True Victory is Victory Over Oneself

AIKIDO

(Eye - Key - Doe)

Ai : Harmony

Ki : Spirit or Energy

Do : The way or path

Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba (often referred to by his title 'O Sensei' or 'Great Teacher'). On a purely physical level it is an art involving throws and joint locks derived from jiujitsu and kenjutsu (Art of the Sword).

Aikido focuses not on punching or kicking opponents, but rather on using their own energy to gain control of them or to throw them away from you. It is not a static art, but places great emphasis on motion and the dynamics of movement.

PRINCIPLES OF AIKIDO
There are several driving principles that form the basis of Aikido practice.

KI: Aikido makes extensive use of the concept of ki or life force. Aikido is one of the more spiritual martial arts and has been referred to as 'moving zen'.

ENTERING: Entering, or "irimi" is one of the basic techniques of aikido and is closely related to "blending" with an attacker. Irimi brings a person "into" the circle of movement, so that the energy of the attack can be directed along the circular plane or an alternate direction, with a minimum of effort.

UKEMI: Ukemi may be described as the art of receiving a technique. The practice of ukemi involves rolls and break falls. Here are a few reasons why we practice ukemi in Aikido, and why it is such an important part of our Aikido training:
1. To stay safe
2. To learn to listen with your body
3. To assist your partner to learn
4. To condition the body

ATEMI: Atemi, literally, means to strike the body. One purpose of atemi is to distract your partner, so that they focus on your hand, or their pain, rather than their attack. This can make it easier to move. In this context, you could regard atemi as a "ki disturbance".

LINE OF ATTACK: The energy of any attack flows from one point to another, usually from an attacker to his or her intended victim. The line that connects these two points is called the line of attack. Once an attack is committed, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to change the course of the attack. To 'move off the line' is to move off of the line of attack at or after the point at which the attack is committed, into an area or zone of safety.

CENTER/HARA: One's center is just that the physical and martial arts "middle" of the body. Located in the abdomen ("hara"), it serves as the source of ki energy and as one's balance point when executing techniques.

EXTENSION: Just as it is important to "remain centered," it is important to "extend" in aikido. Many techniques are facilitated by "extending ki" or "extending energy" during their execution. Physically and psychologically, this helps counter the tendency of many people to contract and keep their arms and legs close to their bodies, as aikido is generally practiced with large, sweeping movements.