Saito began his aikido training under the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, in Iwama in 1946 after having practiced some kendo, judo and karate. Although other students such as Koichi Tohei trained with Ueshiba for more years than Saito did, Saito's work allowed him to train almost as an uchideshi, for long periods as the only student. From 1946 until Ueshiba’s passing in 1969, Saito served as Ueshiba's assistant in a variety of ways at Iwama while his wife served Mrs. Ueshiba. During Saito’s period as a deshi he taught classes in the Iwama dojo. Before his death Ueshiba gave Morihiro Saito the responsibility of carrying on the teaching at the Iwama dojo and also the position of caretaker of the Aiki Jinja located in Iwama.

Contents

Frontispiece Foreword
Chapter 1. Identity of Aikido as a martial art
1 Essence of Aikido-Invincible martial art; Spirit of Aikido; Requirements of Aikido; Aikido is a 'mirror'
2 Aikildo in postwar years-Aiki Shrine and open-air trainng school at Iwama; Development form 'Aiki marital art' to 'Aikido'; Diffusion and growht of Aikido; Duties of trainees and instructors
Chapter 2. Training methods of Aikido
1 Essentials-Natural observation of manners; Posture and mutual stance; Tegatana (Sword-edge of hand) and hold patterns; Peace and harmony of mind...Aiki...; 'Sabaki' (Body movements) in varied training situations;Triangular pattern; Atemi (Body blow prior to applying technique); distinction between mote-waza (Front technique) and Ura-waza (Turning technique)
2 Variety and sequence of training methods-variety of training methods; sequence of traing methods
3 Do's and Don'ts while in training
4 Demonstration of performances
Ckhapter 3. Aikido techniques
1 Various patterns of 'how to hold'-How to hold wrist; How to hold one hand with both hands; How to hold shoulder; How to hold collar; How to hold both hands from behind
2 Solid (basic), flexible and flowing (ki) exercises
*Body turns (solid (basic) exercises, flowing (kI) exercises
*Katate-dori (one hand-held) kokyu-nage (abdominal breath power throw)--solid (basic)exercise, flexible exercise, flowing (ki) exercise
*Katate-dori Dai-Ikkyo (arm pin) Omote-waza (front technique)--solid (basic)exercise, flexible exercise, flowing (ki) exercise
*Kata-dori (shoulder held) Dai-Ikkyo Omote-waza--solid (basic)exercise, flexible exercise, flowing (ki) exercise
*Kata-dori Dai-Ikkyo--Flowing (Ki) exercise
*Yokomen-uchi (circular strike at the head) Dai-Nikyo Ura-waza (turning technique)--solid (basic)exercise, flowing (ki) exercise
*Shomen-uchi (straight strike at the head) Dai-Sankyo (arm twist) ura-waza--solid (basic)exercise, flowing (ki) exercise
*Yokomen-uchi Dai-Yonkyo (forearm pin)--solid (basic)exercise, flowing (ki) exercise
*Yokomen-uchi Dai-Gokyo (Defense against armed attack)--solid (basic)exercise, flowing (ki) exercise
*Katate-dori shiho-nage (four-corner throw)--solid (basic)exercise, flexible exercise, flowing (ki) exercise
*Katate-dordi shiho-nage ura-waza--solid (basic)exercise, flowing (ki) exercise
*Irimi-nage (entering throw)
*Kaiten-nage (rotary throw inward)--solid (basic)exercise, flexible exercise, flowing (ki) exercise
*Ushiro-mune-dori (lower lapel held from behind) koshi-nage (hip throw)--solid (basic)exercise, flowing (ki) exercise
3 Variations of techniques
*Variations contingent on mutkual stance--From 'Kaiten-nage' to 'Dai-Ikkyo'; From 'Kaiten-nage' to ''Variation of Dai-Sankyo'; From 'Ushiro Ryote-dori (both hands held from behind) Dai-Ikkyo' to 'Jyuji-garami (cross-twine throw)'
*Variatons when your partner resisted--From 'Dai-Ikkyo' to 'Varied technique'; From 'Dai-Ikkyo' to 'Irimi-nage; From 'Dai-Ikko' to 'its variation'; From 'Dai-Ikkyo' to 'Dai-Sankyo'; From 'Dai-Ikkkyo' to 'Irimi-nage'; From 'Irimi-nage to 'its variation'
*Variatons when your partner brakes free--From 'Kata-dori Ikkyo' to 'Kokyu-nage'; From 'Dai-Sankyo' to 'Irimi-nage'; From 'Shiho-nage' to 'shiho-nage'; From 'Shiho-nage' to 'Irimi-nage'; From 'Shiho-nage' to 'Koshi-nage'; From 'Koshi-nage' to 'its variation'; From 'Kaiten-nage' to 'Kaiten-nage'; From 'Koshi-nage' to 'Dai-Sankyo'
*Variations when you erred in your movements--'Tsuki Kotegaeshi (wrist turn-out against thrust); 'Dai-Ikkyo'; 'Shiho-nage'
*Variations when your partner erred in his movements--Error made in 'Katate-dori' example 1; Error made in 'Katate-dori example 2; Error make in 'Ushiro Ryote-dori'
*Other varied techniques--'Kata-dori kotegaeshi'; 'Kata-dori Dai-Sankyo'; From 'Kata-dori Kokyu-nage' to 'Dai-Sankyo'
4 Techniques against group attack
*Body maneuvers against group attack--Wkhen attacked individually; When attacked simultaneously; When subjected to armed group attack
*Weapon-taking in group--Sword-taking example 1; Sword-taking example 2; Jo-taking example 1; Jo-taking example 2
*Koshi-nage against group attack--Ushiro Mune-dori Koshi-nage; Ryote-dori (both hands held) Koshi-nage
*Throwing techniques against group attack--Ryote-dori kokyu-nage; Ushiro Ryote-dori (both shoulders held from behind) kokyu-nage; Ushiro Ryote-dori kokyo-nage; Kaiten-nage; Mune-dori (lower lapel held) kokyu-nage
*Hold-down techniques against group attack--Variations of Dai-sankyo
5 Methods of training against group attack
6 How to use your feet and hips
Concluding remarks; Appendix: Roundtable Meeting Regarding the Founder's Life and Philosophy; Editor's post-makeup note