Morihei Ueshiba Founder of Aikido

The Difference between Karate and Aikido

Aikido is not sport Karate!

Karate is a generic word meaning "Empty Hands," the word was coined in Okinawa in the mid-thirties by a group of Okinawan masters. It specifically refers to the punching and kicking arts that can be found in almost any city. Karate is an art anyone can practice, including children only three or four years old. Many karate schools have more children students than adults. That's one of the reasons karate is so popular, even children can learn karate.

Aikido: A Brief Description of the Art

Aikido is a practical, healthy, non-violent, non-aggressive Japanese martial art developed early in the 1900's by its founder, Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969). In Japanese, Aikido means: "The way of coordinating the mind, body, and spirit of the practitioner." Aikido looks almost impossible when watching a skilled performer (man or woman) defeat several attackers at a time. While it looks difficult, after training it really is not. Anyone who spends the time and effort to learn this incredible martial art can walk through life with confidence.

Aikido training involves physical, mental, spiritual and ethical disciplines. It includes empty hand techniques and defenses against multiple attackers, knife, gun, and club.

Since there isn't any competition in Aikido (as there are in other arts), and since winning and losing in training is never a concern, practitioners are free to dedicate their efforts to positive mutual goals. It is therefore possible for men, women, and children to walk down the path of budo (the warrior way) together. In training, each individual progresses at his or her own pace, finding harmony through personal development. Regular practice sessions bring students a sense of well-being and self-confidence that permeates all aspects of daily life. The principles of harmony are taught and practiced in Aikido technique and KI (internal strength) development. Both teach us ways of dealing with conflict and stress in a positive manner.

As people with varying personalities and lifestyles come together for practice, they gain experience in reconciling their different points of view in a non-offensive way. Many business leaders have trained in Aikido to develop its non-confrontational philosophy in business practice. Aikido training strives for personal growth through self-discovery, learning one's true nature and potential and utilizing this knowledge in daily life. The proper breathing and relaxation techniques relieve stress and increase the health of the practitioners and benefits them in every area of life. Commitment to regular practice (twice a week at least) is a must for personal development and self protection of the practitioner.

Aikido also offers very good self-defense for people of all ages. The practitioner develops a sense of awareness that becomes far more important than just knowing a few techniques. It's realizing when you are entering into a dangerous situation before it develops. This is what Aikido is all about; a practical and effective self-protection system that offers quick escape from most of life's dangerous situations.

Safe-Escape Aikido: A unique system of Aiki-jujitsu, traditional Aikido, and
common sense self-defense techniques

The American Institute of martial arts teaches a powerful system of Aikido self protection. This system created by Master Bob Liedke over a period of more than 30-years, can only be found here at the American Institute of Martial Arts, and nowhere else.

Only adults and teens are accepted as students. Each class requires twenty to thirty minutes of stretching and calisthenics to effectively tone, stretch, and warm up the practitioner.

This modified system of Aikido relies on short, close in, effective defense movements, that does include punching and kicking techniques when necessary. At the American Institute, you will always work with a partner who will teach you in a safe injury free environment.

Many professionals, including Doctors, Lawyers, Police, correctional and security personnel practice this system because of its health and fitness conditioning, effectiveness and high level of service to its students.