Aikido Primer
Although aikido is a relatively recent innovation
within the world of martial arts, it is heir to a rich cultural and philosophical
background. Aikido was created in Japan by a man named Morihei Ueshiba. Before creating
aikido, Ueshiba trained extensively in several varieties of jujitsu, as well as sword and
spear fighting. Ueshiba also immersed himself in religious studies and developed an
ideology devoted to universal socio-political harmony. Incorporating these principles into
his martial art, Ueshiba developed many aspects of aikido in concert with his
philosophical and religious ideology.
Aikido is not primarily a system of combat, but rather a
means of self-cultivation and improvement. Aikido has no tournaments, competitions,
contests, or "sparring." Instead, all aikido techniques are learned
cooperatively at a pace commensurate with the abilities of each trainee. According to the
founder, the goal of aikido is not the defeat of others, but the defeat of the negative
characteristics which inhabit one's own mind and inhibit its functioning.
At the same time, the potential of aikido as a means of
self- defense should not be ignored. One reason for the prohibition of competition in
aikido is that many aikido techniques would have to be excluded because of their potential
to cause serious injury. By training cooperatively, even potentially lethal techniques can
be practiced without substantial risk.
It must be emphasized that there are no shortcuts to
proficiency in aikido (or in anything else, for that matter). Consequently, attaining
proficiency in aikido is simply a matter of sustained and
dedicated training. No one becomes an expert in just a few months or years.
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