What is Aikido?
Aikido in its current form is a relatively recent innovation within the martial arts tradition. Aikido was developed in Japan in the beginning of the twentieth century and is credited to Morihei Ueshiba. Ueshiba discovered the traditional martial arts as a boy by his father Yoroku. He is believed to have studied a variety of martial arts styles, such as ju-jistu as well as ken-jutsu and the art of the spear. In 1912 Morihei moved to Hokkaido, where a improbable meeting with a man named Sokaku Takeda changed his life.
Takeda was a master of daito-ryu-aiki-ju-jitsu, a martial art that had developed in the sixth century and had been passed down through the military and perfected by members of the Aizu clan, becoming known as the Oshi-Kiuchi, or “striking arts.” The young Ueshiba rapidly was fascinated by the martial knowledge of Takeda and learned from him until 1919.
Upon return to his home of Tanabe because of the death of his father, Morihei ran into the charismatic founder of an esoteric belief called Omoto-Kyo – and spent the next 6 years as a disciple, traveling throughout Asia. In 1927, Morihei set up the Kobukan dojo in Tokyo Japan and began teaching an combination of the martial arts he had learned from discipling under Takeda, combined with the knowledge he had gleaned from Omoto-Kyo.
This new art he called Ueshiba-aiko-bugo. Morihei finally chose the name aikido. This word is a combination of three ideas: Ai meaning harmony, Ki: meaning spirit and Do: meaning way. As with many other styles, aikido is seen not only as a system of self defense, but also as a means of self-cultivation and improvement. Nowadays there are several systems of aikido, but traditional aikido has no tournaments, competitions or contests. Physical strength isn’t required, so age is no impediment. According to its founder, the goal of aikido is not the overcoming of others, but the overcoming of the negative characteristics that dominate one’s own mind and stop its effective functioning.
Aikido is a style that seeks not to meet violence with violence, but instead seeks towards harmonizing with and restraining an enemy. Aikido is, in many ways, different among the martial disciplines, in that the majority of techniques are based on the aggressor making the first move. Therefore, aikido techniques are usually aimed at joint locking, and throws which use an enemy’s energy, momentum and aggression against them. Many body movements have been borrowed from Japanese sword and spear fighting styles. This is the basic thought and underlying philosophy of aikido. Young aikido practicioners train in a uniform that matches the standard karate uniform commonly worn today.
In accordance with decision from hombu (headquarters) in Japan, adult students don’t wear colored belts while training, although the kyu (student) grading system is still in effect. It is acceptable for children to wear colored belts. The student grading system starts at 6th-kyu which involves the wearing of a white belt with one red stripe. Children then progress through a number of colored stripes and belts until they reach 1st-kyu. This is the final kyu rank before they are ready to take their black belt test (1st dan). When students pass the examination for their 1st dan (shodan), they are entitled to wear a hakama (a divided pleated skirt). This is considered an honor and the grade is recorded at hombu. Students also receive a membership card, an international yudansha record book and a certificate sighed by the founder’s son, Doshu.
People train in aikido for various reasons: as a way of becoming physically fit, as self defense or to understand something of the Japanese culture. It is up to each individual to decide upon which facet of the discipline to concentrate on. In addition to the development of strength, stamina and suppleness practitioners find out how to tap their inner strength to find an energy that is far greater than muscular power alone. And to use this inner strength at will. Breathing techniques are studied to facilitate mind and body coordination. Disciples also come into contact with other Japanese practices such as shiatsu (finger therapy) a type of total body massage and iaido (Japanese sword drawing). Both of these talents are (in harmony with|complementary to} training in aikido and are occasionally taught together.
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