Aikido is a Japanese martial art that focuses on using an attacker’s strength, with concern for their well-being. It involves physical and mental training, including safe falling, hitting and catching techniques, and defensive moves. Aikido is taught through partnerships, stretching, and controlled relaxation, and aims to improve both physical and mental health. Trust, whole-body movements, and evaluating safety are key aspects of aikido training.
Aikido, a word that translates to “the way of harmonious spirit,” is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba. The training focuses on using the attacker’s strength rather than one’s own strength, making it a grappling art that shows concern for the attacker’s well-being, with students learning to protect themselves rather than harm another person. Aikido training involves not only learning some techniques, but also awareness of one’s opponent and self-discipline.
Like nearly all martial arts practices, aikido involves both physical and mental training. One of the first skills students learn is how to safely fall or roll, because aikido is mostly about throwing the opponent rather than hitting him. After this technique is mastered, students move on to learning specific hitting and catching techniques as well as learning defensive moves such as pinning and throwing.
These techniques are taught by pairing two students together following a demonstration by higher level students or teachers. This partnership is known as uke and tori, or receiver and attacker. In these pairings, one student will attack and the other will use a set form, or kata, as a defense. Although aikido training involves a certain amount of exercises, this collaboration between students is the primary way aikido is taught and learned.
Outside of specific techniques, learning flexibility and endurance are very important in aikido training. These fitness goals are achieved through stretching, similar to yoga and pilates, rather than weight training or standard cardio exercises. This focus on physical conditioning is at the heart of aikido training, which as a practice focuses more on whole-body movements rather than isolating certain body parts or muscle groups.
Following the beliefs of Morihei Ueshiba, aikido training is not only physical but also mental. Students are taught controlled relaxation, which allows them to de-stress even under dangerous circumstances. This ability is key to aikido because it allows the student to meet any attacker with confidence and a sense of calmness that is inherent in the physical techniques used in aikido. This frame of mind allows students to execute the techniques learned in aikido training without hesitation, giving them the upper hand in nearly any dangerous encounter.
The mix of physical and mental discipline in aikido training has made it one of the most popular martial arts practices. He not only improves his students’ physical health, but also their mental abilities, affecting nearly every aspect of their lives outside of the aikido dojo. At its core, aikido training is based on trust, learning to use your whole body, and evaluating the safety not only of yourself, but also of your opponent.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
