The name Aikido is composed of three Japanese words: ai, meaning harmony; ki, spirit or energy; and do, the path, the system or the way. Aikido is the way of harmony with the spirit.
Martial arts are studied for self-defense and self-improvement, but Aikido is different from other martial arts in that the practitioner seeks to achieve self-defense without injury to attackers.
The basic movements of Aikido are circular in nature; most attacks are linear. The Aikidoist harmonizes with, rather than confronting, an aggressive line and converts it into a circular motion that renders attackers helpless.
Then, instead of using potentially crippling kicks or punches, the Aikidoist trains to apply various wristlocks, arm pins, or unbalancing throws to neutralize aggressors without serious injury.
Aikido is not a sport. There are no competitive tournaments. The Aikidoist betters his or her self without belittling others, and because Aikido seeks not to cause harm, techniques can be practiced at full power without fear of injury.
Aikido is considered an “internal” martial art because learning Aikido techniques help you to deal with your own aggressive tendencies and teaches you to relax and be calm in order to be able to receive and redirect aggressive movement and stabilize it in a harmonious resolution.
Beyond being a martial art, Aikido is thought of by many to be a way of self improvement as well as a system of health and wellness.
Aikido is the newest of the traditional Asian martial arts, holds the most modern outlook, and is proud of its high ideals.

Morihei Ueshiba, now called O-Sensei (“Great Teacher”), founded the martial art known today as Aikido. Born in 1883, he dedicated himself to becoming strong after seeing his father physically beaten by political opponents. He sought out and studied under masters in many traditional martial arts, eventually becoming expert at a number of styles of jujitsu (unarmed combat), kenjitsu (sword fighting), and sojitsu (spear fighting). Dissatisfied with mere strength and technical mastery, he also immersed himself in religious and philosophical studies. The stories of his immense physical strength and martial prowess are impressive enough, but more important is the legacy of nonviolence and human integrity he left to mankind.

In early 20th-century Japan, involvement in the martial arts was a competitive and dangerous business. Contests, feuds and rivalries often resulted in injuries and even deaths. The formulation of Aikido dates from an incident that occurred in 1925. In the course of a discussion about martial arts, a disagreement arose between O-Sensei and a naval officer who was a fencing instructor. The officer challenged O-Sensei to a match and attacked with a wooden sword. O-Sensei faced the officer unarmed and won the match by evading blows until his attacker dropped from exhaustion. He later recalled that he could see his opponent’s movements before they were executed, and that this was the beginning of his enlightenment. He had defeated an armed attacker without hurting him—without even touching him.

O-Sensei later wrote: “Budo (the Martial Way) is not felling the opponent by our force; nor is it a tool to lead the world into destruction with arms. True Budo is to accept the spirit of the universe, keep the peace of the world, correctly produce, protect, and cultivate all things in nature.”
O-Sensei continued to practice and teach Aikido into his old age. Observers would marvel at his martial abilities, vitality, and good humor. He was still giving public demonstrations of Aikido at age 86, four months before his death.
After he passed away on April 26, 1969, the Japanese government posthumously declared Morihei Ueshiba a Sacred National Treasure of Japan.

O-Sensei’s son, Kisshomaru Ueshiba, inherited the title Doshu (“Leader of the way”) and he continued his father’s work at Aikido World Headquarters (called Honbu Dojo) in Tokyo until his death in 1999. Today, O-Sensei’s grandson, Moriteru Ueshiba, the third Doshu of Aikido, presides over the million and a half people that practice Aikido all over the world.

Aikido, as Ueshiba conceived it in his mature years, is not primarily a system of combat, but rather a means of self-cultivation and improvement. Aikido has no tournaments, competitions, contests, or "sparring." Instead, all aikido techniques are learned cooperatively at a pace commensurate with the abilities of each trainee. According to the founder, the goal of aikido is not the defeat of others, but the defeat of the negative characteristics which inhabit one's own mind and inhibit its functioning.

At the same time, the potential of aikido as a means of self-defense should not be ignored. One reason for the prohibition of competition in aikido is that many aikido techniques would have to be excluded because of their potential to cause serious injury. By training cooperatively, even potentially lethal techniques can be practiced without substantial risk.

It must be emphasized that there are no shortcuts to proficiency in aikido (or in anything else, for that matter). Consequently, attaining proficiency in aikido is simply a matter of sustained and dedicated training. No one becomes an expert in just a few months or years.