Customer Rating: 
Summary: Instructions on the techniques are misleading
Comment: Tegner misrepresents how to perform basic techniques. Let us consider for example how he presents the basic throw known as kote-gaeshi (outward wrist twist). Instead of disturbing uke's balance so that uke loses control and the throw can be effective, Tegner takes a questionable approach. He shows the throw being done when uke is standing upright, fully balanced, and with his elbow deeply bent. To have the throw happen under these circumstances means one of two things: (a) Uke is doing his part badly, throwing himself at the floor when an ineffective technique is being applied. --or-- (b) You are applying excessive force and will damage uke's wrist and elbow joints to get the technique to work.
In aikido, the nage is the one who throws and uke is the one who is thrown. Being the uke is challenging. When nage tries to throw you, your responses help show nage what works and what doesn't. But Tegner dismisses the uke's responsibilities. Instead, he has uke just follow along with whatever nage is doing. However, if nage is repeatedly doing the techniques ineffectively, then uke does nage a disservice by just following along.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Aikido- Bruce Tegner
Comment: This is not his best book but a lot of the other reviewers who are villifying him are way off base. Aikido IS very difficult to learn and use for self defense. Once a person attains an advanced level they can make it work very effectively. It is clearly Tegner's intent to merely display some of Aikido to the public and make Aikidoka out of everyone.
Customer Rating:
Summary: this guy knows NOTHING
Comment: This guy knows NOTHING about the effectiveness of the martial art of Aikido, he says in this book that Aikido doesn't work as self defense, i've been practising Aikido for about 2 years and i know very well that Aikido is a VERY effective art for self-defense and NOT for show. If you want to know about Aikido DO NOT buy this book i recomend Total Aikido by Gozo Shioda.
Customer Rating:
Summary: WHAT ARE YOU PRACTICING FOR?
Comment: In this book, Bruce states that Aikido should not be used for self defence and only observed as an "art" and for "excercise." In this, I believe that the source of Bruce's studies have perverted the art to something other than what it was intended to be. Aikido is not meant for anything other than self defence. As any "martial art" it should remain pragmatic in it's approach to instruction. If this is not done, then the "martial" is taken out of the art. For any support of this, I offer Ueshiba's track record in combat, or failing this, the very dead would-be killer of a young and innocent Aikidoka in O.K.C. who killed his attacker in self defense while under the instruction of the Windsong Aikido dojo which teaches Fugakukai Aikido. The killer did not die of too much excercise or art, but rather the natural reaction the body has to suddenly and forcefully impacting against pavement in a manner that ruptures the frontal lobe of the brain pan.This is not meant as an advertisement or as saying it is easy be a killer in 12 easy lessons. What I am saying, is that if an instructor tells you that this can't be used as self defense, then go somewhere were the Aikido is. If you are looking for a passtime, you will find a passtime; if you are looking to learn a martial discipline, then, by all means, learn a martial discipline.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good...if you know what you're doing.
Comment: I first bought this book long before I learned any Aikido, and it made little to no sense what so ever. Now I am an Aikido-ka and I find this book a very good study aid. In short this book is not a self-contained guide to Aikido merely a study guide for student. If you're looking to learn Aikido from a book...this is not the book.
