Aikido. kicks anyone?

I know aikido is not known as an offensive art.





generally one wouldnt think of kicks as a technique in aikido.





yet i have seen a few books talk of kicking as usable in aikido for various purposes.





Aikido practitioners only: have you ever trained kicks as a form of atemi in your aikido classes?





If so, how were they used?|||Although I am by no means an expert I%26#039;ve come to the understanding that the notion that Aikido has no strikes is a myth, indeed the founder is quoted as having said that atemi is 99% of aikido. (In Saito - Traditional Aikido Vol.5). Indeed it%26#039;s not difficult to find images of Saito sensei punching uke in the foot, or O%26#039;sensei standing on uke%26#039;s foot as he delivers an upward ukemi to the jaw.





The organisation I train with (a relatively traditional school though not Aikikai affiliated) practice techniques from various attacks including kicks, though not normally until you reach a higher grade and have really grasped the fundamentals of movement and blending. There are some videos on you tube showing how this can be achieved, some are good but many aren%26#039;t.





Atemi, as I understand it, is predominantly a tool for distraction so it often occurs in the direct line of vision or in the peripheral vision; clearly this is more suited to blows from the tagetana (knife edge of the hand). However, Atemi can also be used to assist in disrupting posture or determining the movement of Uke, and so long as it%26#039;s practical and does not compromise your own kamae, balance or centre then there%26#039;s no reason this shouldn%26#039;t be done with a kick.





When atemi is used with considerable force, is intended to destroy, damage or otherwise harm uke then you could argue that you are no longer practicing aikido but something more like aikijujutsu/jujutsu.|||Some instructors have mentioned to me that just before the take down in 3 kyo there a chance to apply the knee to their face.





And the final position of irimi nage you have the option to kick the head if necessary.





But aikido is about the technique(s) and not damaging someone and kicking is not taught and is not part of any of the techniques.|||aikido has no strikes. some instructors do add them in.


i studied aikido under several japanese sensei%26#039;s and no one in there classes new how to even throw a front kick|||The instant you have one foot off the floor you are by definition off balance. That%26#039;s bad news in Aikido.