A Japanese martial art originally developed by Morihei Ueshiba in the early 1900s, Aikido combines elements of self-defence technique, spiritual enlightenment, physical health and self confidence. The name translates as "the way of harmony of the spirit". The goal of aikido is self-defence through total body movements, creating spherical motion around a stable centre. Put simply, aikido is about redirecting the energy of an attacker through precise use of leverage, inertia, gravity and the action of centrifugal and centripetal forces. Typically ,aikido is practised with a partner, with each taking turns as uke (attacker) and nage (the one who received the attack). There are a broad range of training styles, and aikido generally takes longer to master than other martial arts.
