from dust jacket Ours is a time when violence seems to be on the increase. The newspapers and televison screens are peppered with acoounts of brutal slayings, holdups, muggings and attacks on the innocent. The experts tell us that we are in the midst of the greatest wave of crime-in-the-streets in American history. The book you hold in your hancs may well be youdr answer to the problem. For Aikido is a new Japanese martial art that combines the best of all the other martial arts. Ailkido tends to overcome differences in size and strength. The man or woman who possesses the skill taught in this book gains tremendous self-conficence and the ability to walk without fear. More, it instills a remarkable inner harmony-for Aikido is more than a way of dealing with an att acker-it is a way of life. Aikido techniques are truly amazing. They have to be seen to be believed. The publisher of this book once watched the author defend himself against a violent and totally unrehearsed attack by four students simutaneously. with speed and grace but with what appeared to be a minimum expense of energy and movement Professor Yamada all but destroyed the four attackers and after a few minutes, they retired, bloody and dazed. Aikido employs circular rather than linear movements, and one uses the opponent's own force and momentum to overcome him. The aikido expert 'leads' his opponent's power and mind. There is no contest of brute force with Aikido: its effects are so natural that the attacker hurts only himself with his aggressiveness and the person pracitcing Aikido is always totally relaxed and in control. mentally and physically. This book is the definitive book on Aikido. The step-by-step directions are clearly and carefully illustrated with the photographs by Alexander Langfelder. Aikido Complete is written by a true master of the art and one who has devoted most of his life to its study and practice. It is clear and it is complete. And it is the closest thing to learning Aikido in person from Professor Yamada in the New York Aikikai. We hope tyat you, the reader, will enjoy, learn and benefit by this remarkable course, as so many hundreds of Aikido students have benefited by Yoshimitsu Yamads's first-hand training. Contents Preface, Forewordd The Art of Aikido-The founder of Aikido; The techniques; Concentration on the one-point; Understanding and control fo the Ki Demonstration and Explanation of the Techniques and Philosophy of Aikido-How to fall; The Shiho-nage technique; The Ikkyo technique; The Nikkyo technique; The Sankyo Technique; The Kotegaeshi technique; The Kokyu-nage technique; The Koshi-Nage technique; Nage-Wasa (throwing) techniques; Aikido techniques against knife attacks Conclusion