The relaxed martial art of Aikido

Traditionally, martial art systems were created as a documented practice of training for combat mode in the ancient eras. Aikido is different, it is a very relaxed martial art. At the heart of it, the Aikido spirit is about cultivating relaxation and a serenity throughout everyday life to be able to harness this virtue in actual physical combat.

This spiritual and philosophical basis of the Aikido spirit that cultivates relaxation and the peaceful control of aggression, is attributed to the founder’s background in Omoto-kyo religion. It is in this relaxed state that the Aikido practitioner is able to perform difficult throws and maneuvers as taught by the martial art.

With the visible convergence of East and West cultures, more and more people are discovering and rediscovering new means self-discipline especially in the field of martial arts. Wrapping your head around the ideas of the Aikido martial arts isn’t always easy for the average “westerner”.
“Do not fight force with force,” this is the most basic principle of Aikido.

Technically, aikido was stemmed out and developed mainly from “daito-ryu aiki-jujutsu” while incorporating several training movements similar to the “yari” or “spear, “jo” or a short “quarterstaff” and from “juken” or “bayonet”. Although these jujitsu movements are prominent while practicing the martial art, many practitioners agree that strongest influences of aikido is that of kenjutsu.

If you are interested with aikido but do not have the time and money to go to a dojo and enroll for an aikido class, then you should find other means to do so. Being a limitless source of any information, browsing the Internet for various aikido video clips can give you better options and the specific details you would want to learn.

Usually, aikido video clips contain loose form training or popularly known as “ki nagare.” Here, the aikido practitioners are just playing around even and after the martial art presentation. Amateurs who document the practitioner’s lessons and stunts during practice usually take these aikido video clips.

The self defense aspect

After all the talk about Aikido’s peacful nature, any reader would probably ask him or herself how the practical and physical self defense comes into the picture - how to use Aikido in combat. As with everything else, there are a few things you need to understand first. Most Aikido classes start by teaching things from a “hand grasp attack” and most beginners feel that this is highly unrealistic - “In the street I would never…”.The objective of this kind of exercise is for the person to be able to the various techniques with the least amount of effort unlike before.

The things done in practice such as the holds, grips and falls can never be compared with what happens in the streets. They are only intended as a means of learning something on a general level, in order to then apply it as needed.