Budō Solo Training And The Way Of Aiki - A Tribute To Sagawa Yukiyoshi Sōhan

A Tribute to Master Sagawa Yukiyoshi (Sagawa Sōhan) – The Essence of Aiki & Budō Solo Training What can we learn from the old masters — and how can we continue their work in the modern world? Sagawa Yukiyoshi (1902–1998), one of the prominent figures in Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, devoted his life to exploring Aiki (合気). His approach to training, including the importance of solo practice and physical conditioning, offers a fascinating starting point for anyone interested in the deeper principles behind martial arts. In this video, I explore some training exercises attributed to Sagawa, transferring the training ideas to my own workout drills. I share my own practice and observations, not as a reconstruction of Sagawa's abilities, but as an attempt to investigate the methods associated with his work. What can we observe through repetition? How might solo training complement partner practice? And how can we continue to develop our understanding of Budo when we have jobs, families, and only limited time to train? I have never met Sagawa, and I cannot claim to understand the depth of his Aiki. These exercises are part of my own exploration — a journey guided by curiosity, respect, and the willingness to keep learning. Perhaps following the footsteps of the old masters does not mean trying to become them. Perhaps it means taking their work seriously enough to continue asking questions. A note on historical accuracy: The training footage shows my own practice of exercises attributed to Sagawa Yukiyoshi. It is not archival footage, a reconstruction of his personal training, or a demonstration of his amazing abilities. Historical context is drawn from written accounts and recollections, including those of his student Tatsuo Kimura. Following the footsteps of the old masters. Exploring the principles. Continuing the journey. Thank you for walking this path with me. 🙇🏻‍♀️ 📌 Video Chapters 0:00 Learning from the old masters 1:18 A lifetime of Aiki investigation 3:00 Training beyond technique 4:49 Exploring the excercises 6:49 From individual practice back to partner work 8:20 Keeping a tradition alive If you wish to try these exercises yourself, the number of repetitions is secondary to precision. Sagawa Yukiyoshi repeatedly emphasized that anyone performing the exercises using ordinary muscular force — or while under tension — will damage their joints and develop incorrect movement patterns. The goal is always external relaxation combined with internal structuring. 🥋 About Riki Tomoe: On this channel, we delve into the depths of traditional martial arts, budō philosophy, and methods for refining both body and mind. Subscribe to the channel, share your thoughts or experiences with solo training in the comments, and pass this video along to others interested in the martial arts! https://www.instagram.com/riki.tomoe?... #Aiki #Budo #SagawaYukiyoshi #Daitoryu #Aikijujutsu #MartialArts #SoloTraining #RikiTomoe