Aikido an Inside Look

Aikido is s currently the preferred martial art of many police forces throughout the world (including the elite Japanese Kidōtai Riot police).

The Japanese Martial art of Aikido was founded by Master Morieh Ueshiba. He studied & practiced a number of martial arts over many years and then finally developed AIKIDO which is based on aspects of many martial arts together with new techniques developed by the master himself.

Aikido is perhaps the gentlest of all the martial arts. The main differences are:-

  1. That it is non-competitive. All aikidoka continually strive to develop & improve each others techniques. The more advanced members consistently help the lower grades to improve their performance.
  2. We do not teach or encourage agression. The aim is always to neutralise any attack with the minimum of force & harm to the attacker by the application of skill & self-discipline.
  3. Our practice always takes place in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. And there is general concern for the development & well-being of all members.
Ueshiba

Traditionally, the point of studying martial art techniques is to gain skill in controlling, dominating, or defeating an attacker. O-Sensei developed a new concept towards the martial arts (or Budo). This new concept came to him in moments of inspiration and enlightenment from his studies in philosophy and religion (including Zen Buddhism). After about 15 years, he came to the sudden realization that the martial art techniques that he had learned "were vehicles for the cultivation of life, knowledge, and virtue, not devices to throw and pin people." "The Way of the Warrior has been misunderstood as a means to kill and destroy others."

Some years later he wrote:- "The real Way of a Warrior is to prevent slaughter - it is the Art of Peace, the Power of Love."