About Aikido
Aikido is a modern Budo form,
developed from traditional Japanese Budo forms of Morihei Ueshiba
(1883-1969). Ueshiba, who was born in Tanabe in the
current Wakayama region, trained himself in his youth under the
great masters in Japan and were gradually one of the greatest Budo
practitioners. He was particularly inspired by Sokaku
Takeda Sensei's Daito Ryu Aiki-jutsu, which came to form the
technical basis for Aikido. The other great influence
on Ueshiba was Onisaburo Deguchi, who was the spiritual head of
Omoto Kyo, a group that won practices a form of Shintoism, Japan's
primordial faith.
Although Aikido is one of the newest forms of budo,
it is considered nonetheless as one of the most traditional, even
in Japan. Aikido'ens movements are harmonious and
often circular. For the sake of efficiency it is
appropriate to assume that the opponent is stronger than
oneself. Therefore learn to give way to the side to
avoid putting force against force. Important factors
in exercising, balance, timing, judging distance and location
relative to the attacker.
In the traditional Japanese martial arts considered
the defensive behavior to be most effective. Budo for
experienced practitioners, it is considered to be more efficient to
perform the technique as a reaction to an attack than to take the
initiative to launch an attack. In addition to the
attitude of Budo is intended for self-defense.