What is Aikido
Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed in the early 20th Century by Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969), now known as O-Sensei. Having studied several forms of martial arts including Ju-jitsu, the sword and the spear, O-Sensei developed Aikido because he was dissatisfied with the competitive and destructive elements of these disciplines. Aikido is not directed toward street fighting or competitive tournaments but rather takes a broader focus and aims to resolve conflict peacefully both on and off the mat.
Aikido movements are natural and simple, focusing on timing and positioning, rather than physical strength and power. Increased stamina, flexibility, and muscle development occur naturally as a result of training, but the techniques themselves do not depend on strength for effectiveness. It is therefore practiced by young and old, female and male alike.
Aikido techniques seek to control and redirect the focus of an attack and thus neutralize it. This control is achieved through body movements, use of positioning, leverage, inertia, and gravity to blend with the energy of an attack. These blending movements then proceed into throws, joint locks and pins. Since direct conflict is avoided, Aikido techniques can be applied by anyone regardless of physical strength.
Through training, the practitioner (Aikidoka) comes to see that aggression and resistance end in frustration, exhaustion and ultimately failure. This is true for all conflicts whether physical or verbal. By learning to redirect physical attacks (grabs, punches, kicks, etc.) we also learn to avoid head on conflicts in our personal and professional lives be it a dispute between you and your spouse, co-worker or stranger. The philosophy of Aikido is rooted in the notion of blending and conflict resolution. By definition and translation, Aikido is the Way of Harmony.
Cooperative, not competitive
Essential to the understanding and development of Aikido, is the fact that the training is cooperative, not competitive. Techniques are learned through training and drilling with a partner, not an opponent. You must always be careful to practice in such a way that you temper the speed and power of your technique in accordance with the abilities of your partner. Your partner is lending their body for you to practice on - it is not unreasonable to expect you to take good care of what has been lent you.
Training
Students train to capture the opponent's balance and redirect it with techniques of martial efficiency and power. At the same time, they become aware of the tendency to overreact to opposition, and learn to remain calm as well as centered under all conditions. Most practice is done with a partner, everyone works at their own level of ability, alternating as attacker(Uke) and defender(Nage). Both roles are stressed; each role contributes skills that enhance overall sensitivity and control.
Although aikido is best learned with a partner, there are a number of ways to pursue solo training in Aikido. Several forms of self practice are taught. First, one can "shadow" techniques by simply performing the movements of Aikido techniques with an imaginary partner. Second, if the student has a Jo (wooden staff) or bokken (wooden sword) they can practice solo forms (kata). Even pure mental rehearsal of Aikido techniques can serve as an effective form of solo training.
It is advisable to practice a minimum of two hours per week in order to progress in Aikido.
