Aikido is a modern Japanese martial art with deep roots in the samurai tradition. On first seeing the art many people are surprised at how dance-like it looks. There are several reasons for this, the most important one being that Aikido involves blending with someone else's movement and energy. In Aikido the purpose of this blending is to use the attacker's force and intent as a means to subdue and control him or her. To accomplish this Aikido uses joint locks, hip throws, sweeps and projections. In the traditional art, punches and kicks, as one might expect to see in karate, are not used defensively, although strikes to anatomical weak points (atemi) are sometimes employed as a means of disrupting an attack or distracting the attacker. Students will also learn how to defend themselves against strikes.

 

As Aikido is based on traditional samurai arts, it also contains weapon forms using the sword, wooden staff and knife. However, weapon practice is strictly subordinated to empty-handed practice. Students learn to use weapons primarily as a means of increasing their understanding of body arts, since many empty-handed forms and movements are derived from sword and staff techniques.