in the philosophy. Just half way throught it and some of it makes sense where other parts I do not understand but strangely enough when I am on the mat practising it all seems to come together. For anyone learning the art this book Is definatly worth the buy.

United Kingdom on Apr 05, 2012