Aikido

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Date of Origin: 1942 Country of Origin: Japan Technique: Bare Hands and Feet, Jo, Bokken and Tanto

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:

1. moving into a position off of the line of attack
2. seizing control of the attacker's balance by means of leverage and timing
3. applying a throw, pin, or other sort of immobilization (such as a wrist/arm lock)

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.