The spatial and spatiotemporal interpersonal coordinations in aikido’s jiyu waza

Estefan Gemas Neto; Marcelo Tadeu Fernandes Silva; Marcos Antônio Mattos dos Reis; Umberto Cesar Corrêa

doi:10.18002/rama.v21i1.2603

Authors

Estefan Gemas Neto School of Physical Education and Sport of the University of São Paulo (EEFE-USP) https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8515-8023
Marcelo Tadeu Fernandes Silva Takemusu Aikido Kai Japan https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0934-4811
Marcos Antônio Mattos dos Reis Federal University of Alagoas https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2647-5859
Umberto Cesar Corrêa School of Physical Education and Sport of the University of São Paulo (EEFE-USP) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3465-0437

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18002/rama.v21i1.2603

Keywords:

Martial arts, combat sports, aikido, jiyu waza, interpersonal coordination, dynamic systems, systemic approach, ecological dynamics

Agencies:

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001

Abstract

Over the past few years, interpersonal coordination has been increasingly recognised as an important concept in understanding sports performance. It refers to the interactions between individuals. The present study aimed to investigate the interpersonal coordination in jiyu waza. Specifically, it sought to identify the spatial and spatiotemporal measures that characterised interpersonal coordination in jiyu waza. Twenty aikido practitioners participated in the study, with a mean age of 30 years (± 5 years), with a minimum rank of shodan (1st degree black belt) and a minimum of 8 years of aikido practice. The task was jiyu waza, which consisted of a defending aikido practitioner avoiding being surrounded and/or hit by three opponents. Triangular area, triangular shape/type, and interpersonal distance, together with their respective measures of change rates (variability and velocity) were used as measures of interpersonal coordination. The x and y coordinates of the participants' displacement were obtained from 30-second filming (1800 frames at 60 fps) using the semi-automatic tracking software Kinovea 0.9.5. The filming was performed from above, considering the top of each participant's head as the tracking point. Results revealed that: (1) the attackers' interpersonal coordination’s in the form of scalene and obtuse triangles, with more variable areas, as well as the greater interpersonal distances between the defender and the triangles characterised the defenses; (2) the attacks in which the defender was attacked from the front, but was unable to neutralise it, were characterised by greater interpersonal distances that emerged with greater positive velocities; (3) the defender consistently failed to neutralise attacks from behind; these situations were characterised by the interpersonal coordination represented by the scalene and obtuse triangles. The findings of this study suggest that the triangular measures (area and shape/type) were able to capture the interpersonal coordination of cooperation between the attackers, and the interpersonal distance enabled access to the interpersonal coordination relative to the opposition in jiyu waza.

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Author Biographies

Estefan Gemas Neto, School of Physical Education and Sport of the University of São Paulo (EEFE-USP)

Estefan Gemas Neto (Brazil): Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from the University of São Paulo (2016). Master’s degree in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (2019). PhD in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (2024). Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of São Paulo (2025). Member of the Motor Behavior Laboratory (LACOM). Experienced in the fields of Motor Behavior, Motor Learning, Motor Control, and Martial Arts/Combat Sports. Holds a blue belt in aikido from the Takemussu Institute – Atago Dojo (Brazil). E-mail: estefan.neto@usp.br

Marcelo Tadeu Fernandes Silva, Takemusu Aikido Kai Japan

Marcelo Tadeu Fernandes Silva (Brazil): Physical education professional with 35 years of experience working in private schools (preschool, elementary, and high school levels). He served as a faculty member for 10 years at the Faculty of Physical Education of Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas (FMU) from 2007 to 2017. He holds postgraduate degrees in Jungian analytical psychology, psychosomatics, art therapy, biotypology, and acupuncture. He works as a Jungian analyst and therapist at the clinic @reestruturacao_da_saude. Additionally, he is a master in Takemusu Aikido (Shihan, 7th Dan), a Hatha Yoga instructor, and a 3rd-degree black belt in Jiu-Jitsu (Behring School). He is the author of the book Caminhando com o Tigre, Transcendendo a arte marcial (Walking with the Tiger, Transcending Martial Arts), published by Cia. dos Livros (2003), as well as various articles on themes such as martial arts philosophy, analytical psychology, mental health, and education. E-mail: marcelotuche55@yahoo.com.br

Marcos Antônio Mattos dos Reis , Federal University of Alagoas

Marcos Antônio Mattos dos Reis (Brazil): Bachelor's and Licensed in Physical Education from Universidade Tiradentes (UNIT), Brazil. Master's degree in Physical Education from the Graduate Program in Physical Education at Universidade Federal de Sergipe. PhD in Physical Education and Sport from the Graduate Program at the School of Physical Education and Sport at the University of São Paulo. Currently, an Assistant Professor at the Federal University of Alagoas. E-mail: marcos.reis@arapiraca.ufal.br

Umberto Cesar Corrêa, School of Physical Education and Sport of the University of São Paulo (EEFE-USP)

Umberto Cesar Corrêa (Brazil): Faculty member of School of Physical Education and Sport of the University of São Paulo, and member of the Motor Behavior Laboratory, since 1996. He received his undergraduate degree in Physical Education in 1990, and Certification in Gymnastics in 1992 from the University of Mogi das Cruzes; Certificate in Sport Sciences from University of Educação e Cultura do ABC (1993); Master degree in Motricity Sciences from Paulista State University (1996); Ph.D. degree in Physical Education from University of São Paulo (2001). He held the post of Associate Professor from University of São Paulo in 2007 and Post-doctoral from Queensland University of Technology in 2011. His research interests include motor skill learning and teaching of physical education. He has investigated themes such as practice schedule, feedback, instruction/cues, specificity and complexity of task, ecological validity. He has been interested in understanding motor skills in physical education and sport contexts from an adaptive complex systems perspective. E-mail: umbertoc@usp.br

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