*These are not the "Official"techniques of the "Tanomo Saigo" -"Sokaku Takeda" -"Tokimune Takeda" lineage from the Takedakan-Hokkaido Hombu which is called "Daito-Ryu"

These are not the "Official techniques " from the "Tanomo Saigo" - "Shiro Saigo"-"Yamashita Houei"-"Sogawa Kazuoichi" lineage from the Shuukukai Hombu which is called Saigo-Ha AikiBudo !

They are the "Official" techniques" from the "Tanomo Saigo"- "Shiro Saigo " - "Yamashita Houei"-" Lin Po" Lineage from the Shintokai Hombu called Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu AikiBujutsu   . 

Note :  most techniques listed herein are the same techniques as taught in mainline Daito-Ryu but with different names and sequence of introduction to the students .   *  Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu has more aikijujutsu techniques than the other styles of Daito-Ryu ( with well over 3400 different techniques)  and includes all the techniques taught in the other branches of Daito-Ryu with the exception of Onna Ha Itto-Ryu kenjutsu ( In that Saigo Ha teaches traditional Mugei-Ryu Kenjutsu/ Iaido  )

If anyone merely copies these words and claims to know Saigo-Ha  ( either Daito-Ryu or Takeda-Ryu) they are just fooling themselves ! " borrowing a few japanese names for techniques does not mean you created a new art " .

    If anyone reading this desires to know WHO is authorized to teach these specific wasa ( techniques) and issue certification , please contact the Hombu at emileg@hotmail.com
* Note : only those with Kyoju Dairi Menjo ( assistant teacher's license or personal representitive of the Soke scrolls ) are authorized to teach any branch of Saigo-Ha (  Takeda -Ryu or Daito-Ryu ) unless they are authorized to do so by the hombu ( headquarters ) .   

 

Takeda-Ryu / Daito-Ryu is often described as the "Art of Royalty" because it is not based on crude ideas or vague concepts, but on the efforts of the greatest Japanese minds of the last 1200 years of history!   

Join with us into a rare glimps into what many consider to be the the most scientific fighting system in existance today.

The whole core or basis of all traditional Takeda-Ryu/Daito-Ryu is the 100 principles listed in this homepage ! Without these principles you have nothing but a crude sport or an unscientific assortment of physical holds or moves which have no scientific basis from which to fall back on. ( "  * if you don't know what makes a technique work, how can you teach it effectively to your students ? "  )

Some might say that the 100 principals are a modern-day addition to Daito-Ryu, but, records show that these are not new, but have merely been bettter explained through modern science. ( Tanomo Saigo taught these very same principles to Shiro Saigo under different names due to the era in which he lived as have other such leaders throughout Japanese recorded  history. )

1...FLEXIBILITY

2...CARDIO-VASCULAR

3...STRENGTH

* The idea of pot-bellied old men defeating full-grown youthful attackers is for the most part a myth born of the need to justify lack of physical abilities by some teachers to attract and maintain students in a quest for financial profits and ego fulfillment.( In Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu Aikibujutsu, physical conditioning is paramount to the effective application of most of the techniques .  )  

* The great Takeda - Ryu / Daito - Ryu fighters of the past were in good physical condition .

They had to be in order to survive ! (The main advantage they had over today's modern Takeda - Ryu / Daito-Ryu teachers is that the general population of their era was not in good physical shape due to lack of good food, water and lifestyle, so, they just required slight physical conditioning to be successful in battle,.)

Today we have bigger stronger and steroid infested adversaries or cocaine stimulated freaks who are often over-aggressive which requires us to be physically and psychologically at peak-condition in order to effectively use our Takeda- Ryu / Daito-Ryu techniques to defend ourselves .

but make no mistake about it -

* To give you an example of the creation of unrealistic myths about the effectiveness of today's most popular martial arts, we have only to look at the recent evolution of the televised no-holds barred events like the U.F.C.

At the begining, you had representitives of the popular arts like judo, karate, kickboxing, savate, ninjutsu, kung fu, taekwondo, boxing, and a myriad of so-called "modern" arts created by people with minimal actual martial arts experiences competing , but you now have only two arts left competing successfully : JUJITSU and WRESTLING.
( all these other arts soon realised that they could not compete successfully in these events because they simply could not overcome the power, size and grappling ability possessed by these two disciplines without restrictive rules to protect them and give them an advantage. )

• The " UFC" is nothing new to the martial arts !
• * Isn't it strange how all of a sudden everyone is a "grappling expert " ?

And then , like now, everybody saw the weakness of the regular martial arts when actual blows were allowed, and soon everyone and their dog introduced "full contact" to ther training syllabus, and now, the same thing has happened, everyone suddenly introduces "grappling" to their martial art system. ( of course most of the new " grappling" being added to these arts is crude, untested, and made-up on the spot ! )   

A true martial art should do three things for the student :

(a) teach them to defend themselves from physical attack and probable injuries to oneself or others if possible.

(b) increasc their levels of self esteem through progressive on-going preset and attainable goals.

(c) explore their own spirituality.

The first benefit :

 learning effective self defence abilities
requires the three aspect of physical conditioning listed here ! You have to be strong, flexible and possess endurence ( wind) if you hope to engage in and survive a physical confrontation ! ( don't fall for the hype about KI or CHI or secret pressure points and hope to survive a real physical attack by a determined adversary ! )

Once in good shape, the techniques taught in this system will greatly enhance your chances of successfully defending yourself on the streets. ( but, techniques alone, without good physical conditioning is no guarentee of success !)

*And I know from experience that there are some real tough people out there that will not be stopped by a simple kick or punch by the most seasoned martial artist. ( I know that one guy had been shot with a 357 magnum and still went-on to kill the police officer who fired these three shots into the guy's chect area before falling to the street dead himself ! )

In my experience as a police officer, I saw guys get up after being thrown full-force on the cement and continue to attack me as though nothing happened ! I saw guys get "maced" or "pepper-sprayed" and still fight like madmen once you made physical contact ! I saw guys possess what seemed like superhuman strength brought-on by drugs or fear .

I remember one guy that three big police officers tried unsucessfuly for what seemed like 20-minutes to place in the back of a police cruiser (until I intervened and put him out cold with a carotid control )  * although he did not weight much over 125 lbs. ( Had I not put him out as I did, he might have ended up injured or injuring someone else)

*So ! the first thing we have to realize in dealing with self defence is that we are not playing games with our cooperative fellow student who taps-out at the first sign of pain, but with people that will continue to attack after having bones broken, countless cuts and bruises and even fatal injuries ! And your techniques must be effective and in some cases downright brutal if you hope to survive !

* A final point to remember is that the real tough fighters are not in some kickboxing ring, taekwondo dojang, judo or karate dojo, but in our countries prisons ! And these guys don't always stay there forever, many do come back out ! ( so ! If we are to prepare anyone for self defence, we have to do so in a manner that we expect that the one they may have to defend against will be one of these kind of guys ! ) 

Herein lies a serious problem ! Today, we have a whole generation who think that wearing a fancy costume, belt with rows of tape, nice looking crests, room full of tropheys, roles in movies, videotapes sales, and most of the publicity from the magazines , means they can defend themselves. We have thousands of "world champs" who can't fight worth a pinch of salt ! We have instructors who bully their students and think that is normal behavior (rather than just as a way to express power and control ) and we have a whole new generation of people who are selling a dream to the gullible public.
 

• The idea or myth that learing a few techniques, then entering some type of contest makes one a fighter is wrong !

• If we decide to engage in physical confrontation, we must realise that we could easily die or kill our adversay ( it is not difficult to kill a person) and that all physical confrontation must be serious enough to willingly die or kill for before we comit ourselves ! 

  ---

( it's like owning one hundred guns but no bullets and try to fend-off a robber breaking into your house ! Daito-Ryu is the "GUN", but being in good physical condition and having the correct psychological attitude is the " BULLETS "! )

The third thing :
Seeking our SPIRITUALITY is the most neglected benefit of any martial art today ! This explores our relationship ,with the almighty creator of this universe. It answers our most basic questions about ourselves and our purpose on earth . We are all part of nature .
   Nature is the interplay between energy and matter in our universe which creates change to occure .( This is the soul of the Shinto Religion and of the Samurai spirit .)

TAKEDA-RYU / DAITO-RYU was greatly influenced by SHINTOISM !

Most of it's great leaders were SHINTO-PRIESTS ! Many were heavily into politics and social struggles of their times, yet, today, most of today's practitioners of Daito-Ryu know very little about SHINTOISM . ( To the SAMURAI, Shintoism was the heart of Takeda-Ryu/Daito-Ryu .)

. SAIGO-HA Takeda-Ryu has not forgotten it's SHINTO ties. Dr.John J.Williams is a devout follower of modern shintoism. ( and Saigo-Ha includes the teaching of basic Shintoism to anyone who is interested in it !)

note * SAIGO-HA is not interested in recruiting it's followers into Shintoism, but, anyone who studies the art of Daito-Ryu should be allowed to explore the religion which helped shape it without fears of being "brainwashed" or " religiously conditioned " ! ( if your religious "faith" is strong you have nothing to fear from being exposed to Shintoism )

 Note * Concerning the term/name DAITO-RYU : The most popular name for the martial art taught by Tanomo Saigo was Oshikiuchi or Goten , and his designated inheritor, Sokaku Takeda even called it YAMATO-RYU , until , at the urging of one of his senior students, Yoshida Kotaro, he began calling it Daito-Ryu in the early part of this century.

SAIGO-Ha is a generic term for the branches which derived directly from Tanomo Saigo ( ha is Japanese for sect, school or clique) wher'as the name TAKEDA-RYU usually refers to those branches that did not directly follow the lineage of Sokaku Takeda . ( In actuality, Takeda-Ryu is used to refer to the techniques of the Minamoto clan who resided in the Takeda region of Japan , it is not , as often thought, a family name, and Daito-Ryu refers to the Minamoto clan's early residence at Daito mansion . )

   As such ! The martial arts developed by the Minamoto Clan and introduced into the Aizu Clan can be called : " Saigo Ha, Shinto-Ryu, Daito-Ryu, Takeda-Ryu, Yamate-Ryu, Goten, Oshiikiuchi, and about a dozen other titles  and still be correct  . ( The name is unimportant ! The lineage is what really matters as well as the faithful adherence to the culture, traditions, rituals, history and ryugi of the Minamoto and Aizu Clans .)
 

FLEXIBILITY : This is the most neglected area of training in Jujitsu today ! Yet ! It is one of the most important to minimize serious muscle pull injuries . ( flexibility in muscle groups allows over-stretching to a greater degree during adrenelin-rush activities. )

* The biggest hurdles to attaining flexibility are a lack of patience and unwillingness to follow a stretching routine faithfully ! ( anyone who seeks greater flexibility can obtain it if they are determined to follow a stretching routine for an extended period of time .)

The two main types of flexibility training are known as static ( holding or remaining in a stetch position for at least 10-seconds) or ballistic ! ( bouncing in a stretch position) but, to be effective, one has to undergo a long-term progressive flexibility routine that incorporates various systems to determine which works for each person !

It took me 30-years to get my full splits ! (side-to-side and front & back position) although I tried hundreds of different routines and variations, stretching racks, pulley arrangements, sliding pads, ect..and underwent great amounts of intense pain until I finally found what worked-for-me !

* Note * The BEST WAY to attain maximum flexibility is to disguard the regular martial arts stretching routines and visit the local gymnastic school to see what routines they use ! ( because GYMNASTS have access to the most modern up-to-date flexibility training methods . )

  * what was good enough for martial artists a few decades ago is not worth a pinch of salt to anyone who seeks great flexibility today ! 

* There is NO WAY anyone can do the Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu kicks unless they have great flexibility ! And unless one trains with great kickers, they will NEVER master defences against kicking attacks ! It is not a matter of the value or effectiveness of kicks, but the need to train with great kickers so you can learn to defend against an attacker who has similar kicks ! ( Without this realism, your training with poor kickers no better prepares you to defend against kicks than trying to learn to defend against punches by training with a one-armed or limbless partner !)

Instead of detailing a stretching / flexibility routine, I urge all instructors to contact their Federal Gynmnastic Association to obtain the address of a local gymnastic club or school where they can learn the proper and the most up-to-date flexibility routines to pass on to their students. Anythng less is to do your students or yourself a dis-service .

• CARDIO VASCULAR :

My cardio-vascular training routine is to visit the local university and use their indoor track , where I begin by walking roughly 1/8 of a mile to get the kinks-out, then I do some brief calve muscle, hamstring muscle and quadracep muscle stretching,( 5 minutes ) followed by a fast - paced 1 1/2 mile run, then I walk 1/8 of a mile, take a quick drink of destilled water, followed by twenty - two to twenty-four 100 yard wind-sprints ( very fast runs ) with a one-hundred yard walk betwen each of them ( to get my breath) , after-which I walk another 1/8 mile, drink another gulp of destilled water, followed by a brisk one-mile jog to cool dowm finishing with another slow 1/8 mile walk. ( because of this I have a resting heart-rate of between 52 and 58 beats per minute and the normal 120 over 80 blood pressure ) * This is the routine I prefer, but, others work just as well ! ( If you think you are in shape, cardio vascularly, try this routine as a test ! )

This routine is always followed by a good flexibility routine followed by about an hour of weight training. 

LUNG CAPACITY : You can best increase your lung capacity by fast paced sprints ! ( the faster you run, the greater the oxegen requirements )

HEART RATE AND EFFECTIVENESS : according to studies, the only way you can work your heart effectively is by raising your heart rate to 200 beats per minute minus your age and maintaining it at that rate for three minutes or more ! ( say you are 25 years-old, you would raise your heart rate to 175 BPM and hold it at that rate for over three minutes )

* This is very important ! ( if you look at regular martial arts training sessions, few ever attain that goal ) but there is yet another important part of this equation : You have to give your heart muscles at least 72 hours to recouperate between these exercise sessions. Many don't realise that the heart is just a muscle and must be trained like any other muscle if progress is to be long-term. )

 Remember the longer the time-periods between beats, the more tine is available for the muscle to rest , so, the lower the heart rate, the better you can rest and recouperate the heart muscle after exercise.!

RECOUPERATIVE RATE : This is the time between physical exertion it takes to resume that physical activity ! Obviously, the quicker you can continue, the better it will be for you in a strenous physical encounter, and your training must include timed rest periods between activities so you can lower it and increase your recouperative rate.

*you will notice I do 22 to 24 one-hundreds yard wind-sprints, but only have the time it takes to walk 100 yards before I must run the next sprint ! ( That is an example of how you can improve your recouperative rate. )

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM : This is the hearts, lungs, arteries and veins which allow your muscles to recieve oxegen to burn the fuel which allows these muscles to effectively contract and relax as part of physical activities. ( The better the whole system, the better your physical activities will be. )

A combination of warm-ups,medium runs, sprints, cooling-down will increase every aspect of your circulatory system. but a balanced diet is important as well ! Too much chloresteral, the more chance of a clogging of the circulatiory system .( while being over-weight, increases the work load of your heart !)

ENERGY SYSTEMS :

The human body has three basic energy systems :

(1) The sugar stored in the muscle itself ( This last roughly 10 seconds ),

(2) the energy stored in the blood ( this system last about two and one-half minutes)

(3) the energy stored as fat (this system last for hours ! )

And the desire is to be able to use-up the first one and then switch over to the 2nd one smoothly and eventually to switch-over to the last one ! ( In boxing, they refer to this as "getting your second wind " ) so you can out-last your opponant in a physical confrontation.

* Brisk warm-ups can usually burn the stores energy in the muscles so you can start using the blood-stored system for training purposes , but you have to train your body to effectively access these energy systems for use in stressful physical confrontation, and a combination of fast, medium and slow running can accomplish this 

The three energy systems:

(1) ANAEROBIC ALACTIC:

The stored, start-up energy system of both types of muscle fibers which does not require oxygen and does not produce lactic acid ( a by-product which causes soreness )

(2) ANAEROBIC ALACTIC :

The fast-twitch muscle energy system, which does not rerquire oxygen but does produce lactic acide.

(3) AEROBIC :

The slow twitch muscle energy system which does require oxygen and does not produce lactic acid.

Fast Twitch muscles does not need oxygen , creates heat and a byproduct or residue called lactic acid which must be extruded through the internal organs such as kidneys and liver ( it takes 72 hours to accomplish this ).and produces pain within the muscles .

Slow twitch muscles need oxygen and produces heat and a by-product (carbon dioxide) which is extruded through the lungs ( almost immediatly )

But in a real fight, a super-charged energy supply called adrenolin is pumped into the muscles and this should be both recognized and properly utalized since it gives you greater strength and speed !

* Adrenelin causes your to feel strange in the stomach ( since it shuts down digestion) and your heart pounds very hard ( this is a preparation for fight or flight) but this is a natural occurence which should not be confused with fear or fright. ( It is just your body's way of preparing you for an output of physical activity and includes stress as a by-product for those who do not recognise it !)

If you expect to achieve your maximum cardio vascular level, you have to research the subject and follow a properly-designed training regiment designed to meet your needs and expectation.

STRENGTH :

The ability for a muscle to cotract against resistance ! In other words: a muscle is composed of beads of round disk linked together in chains attatched to bones by tendons and ligaments, which when sugar contained within is exposed to oxegen, results in a reaction which causes these round disks (a muscle) to contract or shorten, resulting in the pulling on the ligaments which are contacted to bones seperated by joints to cause movement.

Here is how it works :

You have muscle fibers made up of many rounded balls linked together to form a string like arrangement and within these long fibers is stored sugar (energy supply) which causes a chemical reation when oxegen comes into contact with it, and this reaction makes each of these balls to contract or shrink, thus shortening the strand or fiber, which , being attatched to bones seperated by hindges or joints, results in flexation of that joint.( That is how all our muscles work and is how all physical movements occur )

Of course this is a simplification, and there are many other factors involved in movement such as the kinds or types of levers offered by the different joints, the types of muscle fibers ( fast-twitch or slow-twitch) ect...

Obviously, since there are two types of muscle fibers, you want to train the ones which will help you win a fight ! And since SPEED is important in such a confrontation, your exercises should be done fast rather than slowly. ( We call this explosive exercises in the weight training game !) The idea of building muscle mass or size has no use in the martial arts unless you are into intimidation or a movie star .  

The best way to increase strength is by doing resistance training .

And WEIGHT TRAINING is the best type of resistance training . But, there are misconceptions about muscle size in relation to actual strength ! And contrary to popular opinion, muscle size is not a determining factor of actrual strength !( being a former weightlifting competitor , and having established many records, I can tell you that muscle size means nothing in relation to power or strength ! )

* In 1962, I competed in a weightlifting contests at Dorchester Prison near my hometown against inmates who outweighed me by over 100 pounds and had more muscles in their arms than I had in my legs, yet ! I walked-away the winner easily because I had trained for strength and not pretty looking muscles ! ( I might add, these guys were very surprised that a guy with little muscle mass could easily out-lift much bigger men )

• I have seem scrawny looking guys lift hundreds of pounds overhead, while steroid freaks had a hard time lifting the same or less weight ! in fact : bodybuilders are rarely very strong, because the secret to building strength is in the amount of repetitions of the exercises done ( A lot of guys & gals deny taking "STEROIDS" but, as a person who spent years in the gym, I can tell you firsthand that it takes years to get any kind of muscle mass, not the few months these people took !)
• If you want to bodybuild and get veins, cuts and big muscles, you do between 8 and 20 repititions of each set of each exercise and the usual amount of "steroids" , while if you are looking for strength, you never do more than 6 or 7 repetitions of any set of exercise , usually working up to maximum weight for one or two repititions ! ( we used the pyramid system where you work you way up heavy until you can only do one or two reps, then repeat the steps in reverse order to the first weight you started with.) * I might add that you can be very strong without taking steroids but it takes longer to get there.

Don't confuse big muscles with being strong !

The greatest stronman ever produced in Canada weighed 154 pounds, yet, his feats of strength have never been equalled by anyone of any weight ( such as climbing up a telephone pole with a horse attatched to him with a special harness ) and while in weightlifting circles, the difference between the top weights lifted by the 132 pound competitors and the 300-plus pound competitors is very little indeed .

UKIMI is the ability to allow someone to throw you to the mats without causing you any injury because of the way you fall. There is a very specific method to safely take any of the hundreds of different throws found in Daito-Ryu/Takeda-Ryu ! ( this allows the practitioners to execute these throws full-power without fear of injuring the assistant, but knowing full-well, that if the person being thrown was not trained in ukimi or breakfalling and it was not done on a padded mat, serious injury, possibly even death would occur !)

• The SAIGO-HA TAKEDA-RYU  system has developed ukimi to handle all the throws and take-downs in Daito-Ryu ! ( Unlike Aikido , Hapkido or Judo, which has some ukimi, the Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu system has more types of ukimi than are found in any other martial art system due to the very large and diversified throws found in the system )
• In fuedal Japan, the new student learned Ukimi by having senior students throw them repeatedly until it was a matter of survival ( this sometimes took several years ) but, today, Ukimi is taught in a more structured and safe manner over a period of several months until the person can take the throws in reletive safety ! ( The advent of better mats has contributed to the overal safety in Daito-Ryu training halls . )
• Dr.Williams was taught to breakfall the old-fashioned way ! He was thrown and thrown until he mastered this part of the art well enough to survive. ( this method was used tp develope discipline and test loyalty and dedication )

• Without proper UKIMI it is impossible to practice Daito-Ryu with a partner. And there are no substitutes for good UKIMI in the dojo. Most important, there are no shortcuts to the mastery of good UKIMI . To master UKIMI one must undergo a series of preparatory exercises which condition the inner ear, toughens the muscles and gives one confidence and a good sense of direction and timing .

• However ! There are a number (several hundred) of advanced throws in Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu which can only be taken on thick gymnastic "crash mats" because it is impossible to survive them on regulat judo or wrestling mats due to the dis-orientation involved and the force behind the throw.
• ( These throws are only taught to chuden and okuden level students, never to untrusted students who might abuse them ! )

KAMAE

• Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu has very few fixed stances because it is so diversified in scope and is based on the 100 principals of nature. The whole concept of SAIGO-HA TAKEDA-RYU is to meet your attacker's actions with natural blending movements to minimize hard contact and solid stances encourage hard physical contact.
• Since SAIGO-HA TAKEDA - RYU is practiced in what is known as EMBU fashion ( With a partner who acts as an attacker to enable you to master self defence techniques) it holds that to create a more stylised asthetic atmosphere in dojo practice the participants employ the following three basic stances :
• (1) kihon kamae (a normal relaxed stance)
• (2) kiba dachi ( high horse stance)
• (3) zenkatsu dachi ( forward leaning stance )

• note * We only teach these three stances for practice pourposes of the attacker ! We use a natural relaxed stance from which to exceute all our techniques.

There are only three blocks used in SAIGO-HA TAKEDA-RYU AIKI-JUJUTSU ! They are used against strikes of all kinds . Known simply as the HIGH/LOW block , SLAP block and "X"- Block one being is a combination of the cross-block and the low block (used in some forms of kung-fu and karate.) and the others are the same as the regular cross-wrist block used in some Kung Fu systems .

• The HIGH/LOW , SLAP and "X" blocks are used because they are safe, easy to master and enables the defender to easily trap the attacking limb . ( Trapping is nessesary for the execution of many Daito-Ryu techniques )
• Saigo-Ha Takeda -Ryu Aiki Jujutsu does not use bone against bone blocks because the idea is to blend with your attacker not meet force with force. ( the only exception might be the elbow breaking block against a backfist type of strike )
• Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu uses a lot of blending or fitting-in with the attackers movements, becoming part of his movement . The defender becomes "one" with his attacker ! For this reason, Saigo-Ha is actually dependant on the attack for the execution of the defensive technique. ( No attack by the opponant - can often mean no fight ! )

Saigo Ha Takeda Aiki-Jujutsu includes many different hand strikes to help create what is known as an "AIKI-SITUATION" . They include various hand configeration for specific targets ( this is also known as "atemi-wasa" ) but, regardless of the type of striking point used, there are only five (5) different angles of attack with the limbs used ( be it hands or feet ) and that is what the Takeda-Ryu practitioners learns to defend against !

• The five (5) "angles of attack " with the limbs ( arms or legs) are :
• (1) inward
• (2) downward
• (3) upward
• (4) backward
• (5) straight-in .

• Although Saigo-Ha Takeda - Ryu Aiki Jujutsu does have many pressure - point atemi wasa, they are used in special situations to set-up a specific technique rather than a way to end the confrontation or to finish the technique.. ( The idea is to utilise pressure point strikes to create the "aiki" situation required to effect the techniques and then to disable the attacker .)

SAIGO HA TAKEDA-RYU is a complete martial art !

• As such, it contains all types of foot strikes or kicks. ( many outside DAITO-RYU CIRCLES don't realise that the SAIGO-HA TAKEDA-RYU branch has a wide - range of kicks which originated in Norther China ) These kicks are not relegated to strikes below the waist, but include fantastic high kicks, spinning kicks, jumping kicks and great kicking combination that rival any other martial art system !

• (1) Mae Geri ( front kick )
• (2) yoko geri ( side kick)
• (3) mawashi geri ( round kick)
• (4) mae mikazuki geri ( front cresent kick )
• (5) ura mikazuki geri (rear or reverse cresent kick)
• (6) gake geri ( hook kick)
• (7) gedan geri ( the famous axe or downward kick )
• (8) ushiro geri (back or rear kick)
• (9) harai yoko geri ( spinning hook kick )
• (10) harai ura mikazuki geri ( spinning reverse cresent kick)
• (11) harai gake geri ( spinning hook kick) (
• 12) ken ken yoko geri (jumping or skipping side kick)
• (13) ken ken ura mikazuki geri (jumping or skipping back cresent kick)
• (14) ken ken gake geri ( jumping or skipping hook kick )
• * With several variations of each kick .

• It is ironic that many people confuse DAITO-RYU with being merely a specialization on joint locking throws or holds, not realising that at least one branch of Daito-Ryu has very advanced techniques asides from mere joint-lock throws or controls.
• ( it's little-known , but highly advanced, kicking repatoir is one such example of the steriotyping and misconception that surrounds this diversified martial art system due to ignorance and unqualified Daito-Ryu teachers .)

• Advance Kickings techniques are a recent addition to Daito-Ryu ! ( because in fuedal times, the samurai had very liitle expertise in kicking due to the wearing of armor) Most kicks were added by Sigung Pok Shen in the early 50's ( to his branch) due to the experiences of his teacher Sigung Lin Po , who used Daito-Ryu techniques in numerous fights against his fellow chinese martial artists ( in the 1930's & 40's) in the communist revolution .

Since DAITO-RYU is known for it's painful JOINT LOCKS ! One should understand that the principal behind joint locks is to engage the monosyptic reflex reaction to create pain. One must remember that it has little to do with meridians or secret pressure points .( always remember that there is no magic or mystery involve in the Daito-Ryu techniques, just the basic 100 principals which are the laws of nature. )

WRIST CONTROLS

• In Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu, we refer to wristlocks as KAJOs ( ka means section or lesson and jo mans rooms in mansion , ) or wrist controls (* other Daito-Ryu branches use other names for these same wristlocks * The proper Japanese words for wrist are "te kubi" or " Ude- Kubi ", not  "kote" , which actually means "small hand " ) and they are listed in our system as :
• (1) I Kajo ( first wrist control) or outward turn wristlock ( where you twist the person's wrist to the side and away from your body with his fingers pointing upward )
• (2) Ni Kajo ( second wrist control ) or downward wristlock ( where you push forward with the person's wrist twist so the little finger is on the top )
• (3) San Kajo ( third wrist control) or upward twist from undeneath ( here the wrist is twisted so it locks the shoulder)
• (4) Yon Kajo ( fourth wrist control ) or gooseneck wristlock ( where you lock the person's elbow to your body, under your arm pit, and bend his wrist downward palm facing downward to forn an "S" with his arm )
• (5) Go Kajo (fifth wrist control ) or reverse gooseneck ( where you perform a yon kajo, then reverse the hand position to have the palm facing upward )

• * Note : There are also many fingerlocks in Daito-Ryu ( the very same types taught in Professor Wally Jay's Small Circle Jujitsu) but we have not yet given them Japanese names and we refer to them simple by number ! They are refered to as YUBI-NAGE #1 , #2, #3, ect....

• There are three basic ELBOW JOINT LOCKS :
• (1) Ude Garami ( or coil arm lock )
• (2) UDE  KATAMI / GATAME ( or straight arm lock/bar.)
• (3)Ura Ude Garami ( reverse arm coil lock)
• * ( with many variations using different parts of your body as the fulcrum ). In one case you bend the elbow joint either upwards or downward forming an "S" , while in the other, you block the elbow at the joint and use the limb from the elbow to the finger-tips to apply pressure to the joint. (either elbow lock is very painful and will result is dislocation if the pressure applied is great-enough.)

• There are two types of KNEE LOCKS in Saigo-Ha Daito-Ryu :
• They are called :
• (1) Yoko Hiza Gatami (or side knee twist lock ) and
• (2) Ura Hiza Gatame ( or rear knee lock ! ),
• both are used to dislocate or seriously injure the knee joint by tearing the support ligaments which surround the knee joint itself, from dozens of different applications.

• There is one main ankle lock used in Saigo-Ha Daito-Ryu Aiki Jujutsu :
• Kihon Ashi-Ku-Bi ( in which the toes are placed under your armpit, and you apply pressure to the achiles tendon wih your forarm .)
• Of course ! There are dozens of ways to apply this wasa.

• Saigo Ha Daito-Ryu has three basic toe locks known as Ashi No Yubi kansetsu wasa;
• (1) Mai ashi-no-yubi garami
• (2) Yoko ashi-no-yubi garami
• (3) Ushiro ( ura) ashi-no-yubi garami
• (there are about 30 basic ways to apply these )

• Saigo-Ha Daito-Ryu Aiki jujutsu has three basic NECK LOCKS
• (1) ushiro kube garami ( rear neck twist)
• (2) yoko kube garami ( side neck twist)
• (3) ura kube garame ( reverse neck twist ) ,
• each are extremely dangerous and can result if death is applied to forcefully.
• Like all locks, there are many methods taught to apply them according to the situation.

• * Each of these three basic necklocks can be applied in about 20 different ways . ( each having specific names and uses )

Saigo-HaDaito-Ryu AikiJujutsu has several chokes and corotid Controls:

• Chokes are techniques where the air supply  (or ability to supply oxygen to the brain ) is shut off by applying pressure to the windpipe .
• Carotid Controls are techniques where the blood supply bringing oxegen to the brain is cut off by applying pressure to the carotid arteries in the neck.
• ( both these techniques cause unconsciousness to occur in between 7 and 17 seconds)

Saigo-Ha Daito-Ryu aikijujutsu has 14 different basic chokes :

• (1) ushiro hadaka jime (rear naked choke)
• (2) yoko hadaka jime ( side naked choke)
• (3) ura hadaka jime ( reverse naked choke)
• (4) ashi garami jime ( leg entwinement choke)
• (5) ni-iri jime ( double lepel choke)
• (6) yayakoshii jime (puzzle choke)
• (7) yokemasu jime ( staight-arm choke)
• (8) oasemasu jime ( restraining choke)
• (9) obi jime ( belt choke)
• (10) kowaii jime ( frightful choke)
• (11) onii jime (devil choke)
• (12) harai jime ( spinning choke)
• (13) inabiikarai jime (lightning choke )
• (14) ma yoonaka jime ( midnight choke)

• * CHOKES can be fatal if applied too forcefuly or held-on too long, but the most common injury occuring when chokes are applied is damage to the esophogus or adams apple nerve groups. As such CHOKES must be considered a killing technique to be practiced with extreme care and attention. ( These chokes can be applied in several variations both standing or on the ground  ) 

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Saigo-Ha Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu has 19 different basic carotid controls :

• ( 1) Kata juji-Jime ( switch cross choke )
• (2) Gyaku juji-Jime (reverse hands cross choke)
• (3) Nami juji Jime ( normal crosschock)
• (4) Hadaka jime ( bare strangle )
• (5) ushiro hadaka jime ( reverse bare choke )
• (6) Tate Hadaka jime ( verticle bare choke )
• (7) Kataha jime ( single wing choke )
• (8) ushiro kataha jime ( reverse single wing choke)
• (9) Chikarai yoko kataha jime ( rolling single wing choke )
• (10) Okuri eri jime ( sliding lepel choke )
• (11)Kani Okuri Eri Jime ( crab sliding choke )
• (12) Koshi Jime ( hip strangle )
• (13) Ushiro Okuri eri jime ( reverse sliding lepel strngle )
• (14) Jogoku Jime ( Hell strangle )
• (15) Sakaku jime ( triangle choke )
• (16) ura Sankaku jime (reverse triangle choke )
• (17) Yoko Sankaku jime ( side triangle choke )
• (18) wani jime ( crocodile choke )
• (19) empi okuri jime ( elbow sliding choke )

• Carotid Controls are methods of compressing the carotid arteries in the neck, resulting in lack of oxegen to the brain. (Although they are not usually life threatening in healthy people, they have been known to cause serious brain damage and some deaths in people with high plaque/chlorestorol build-up in their arteries !)
• Carotid Controls usually cause unconsciousness in between 6 and 17 seconds, and the opponant will be unconscious from anywhere between 2 minutes to 1 1/2 hours , or in rare cases, will not recover on his own.

Preset forms

Saigo Ha Daito-Ryu/Takeda-Ryu Aiki Jujutsu has several forms (katas) for refreshing or remembering specific techniques. ( These are always done in a very formal manner begining and ending with a ceremonial bow )

List of Basic Katas :

• Tachi Zuki No Kata
• Sewari Zuki No Kata
• Satumi Zuki No Kata
• Tachi Keri No Kata
• Sewari Keri No Kata
• Satumi Keri No Kata
• Bokyo No Kata
• Sewari Bokyo No Kata
• gake tachi nage kata
• chuden tachi nage kata
• age tachi nage kata
• ushiro tachi nage kata
• oi tachi nage kata
• gake setumi nage kata
• chudan setumi nage kata
• age setumi nage kata
• ushiro setumi nage kata
• oi setumi nage kata
• mai geri tachi kata
• yoko geri tachi nage kata
• mawashi geri tachi nage kata
• mae mikazuki geri tachi nage kata
• ura mikazuki geri tachi nage kata
• gake geri tachi nage kata
• sawari geri kata (s) all 6
• kenjutsu katas
• bo katas (4)
• jo katas (2)
• tanto katas.(3)
• yari kata (4)

• (a) both parties standing ( Known formally as Tachiai)
• (b) One person (attacker) standing and one person (defender) kneeling ( known formally as HanzaHanDachi )
• (c) both parties kneeling.( Known formally as Sawari or Shinkki )
• the standing always taught first because it is easier to learn, whereas in the old schools, the kneeling techniques were usually taught first since many believe Daito-ryu was mainly a palace art .
• There are several other secret katas known as the ryugi embu which are only taught to very high ranking teachers .

Saigo-Ha Daito-Ryu has many hundreds of unique and different throws not found in any other martial art systems. 

List of some of these advanced throws.

• These are advanced throws which require excellent ukimi. ( many require use of gymnastics crash mats )
• (some are designed to break the colar bone, dislocate the shoulder joint or break the neck * extreme care must be taken in practice )

• Uki Otochi(Floating throw or swing throw)
• Ura Kuki nage (rear neck throw or reverse air throw)
• Ushiro-Otoche (rear Drop)
• Hiza Tsuri (Knee Lift or body lift throw)
• Tsurite (Lifting hand or Sasae Tsuri Goshi )
• Juji-Te (crossing hands or arm entanglement throw)
• Jujii Garami (Cross Entanglement)
• Ura Garami Obi Nage (arm coil belt throw)
• Uchi-Empi Tai-otoche (Inside Elbow BodyDrop)
• Irimi Kube Nage (entering neck throw or neck wheel )

• Ura Irimi Otoche ( rear entering drop)
• Ura Iri Otoche (rear collar drop)
• Mune Nage (Chest throw)
• Empi Shi N Kei (elbow nerve throw)
• UDE SHI N KEI (forarm nerve throw)
• Kansetsu Sae Otoche (armlock shoulder drop)
• Yoko Tsuri (Side lift or lifting side throw )
• Utsturi Harai Goshi (Sweeping switch hip or floating leg rotation throw )
• Sankajo Nage (inward jointlock throw)
• Ude Garami Yoko Nage (arm coil side throw)

• UCHI SOTO MAGARINA (inside-out throw or reversing twist throw )
• KURUSHI NAGE (Agony throw or shoulder twisting throw )
• NI URA NAGE (Double back throw or back spin throw)
• USHIRO NODO OTOCHE (rear throat drop)
• JUJI SUMI OTOCHE (cross corner drop)
• URA NI OBI DORI NAGE (rear double belt grab throw)
• UKE GARAMI KUBE OTOCHE (forarm coil neck drop)
• USHIRO TOMOE GOSHIOTOCHE (rear stomach hip drop)
• NOSHITA UDE HARAI NAGE (under-arm spinning throw)
• AKUMA KUKI NAGE (Evil Air throw)

• GAKE UDE HARAI URA NAGE ( arm hook sweep )
• MAE EMPI SHI N KEI ( front elbow nerve throw)
• URA SHOMEN OTOCHE (rear stomach drop)
• GAKE UKE SUMI NAGE ( hook arm corner throw)
• URA HIZA TSURI OTOCHE (rear knee lift drop)
• URA SEO HARAI NAGE (rear shoulder spin throw)
• URA TATE HARAI NAGE ( rear vertical spin throw)
• SUMI SANKAJU NAGE (Corner triangular throw)
• URA HIZA ZUKI OTOCHE (rear knee strike drop)
• UDE KATAME KOTE GAESHI (arm lock wrist control throw)

• UDE GATAME SEO NAGE (arm lock shoulder throw)
• UDE GATAME SUMI NAGE (arm bar corner throw)
• URA SUMI SANKAKU NAGE (arm lock rear corner throw)
• UDE GATAME KIN MAE NAGE (armbar groin forward throw)
• UDE GATAME KIN URA NAGE (armbar groin rear throw)
• UDE GATAME KIN MAE TSURI NAGE (armbar groin forward lift throw)
• UDE GATAME KIN YOKO TSURI OTOCHE (armbar groin side lift drop)
• UDE GATAME KIN MAGARINA (armbar groin inside out throw)
• UDE GATAME URA EMPI SHI N TEI (arm bar rear elbow pressure throw)UDE GATAME GYAKU CHIGAI HARAI YAMA ARASHI (II) (armbar reverse underarm sweeping mountain storm throw)
• (with their many variations, you have about 1200 throws in this group alone )
• These throws are practiced in Taichiai, HanzaHandachi and Sawari positions .

( 50 great sacrifice throws)

• These are almost all neck breaking throws and very dangerous ***

• Kube Otoche ( neck drop )
• Ushiro Kube Otoche ( reverse neck drop)
• Ude Garami Waki no Shita Nage ( Arm coil under armpit throw)
• Yorima Tai Otoche ( entwining body drop ) * over & under arm
• Koshi Dori Ura Otoche ( trunk grab rear drop ) *around waist
• Kube Makikomi Otoche ( neck winding drop )
• Koshi Dori Ura Hiza Otoche ( truck grab rear knee drop)
• Yorima Kube Nage ( twisting neck throw )
• Ude Garami Yoko Otoche ( arm coil side drop ) on one knee/over knee
• Mae Obi Makikomi Otoche ( forward belt drop ) like reg. makikomi

• Mune Dori Ura Otoche ( bearhug rear drop )
• Mawashi Otoche ( Circle Drop )
• Ashi Ude Garami Ura Nage ( Leg Arm coil lock rear throw )
• Hadari Dori Irimi Sumi Nage ( left wrist grab arm coil entering drop )
• Ude-Mune dori Ura Nage ( arm chest lock rear throw )
• Ni Kate Dori Shiho HIza Nage ( double wrist grab four corner knee drop throw )
• Ura Ude Garami Kube Nage ( rear arm coil lock neck twist rear drop )
• Kube Ude Garami Ushiro Otoche ( arm & neck lock rear drop )
• Taishoku Nage ( retirement throw ) * arm lock shoulder carry
• Tani Otoche ( valley drop )

• Ura Ni ude dori mawashi otoche ( reverse double arm grab circle throw)
• Ude gake harai sutemi (Arm hook spin drop)
• Ura ude garami yoko otoche ( reverse arm coin side drop)
• Ushiro Chigae ago ura otoche (under arm rear chin drop)
• Ura ude garami ni hisa otoche ( reverse arm coil double knee drop)
• Ko kogata ( small package)
• ko koshi otoche ( small hip drop)
• Mae wakare ( from separation)
• Ouchi setumi otoche ( large rear inside leg hook )
• Ushiro Shiho nage ( rear four corner throw)

• Taifu nage ( typhoon throw)
• Ura ude urshiro otoche ( rear head & arm back drop )
• Arai kaze ( rough wind )
• O tobu dai mawashi ( large jump circle throw )
• Shuuten nage (last stop throw)
• Ura Koshi dori ushiro otoche ( gut wrench )
• Ushiro Taifu-Nage ( rear typhoon throw)
• Mae Age otoche ( front face drop )
• Ude gatame o harai otoche ( straight arm bar large spin throw)
• Soogi-ya nage ( undertaker throw)

• Ni te kube dori ippon seonage ( double wrist grab shoulder throw)
• Ni te kube dori sumi otoche ( double wrist grab corner drop)
• Juji te kube seonage ( cross wrist should throw)
• Uchi nejiiru te kube ushiro ashi harai ( inside wrist turn rear leg sweep)
• Ushiro ude garami ko uchi gake ( rear arm coil small outside leg hook )
• Koma mawahi nage ( spinning top throw)
• Ushiro hassami Nage ( rear scissor throw)
• Mae Hassami Nage ( front scissor throw)
• Mai kara hone Shiinkai nage (front collar bone nerve throw)
• Ushiro kara hone shiinkai nage ( rear collar bone nerve throw)

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• Kuju Tachi Keri Nage ( 90 standing throws against kicks )
• Kuju Satumi Keri Nage ( 90 sacrifice throws against kicks )
• Newasa  ( 30 basic pins & imobilizations on the ground )
• Hyaku Tachi Nage Gaishi ( 100 counters against standing throws)
• Hyaku Sawari Kaishi zuki nage ( 100 counters against kneewalk throws)
• Goju Te-Kubi Kaeshi Wasa ( 50 counters against wrist grabs )
• Kuju Tachi Gaishi Keri No wasa ( 90 standing counters against kicking throws)
• Kuju Setumi Gaishi Keri No wasa ( 90 counters against sacrifice kicking throws)
• Sawari ( shinkki) wasa ( 200 basic kneewalk techniques)
• Koroshimasu ( 83 secret termination or killing techniques)
• Atemi Wasa ( 45 secret pressure point techniques )
• Hyaku Bokyo Wasa ( 100 escapes against holds )
• Kobujutsu ( old weapons forms )
• Hyaku Takeda-Ryu Horitsu ( 100 Principals - modern scientific )
• Newasa Gaishi ( counters / escapes for all ground fighting techniques)
• Nippon Kappo / Kwasu ( Japanese restoration/first aid techniques)
• Tanto Kire Wasa ( study of arteries & veins for use of knife)
• Mugei Ryu Iaido katas ( 15 ) Traditional katas of Kenjutsu.
• Mokoroku Shoden ( 118 techniques from Sokaku Takeda Daito-Ryu - 5 kajos )
• There are hundreds of modfied techniques without names that are not listed here .
note * every single technique found in mainline daito-ryu is found in some version within these groups of techniques . Shiro Saigo had training in a temple setting on all aspects of Daito-Ryu under Tanomo Saigo and these techniques are listed here and were passed on down to his students, including Yamashita Houei . ( although Dr. Williams was not taught the Onna Ha Itto Ryu Ken Jutsu, it does not take-away from the fact that he mastered the rest of Shiro Saigo's system, and went-on to master another koryu sword system known as Mugei-Ryu and the basics of other Japanes kobudo . )

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In total you have well in excess of 3400 actual techniques in the Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu Aiki jujutsu system .( far more than any other daito-ryu system practiced today )

• In 1200 + years of development of Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu (Daito-Ryu ) Aiki Juutsu , at least 10,000 other techniques may have been lost forever
Note * You can see why SAIGO-HA TAKEDA-RYU is so protective of it's techniques when you consider that you can take 1/20th of these techniques and create a new hybred martial art system that will fool the un-informed public into thinking it is a traditional martial art system.

We list the names of the techniques to show the general public the great variety of fighting skills which exists in traditional Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu (Daito-Ryu) although we know that it is possible that some people might use these names to lay claim to be qualified to teach this great art or make-up some ficticious art and use this as a syllabus, however, the benefit of listing the techniques far outweighs such a possibility.

Since all legitimate teachers Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu & Daito-Ryu actively interact with each other, it is very easy to check-out the credentials of anyone, anywhere in the world, who claims to be qualified to teach these arts. ( feel free to email us for information on anyone claiming to be certified/ authrized to teach these arts )

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 SAIGO HA AIKIDO    Saigo ha Aikido is a version of Traditional Saigo-Ha Takeda-Ryu that is geared for those in the general population who are not willing or able to comit themselves to the required severe training of the traditional martial art of Saigo Ha Aiki Bujutsu  .
  It uses the exact same sequence of required techniques, the same grading system, and the same content, but the physical training methods are offered in a softer mode to minimize injury. (In our Aikido branch, we modify the basic techniques to make them less dangerous, more easily mastered and much more enjoyable for the average student  .  )
  How do we compare to regular Aikido ? The difference lies in the number of techniques and lack of robotical applicatiobns of them . In Regular Aikido, the techniques are limited to a few hundred and each techniques are broken-down into jerky sequence of actions that are best discribed as robotical, where'as in Saigo Ha Daito-Ryu, the techniques number in the thousands are are all done very smoothly and fast .( If you look at the early founders of Aikido: Uyeshiba and his student Shioda, you see men who were fast, smooth and applied well-executed techniques, where'as his followers have changed the regular techniques into a dance like non-practical sequence of what was once deadly fighting techniques.)
  Another aspect that separates Saigo Ha Aikido from regular Aikido, is that Saigo Ha is a spiritual awakening process, where'as regular Aikido has often become a recreational activity with little emphesis on one's spirituality .( Few traditional schools of Aikido in the west teach Shintoism as part of their syllabus, yet, Shintoism was the heart of Daito-Ryu from which Aikido evolved * Even the founder Uyeshiba-Sensei was a devout follower of the Oomoto sect of Shintoism . )

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SHINTO-RYU AIKIBUDO Shinto-Ryu Aikibudo is the teaching of Shintoism as part of regular Saigo Ha Takeda-Ryu Aikibudo/jujutsu leading to the legal ordaination of the student as a priest of Interi Shintoism.
It involves mastey of all aspects of the Shinto religion including traditional ceremonies, rituals and the everyday operation of a Shinto-Shrine. ( And registration with the International Shinto Association in Japan )  -

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