What is Aikido

When you do Aikido you will find that it’s all about being spiritual in body and mind and will bring you to a very relaxed state.  Many people think that all martial arts are about aggression but Akido was founded by Ueshiba who was very much a pacifist and wanted to end aggression.  When you read this article you will certainly want to know more about Aikido.

Unlike many other martial arts, there are surprisingly no set techniques used in Aikido.

Dojo is the Japanese term for a formal training structure for martial arts.  A truly authentic and traditional Aikido dojo is used only as a place for formal and symbolic gatherings, and is rarely used a place to actually train. The actual Aikido training from a traditional dojo is done outdoors in a less formal setting.

Today, Aikido isn’t nearly as formal as it used to be.  Most of the time, there is no distinction from an Aikido dojo to the actual place of training and practice. In fact, in most cases, the two are one and the same.

After their training, the Great Teacher encouraged his students to put up their own dojos so they can spread the tenets of his martial art.  Aside from encouraging them to set up dojos and share the knowledge he taught, he also inspired them to develop their own styles and interpretations as long as these techniques adhere to the basic principle of aikido, “not fighting force with force.”

As mentioned before, Aikido is not about aggression, instead it’s more about self-defense. In fact, it seeks not to injure but to prevent or stop a person. This is perhaps why there is rarely a weapon used in the sport. Rather, it’s mainly about techniques and mind-set. In saying that, there are those advanced students who move onto using certain weapons. There are a few weapons used and these are the wooden jo, tanto and bokken.  Aikido is an amazing martial art that everyone can enjoy.