| Martial Arts is one of the contributions of Asia to | | | | people involved in the fighting strives for harmony |
| the world. Who can forget Bruce Lee and the | | | | and harmony can only be achieved if there is |
| fact that he was first and foremost a martial arts | | | | grace in the movements. The moves maybe |
| athlete before being a movie star? Even until now | | | | calculated but there is an air of finesse in doing |
| martial arts is still a big hit with the increasing | | | | these movements, not a womanly finesse but |
| popularity of Asian movies like crouching Tiger | | | | just a finesse that emanates peace. The art of |
| Hidden Dragon and more recently the House of | | | | peace as what they call in Aikido is one of the |
| the Flying Daggers. | | | | most positive influences of Aikido to its students |
| The Chinese are the first people that come to | | | | and to everyone who choose to know about this |
| mind when it comes to these things but the | | | | Japanese martial art. |
| Japanese are just as athletic with a rich heritage | | | | Some of the techniques in Aikido include the |
| of body contact sports that can be found in their | | | | following. Ikkyo is the first technique. Using this |
| history. The modern Japan still gives honor to | | | | technique you control an opponent by using one |
| these things by holding tournaments and | | | | hand in holding the elbow and one near the wrist, |
| promoting such sports abroad, | | | | this action is supposed to make you pin your |
| One of these is Aikido. It is interesting to note | | | | opponent down in the ground. Nikyo the second |
| that the word comes from three Japanese words | | | | technique is when you do an adductive wristlock |
| from which one can derive the meaning of the | | | | that enables you to twist the arm of your |
| one word. Ai means joining, Ki means spirit and | | | | opponent that will in turn cause enough nerve |
| Do means way. From this we can understand | | | | pressure. |
| why Aikido is beyond just the physical skills of it | | | | The third technique is Sankyo which is a pronating |
| students especially sin its proponent Ueshiba | | | | technique that directs upward-spiraling tension |
| focused more on the spiritual and philosophical | | | | throughout the arm, elbow and shoulder. There |
| development of his students. | | | | are many other techniques but the first three |
| In Aikido, one is not taught violence instead one is | | | | should get you started. |
| taught to be in harmony with the opponent to be | | | | In studying Aikido, it is important to remember |
| able to defeat. This might seem odd but it actually | | | | that along with building physical strength to be able |
| works. In approaching an opponent, the aim of | | | | to defeat your opponent the mental capacity |
| the Aikido practitioner is to be one with the | | | | should also be developed. Just like in any art, it |
| opponent to be able to attack him where he is | | | | takes a lot of practice and discipline to perfect |
| weakest and in doing so diver or immobilize him | | | | the art of Aikido. The important thing is the one |
| but never to kill. | | | | who wants to get into the art should have |
| This is where Aikido becomes an art. Art is | | | | determination to give honor to the art by |
| something beautiful to watch and something | | | | performing it in the best way possible. |
| positive and Aikido is all that. At least one of the | | | | |