Features of the sport
Like many martial arts, they have their own philosophy, so aikido allows you not only to learn to defend yourself in a difficult moment, but also to fill your life with meaning. Eliminate inner emptiness. You can get to know yourself through classes and find out what the meaning of life is.
These activities are suitable for both children and adults. The most important thing is to find a good coach who can teach you not only how to strike or block the blows correctly, but also open the door to the mysterious world of Eastern philosophy.
The electronic resource Wikipedia cites the following: aikido is a modern martial art created in Japan by the master Morihei Ueshiba .
Is an:
- harmonious synthesis of the best components of traditional martial arts,
- Eastern philosophy,
- religious beliefs.
It is believed that aikido will combine:
- fusion of life energy and spirit,
- achieving harmony between them.
Master Ueshiba himself wanted to get this kind of martial arts, which helped to avoid injury not only by the fighter himself, but also by his opponent. All this is quite in the spirit of Eastern philosophy and to the desire for self-knowledge and self-improvement.
Basic principles
Those who practice aikido on a professional level are well aware that the main principle of this painful art is the ability to turn the opponent’s strength against himself. This can only be done by fully merging with the consciousness of the enemy. And such unity should allow literally “reading” the opponent, knowing exactly his actions and thoughts. This is due to the fact that it is the unity of mind and body with respect to the laws of the universe that is considered important.
The most important thing is to stop the enemy before he can harm both the one who is defending and himself.
What weapons are allowed?
Speaking of martial arts, it is worth mentioning the weapon that can be used for training . Moreover , its use is an auxiliary section, more necessary for practicing the technique and culture of working with hands and movement.
The thing is that the technique of working without weapons is based on the correct raising and lowering of the arms. Moreover, it is very important to be able to hold the center line relative to the opponent. It is especially important to carry out such exercises with a partner, ensuring the timeliness of the movements.
There are a lot of schools that practice aikido.
Use the following weapons:
- for training, a sword made of wood is used – bokken ;
- a special wooden pole – jo , the length of which can reach 128 cm, depending on the height and skill of the athlete . In this case, the diameter should correspond to 24-26 mm;
- wooden training knife – tanto , having a length of 30 cm;
- for more experienced fighters, a short steel sword – wakizashi , which was used by samurai, can be used in training ;
- bo can be used – which is an elongated version of jo , combined with naginata – an analogue of glaives . But this type of weapon is rarely used in training.
Moreover, it must be remembered that without knowing philosophy and not mastering your body and not learning to control your mind, using weapons will not be so effective.
Different styles of aikido
Considering what kind of aikido sport it is, it is worth saying that the master Ueshiba himself claimed that there will be exactly as many aikido styles as there are people willing to practice it.
The following styles are known today:
- Daito-ryu Aiki- jujutsu is one of the harsh styles;
- Aikikai is softer, non-violent, but no less effective;
- Yoshinkan ;
- Ki-Aikido;
- Iwama-ryu ;
- Tomiki- ryu .
These and many other styles share a common foundation and philosophy, but they will differ in the rigidity of the knowledge gained and honed skills.