Aikido
What is Aikido?
Loosely translated, Aikido means "way of accord."
Contrary to what many people may claim, there is no unified philosophy of Aikido. There is, however, a collection of religious, ethical and metaphysical beliefs which are somewhat shared by Aikidoists. These are either transmitted by word of mouth or found in various publications about Aikido. That being said, at the core of almost all philosophical interpretations of Aikido, one may identify at least two fundamental threads:
a commitment to peaceful resolution of conflict whenever possible and a commitment to self-improvement through Aikido training.
Aikido emphasizes evasion and circular/spiral redirection of an attacker's aggressive force into throws, pins and immobilizations as a primary strategy rather than punches and kicks.
The primary strategic foundations of Aikido are:
Strikes (atemi) are not absent altogether from the strategic arsenal of the Aikidoist, but their use is primarily (though not exclusively) as a means of distraction. A strike is delivered in order to provoke a reaction from the aggressor, creating a window of opportunity, facilitating the application of a throw, pin, or other immobilization.
Many Aikido schools train in varying degrees with weapons, including the jo (a staff 4 or 5 feet in length), the bokken (a wooden sword), and the tanto (a knife, usually made of wood, for safety). These weapons are used not only to teach defenses against armed attacks, but also to illustrate principles of Aikido movement, distancing, and timing.
Aikido
The History of Aikido
Aikido was founded by Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) in Tokyo, Japan in 1942. Ueshiba was born in a rural area of Japan near Osaka and left home in his late teens for Tokyo to seek martial arts instruction. Ueshiba was heavily influenced by Daito Ryu AikiJu-Jitsu - a traditional martial art that dates back 1200 years, as well as several styles of Japanese fencing (Kenjutsu), spearfighting (Yarijutsu), and by the religion Omotokyo. Prior to 1942, Ueshiba called his art "Aikibudo" or "Aikinomichi."
Largely because of his deep interest in Omotokyo, Ueshiba attempted to cultivate a "spirit of loving protection for all things" rather than techniques for achieving physical domination over others. He organized Aikido; his own system, and established the principle of nonresistance, the non-violent way of self defense. The name Aikido means "The Way of Harmony with the Ki" (life force) and stresses the harmony between mind, body and spirit.
He then began teaching selected pupils, some from noble families, others from the armed forces. He continued his instruction until World War II when he returned to the countryside. Witnessing his countrymen turn their interests from spiritual to material matters, Ueshiba eventually decided that he could encourage a rebirth of the spirit through the medium of Aikido. With that thought, he selected his finest students and sent them to spread Aikido throughout the world.
There are several major variants of Aikido. The root variant is the "aikikai." Aikikai is the name given to the central dojo of Aikido in Tokyo, Japan. The chief instructor was Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Morihei Ueshiba's son. With Morihei's death in 1969, the development of Aikido was taken over by Kisshomaru. He presided at the general headquarters and the International Aikido Federation, representing all the countries of the free world. The Aikikai also houses the headquarters of the International Aikido Federation which has branches throughout the world and which oversees the dissemination of Ueshiba's Aikido. Through this organization, the quality of the art and the black belt ranks are strictly regulated.
Kisshomaru's son, Moriteru Ueshiba, assumed the title of Doshu on January 4, 1999, following his death. Moriteru is the third and current Doshu of the Aikikai.
The teachings of the Daito Ryu AikiJu-Jitsu continue today, and Tokimune Takeda is its current headmaster in Japan. Several organizations in the United States are affiliated with the Aikikai, including the United States Aikido Federation, the Aikido Association of America, and Aikido Schools of Ueshiba. More than 14 different sects of Aikido exist today.
What is Aikido?
Loosely translated, Aikido means "way of accord."Contrary to what many people may claim, there is no unified philosophy of Aikido. There is, however, a collection of religious, ethical and metaphysical beliefs which are somewhat shared by Aikidoists. These are either transmitted by word of mouth or found in various publications about Aikido. That being said, at the core of almost all philosophical interpretations of Aikido, one may identify at least two fundamental threads:
a commitment to peaceful resolution of conflict whenever possible and a commitment to self-improvement through Aikido training.Aikido emphasizes evasion and circular/spiral redirection of an attacker's aggressive force into throws, pins and immobilizations as a primary strategy rather than punches and kicks.
The primary strategic foundations of Aikido are:
- moving into a position off of the line of attack
- seizing control of the attacker's balance by means of leverage and timing
- applying a throw, pin, or other sort of immobilization (such as a wrist/arm lock)
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Many Aikido schools train in varying degrees with weapons, including the jo (a staff 4 or 5 feet in length), the bokken (a wooden sword), and the tanto (a knife, usually made of wood, for safety). These weapons are used not only to teach defenses against armed attacks, but also to illustrate principles of Aikido movement, distancing, and timing.
Aikido
The History of Aikido
Aikido was founded by Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) in Tokyo, Japan in 1942. Ueshiba was born in a rural area of Japan near Osaka and left home in his late teens for Tokyo to seek martial arts instruction. Ueshiba was heavily influenced by Daito Ryu AikiJu-Jitsu - a traditional martial art that dates back 1200 years, as well as several styles of Japanese fencing (Kenjutsu), spearfighting (Yarijutsu), and by the religion Omotokyo. Prior to 1942, Ueshiba called his art "Aikibudo" or "Aikinomichi."
Largely because of his deep interest in Omotokyo, Ueshiba attempted to cultivate a "spirit of loving protection for all things" rather than techniques for achieving physical domination over others. He organized Aikido; his own system, and established the principle of nonresistance, the non-violent way of self defense. The name Aikido means "The Way of Harmony with the Ki" (life force) and stresses the harmony between mind, body and spirit.
He then began teaching selected pupils, some from noble families, others from the armed forces. He continued his instruction until World War II when he returned to the countryside. Witnessing his countrymen turn their interests from spiritual to material matters, Ueshiba eventually decided that he could encourage a rebirth of the spirit through the medium of Aikido. With that thought, he selected his finest students and sent them to spread Aikido throughout the world.
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The teachings of the Daito Ryu AikiJu-Jitsu continue today, and Tokimune Takeda is its current headmaster in Japan. Several organizations in the United States are affiliated with the Aikikai, including the United States Aikido Federation, the Aikido Association of America, and Aikido Schools of Ueshiba. More than 14 different sects of Aikido exist today.
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