THE ART OF AIKIDO

Aikido is a modern Japanese martial art that was synthesized from several classical Samurai arts. It is a strictly defensive art that teaches you to protect yourself by using an attacker's own size and strength against him. Violent kicks and punches are not used in aikido. Rather, an attacker is controlled with minimum force by blending and using circular movements to throw or pin that person down. The nature of Aikido is such that it can be practiced by men and women of any age and any degree of fitness.

Aikido is non-competitive. There are no tournaments or trophies involved. By cooperating with each other, practitioners learn the techniques of Aikido, alternating as attacker and defender in an energetic yet non-threatening environment. Aikido practice can improve your strength, stamina, balance, flexibility and coordination; as well as your confidence, concentration, awareness and intuitiveness. By applying Aikido's philosophy in everyday life you can also reduce your stress level and increase your productivity by learning to stay calm (centered) and avoiding unproductive confrontation.

THE HISTORY OF AIKIDO

The modern martial art of Aikido was created through the genius of one man, Morihei Ueshiba, respectfully known as O-Sensei, which means Great Teacher. Over a period of 50 years Ueshiba Sensei studied many of the classical Japanese martial arts, including Sumo, JuJutsu, Jodo, Kenjitsu, and Sojitsu; becoming a martial arts master and a legend in Japan. As his study of the arts and spirituality progressed, O-Sensei realized that Budo (the martial way) could become a path to the creation of peace and harmony in the world. By synthesizing his great knowledge of the fighting arts and integrating his moral, ethical and spiritual beliefs, he created Aikido: an extremely effective method of self-defense, and the way of harmonizing or blending with the energy (Ki) of an opponent.

O-Sensei continued to practice and refine his art until his death in 1969 at age 86. The spirit of Aikido is carried on in the United States by the U.S. Aikido Federation, under the leadership of Shihan Yoshimitsu Yamada, an original student of O-Sensei and one of the worlds most respected and influential Aikido instructors.