Aikido of North Alabama

description of the school

Developed in Japan by Morihei Ueshiba in the 1930s, Aikido focuses not on punching or kicking opponents, but rather on using their own energy to gain control of them or to guide them away from you (often resulting in a throw). Because of the need for energy from the opponent, techniques depend upon movement and often appear to flow with the attack looking more like a dance than a defense. This is perhaps why Aikido is often described as "the art of stepping out of the way, gracefully". Learning to blend with an opponent's dynamic attack is what makes Aikido so challenging. It generally takes about 8 years of regular practice to reach Shodan (1st black belt rank).