Mountain Tae Kwon Do School

Literally translated, "do" means method or way, "ai" for the coordination or harmony, and "ki" the mental energy or spirit. One of the youngest of the martial arts, aikido is a subtle, stylized method that began in Japan in the 1920's. Master Morihei Uyeshiba developed and synthesized it from various other martial arts which he learned as a young man.

While students are taught to subdue opponents with hundreds of movements, holds, locks, and escapes, aikido is essentially non-competitive. Technically, it is more of a throwing art, like judo, though many of the moves resemble the fluid dance-like techniques of t'ai chi. The goal of aikido is to harmonize one student's ki with that of his opponent, in order to disarm him both physically and emotionally. There is no attack in aikido. Its goal is merely to neutralize an aggression and render the attacker harmless, without causing him serious injury if at all possible.