Taido was thought up Seiken Shukumine. He began this Japanese martial art school in 1964. The definition for Taido karate is “way of the body,” and it’s techniques are based on a traditional Okinawan fighting method known as Te. This was not the only time that Shukumine had founded a unique martial arts style. When he was not yet 30 years old, he created a new kind of karate that was known as Genseirvu.

Karate and other fighting styles have been widely practiced in many other countries for a number of years. In those years, prior to Taido, most training was rudimentary and the original techniques for this “empty handed” style of fighting went without many changes. yet, people’s perception of martial arts was going through a transition and Shukumine was a keen observer and noticed what should be updated as far as how traditional karate styles of instruction were concerned.

Shukumine realized that there were some issues with karate that reduced the way it could be used and taught. There wasn’t enough innovation and originality and the training methods of the commonly taught movements would quickly bore most trainees.

Older martial arts teaching consisted of set and uninspired movements. Karate didn’t change over the years as far as the methods and instructions for the students.

Shukumine felt that a martial art would be more useful as a fighting style if he could conceive a way to include more adaptable movements and innovations. He desired to provide students the opportunity to become inspired by their practice and for this to happen the work and instructor had to inspire them. These thoughts became the driving force that would help him to create Taido karate.

Prior to Taido, Seiken Shukumine taught a martial arts form that is still practiced today called Genseiryu. This was widely accepted, but still he felt it wasn’t enough.

He decided that he could update traditional karate movements and training methods, and finally in 1965 his new Taido karate form opened. Taido is a contemporary, unique form of martial arts that includes many aerial moves. It requires a student to make use of twists, spins, speed and changing angles of the body. Shukumine’s wish was to use Taido karate to evolve the study and training of karate and other martial arts.

The aim of Taido is to raise the awareness of the students who practice this martial arts form. Shukumine had one highest goal as far as the study of Taido karate was concerned. He wanted to be able to help all Taido practitioners reach their greatest potential in everything they do.

Taido’s Five Principles

1. A Taido student must make sure that their mind is calm and clear. The mind should be as reflective as a placid lake. Then they will perceive the reality of any situation. If the mind is kept untroubled and clear it will prevent a student from being confused.
2. Taido teaches students that the mind and body must be united in their purpose. They must work together as a single entity. When a person behaves in the right manner, any type of threats will not worry him.
3. Taido students are taught to practice calling upon the inner spirit that rests at the center of their being. Once a Taido karate practitioner has achieved this level, they will cease to experience any fear of confrontation or battle.
4. If a Taido student maintains these actions, they will always manage to act in an respectable and right manner.
5. Taido teaches free thought, adaptability and flexibility in both movements and ideas. When a person has appropriate moves, their opponents cannot best them.

Five Basic Taido Body Movements

1. Sen- Taido techniques that employ vertical spinning.
2. Un – movements making use of wave like motion such as jumping techniques.
3. Hen – techniques that are initiated by a falling motion resulting in tilting of the axis of the body.
4. Nen – movements with horizontal twists.
5. Ten – tumbling or rolling motions.

Besides the techniques, there are two movement ways to set up the strikes:

• Unsoku – fast and wide stepping movements for controlling space and angle to the opponent.
• Unshin – propulsion movements that are acrobatic in nature and involve no actual stepping on the floor.

Taido Tournaments

There are some unique types of Taido Karate competitions that students can engage in. Jissen is Taido’s sparring, Taido style. Taido forms are called “Hokei” – closely related to kata in Karate.  Tenkai- these are bouts that are acted out\enacted by teams of Taido members in which a defender must stand against five of his “opponents” and demonstrate challenging or new techniques.