Southport Muto Aikido Club

Muto - Sword with no sword
Home
What is Aikido?
Are you interested?
Etiquette
FAQs
News
Calendar
Contact Us
Links
Site Map

What is Aikido?...

What is it?

Aikido is primarily a martial art. A system of self defence.  Anyone can practise and benefit from learning Aikido, whatever their age or fitness level.

An Aikido student will always move out of the line of an attack, then when in a safe position will blend or harmonize with the attacker's momentum and using circular movements will unbalance the opponent.  Rather than using potentially crippling kicks or punches, the Aikidoist is able to apply a seemingly endless variety of joint-locks, pins, or throws to render an attacker harmless without causing serious injury.

Aikido teaches you to be flexible, fluid, and centred in any situation and to move spontaneously within its principles.  An Aikidoist learns to unite their body, mind, and spirit.

The name Aikido is composed of three Japanese characters: Ai, meaning harmony; Ki, spirit or energy; and Do, path or way,  therefore Aikido can be read as The Way of Spiritual Harmony.

To learn more about Aikido and its rich history, please visit the Aikido Journal and AikiWeb internet sites.

The Founder of Aikido
Morihei Ueshiba, now referred to as O'Sensei ("Great Teacher"), founded Aikido.  In early 20th centuary Japan involvement in the martial arts was a competative and dangerous business.  Contests, fueds and rivalries often often resulted in injuries and even deaths.

The formulation of Aikido dates back to an incident that is said to have occurred in 1925.  In the course of a discussion about martial arts, a disagreement arose between between O'Sensei and an Americian naval officer who was a fencing instructor.  The officer challanged O'Sensei to a match and attacked with a bokken (a wooden sword).  O'Sensei faced the officer unarmed and won the match by evading blows until his attacker dropped from exhaustion.  He later recalled that he could see his opponent's moves before theu were executed, and that this was the be3ginning of his enlightenment.  He had defeated an armed attacker without hurting him - without even touching him.  The naval officer went on to become one of O'Sensei's pupils.