Taido is a fighting style developed in Japan by Seiken Shukumine. 

Taido has its roots in old-style Okinawan martial arts.

Sensing that Japanese martial arts, particularly karate, were not adapting to meet the needs of society, Shukumine developed a style of Karate called Genseiryu in 1953. 

After ten years of teaching Genseiryu, Shukumine grew to see karate as limited and dead. He realized that the limitations of karate lay in its linear mode of training.

In 1964, he expanded his theories of motion beyond the confines of what could be considered karate and founded Taido. 

Shukumine thought about how to make defense movements more adaptable and applicable.

Taido’s movements offered many innovations: the inclusion of spinning and twisting movements, gymnastic maneuvers, fast and effective footwork, and a changing body axis. The word Taido translates as “way of the body.” 



So what makes Taido unique? Taido techniques make use of changes of the body’s axis in order to facilitate simultaneous defense and attacking movements. Taido also emphasizes the use of footwork to take advantageous angles and distance to the opponent. This footwork is functionally connected to the body mechanics that underlie each kick, punch, or other technique. Taido uses exciting body movement to create powerful strikes and manage the spatial relationship with the opponent. 

Taido’s thought process is based on creative reaction to changing situations instead of pre-determined algorithms of offensive maneuvers and defense. Taido’s movements are also designed for improving health and longevity.

According to its creator, Taido’s highest goal is to enable its practitioners to function at a high level in society.

There are five main rules in Taido. Keep your mind as clear and uncluttered as the polished surface of a still pond. This way you will see the truth of the situation. Having a responsive attitude will help you avoid confusion. Be composed. Body and mind should be united. Carry yourself with dignity and you need never doubt yourself. fill your spirit with proper breathing methods. With the right intention you will never be threatened. In every thing you do, follow the correct precepts you have practiced. By doing so, you cannot act wrongly. Be adaptable in your techniques and maintain freedom of physical movement. The right technique will prevent you from being beaten. 





Taido includes five classes of body movements: vertical spinning movement, ascending and descending wave-like movement, dropping movement characterized by tilting the body’s axis, horizontal spinning movement, and rolling and tumbling movements. 

These movements are combined with strikes, kicks, and other techniques. The last category, called “tentai,” includes acrobatic movements, for instance back-flips, which makes Taido spectacular to watch.

Taido has a special method of footwork, known as unsoku, as well as acrobatic locomotion, termed unshin. 

Competitions in Taido include sparring, forms, and Tenkai, which is a pre-arranged combat between one “hero” and five opponents. In Tenkai the judges award scores to the teams in a similar manner as is done in many Olympic sports. 



Even after saying all that, unless you’ve actually experienced Taido, you likely still won’t have any concrete concept of what Taido is about. Also, merely knowing about the techniques doesn’t tell you what Taido is necessarily about. To really get any budo, you have to get an idea of why the techniques are performed as they are.



Of course, Taido is changing art, so no explanation can really encapsulate all that Taido is. Each student eventually forms their own ways to apply Taido to their own situation and how they move. Taido itself emphasizes creativity and the development of new techniques.

This is not a martial art that will stand in one place for long. 

Taido is currently practiced in Japan, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Denmark, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Australia, and the USA.

To find out about Taido, visit Taido/Blog – the world’s most complete resource on Taido.