What is it?…

Aikido is primarily a martial art: a system of self defence.

Anyone can practise and benefit from learning Aikido, whatever their age or level of fitness.

An Aikido student will blend or harmonize with an attack and use circular movements to unbalance the attacker. Then, rather than using potentially crippling kicks or punches, the Aikidoist can apply an endless variety of joint-locks, pins, or unbalancing throws to render an attacker harmless without causing serious injury.

Aikido teaches you to be flexible, fluid, and centred in any situation and to move spontaneously within its principles. An Aikidoist learns to unite body, mind, and spirit.

The name Aikido is composed of three Japanese characters: Ai, meaning harmony; Ki, spirit or energy; and Do, path or way, therefore Aikido can be read as The Way of Spiritual Harmony.

To learn more about Aikido and its rich history, please visit the Aikido Journal and AikiWeb internet sites.

The Founder of Aikido

Morihei Ueshiba, now called O’Sensei (“Great Teacher”), founded the martial art known today as Aikido. In early twentieth-century Japan, involvement in the martial arts was a competitive and dangerous business. Contests, feuds, and rivalries often resulted in injuries and even deaths.

The formulation of Aikido dates from an incident that is said to have occurred in 1925. In the course of a discussion about martial arts, a disagreement arose between O’Sensei and a naval officer who was a fencing instructor. The officer challenged O’Sensei to a match, and attacked with a wooden sword. O’Sensei faced the officer unarmed, and won the match by evading blows until his attacker dropped from exhaustion. He later recalled that he could see his opponent’s moves before they were executed, and that this was the beginning of his enlightenment. He had defeated an armed attacker without hurting him – without even touching him.

O’Sensei continued to practice and teach Aikido into his old age. Observers would marvel at his martial abilities, vitality, and good humour; he was still giving public demonstrations of Aikido at age eighty-six, four months before his death.

After he passed away on April 26, 1969, the Japanese government declared Morihei Ueshiba a Sacred National Treasure of Japan.

To learn more about the fascinating life of O’Sensei and the development of Aikido, please visit Aikido Journal and AikiWeb.