Publisher's Synopsis
Aikido practice involves learning many techniques, each of which typically has several variations. Each variation requires tori to perform a certain form of tai sabaki, involving moving to a strategically sound position relative to uke, and at the same time using specific hand and arm actions to control uke. To become competent in Aikido, the student must literally assimilate hundreds of different responses to a wide range of attack forms. This makes Aikido dojo practice varied and interesting, but also very difficult to master in its entirety.
Saisho no Aikido - that is, Minimal Aikido - seeks to address this difficulty by describing and illustrating a relatively small number of actions that cover many possible tori/uke interactions.
