Fitness & Bodybuilding

A Short Background of Aikido   by Edward Smith

The name aikido is created of three Japanese characters, typically romanised as ai, ki and do. These are frequently translated as meaning union, universal energy and way, so aikido can be translated as “the way to union with universal energy”. An additional frequent interpretation of the characters is harmony, spirit and way, so aikido can also mean “the way of spiritual harmony”. Both interpretations draw attention to the fact that aikido’s methods were created to control an attacker by controlling and redirecting their energy as opposed to blocking it. An analogy is frequently made of the way in which a flexible willow bends with the storm whereas the stout oak will crack when the wind blows too hard. (The Korean martial art commonly known as hapkido uses exactly the same three characters: some propose a historical link through Daito-ryu, the main origin of aikido).

Morihei Ueshiba developed aikido mainly from Daito-ryu aikijutsu, incorporating training moves such as those for the yari (spear), jo (a short quarterstaff), and perhaps also juken (bayonet). But perhaps the strongest influence is that of the katana (sword). In lots of ways, an aikido practitioner moves as an empty handed swordsman. The aikido strikes shomenuchi and yokomenuchi originated from weapon attacks, and resulting techniques similarly from weapon take-aways. A few schools of aikido do absolutely no weapons training whatsoever; others, such as Iwama Ryu generally spend substantial time with bokken (wooden sword), jo, and tanto (knife). In a few lines of aikido, almost all techniques may be performed with a sword as well as unarmed.

Aikido was brought to the West in 1951 to France by Minoru Mochizuki. It was introduced to the united states in 1953, the UK in 1955, to Australia in 1965 and to many other nations around the world. Today there are many aikido dojos available to train at throughout the world.

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