What makes aikido different from the other martial arts?

Created by Morihei Ueshiba, the Japanese martial art of aikido stands apart from many other forms of martial arts. Whereas most schools of martial arts take either the side of largely defensive or mostly offensive, aikido straddles a fine line in between these two schools. This form of martial art actually considers the protection of both the defender and the attacker, following under the general guidelines of conflict resolution as opposed to dominance. It more closely resembles a transfer of control than an affirmation or exercise in power. Because of this, this art deserves a closer look as its fundamentals hold the potential for far reaching applications.

Aikido may not involve brutal force, but it still necessitates a great deal of training and preparation in order to reach a mastery level; and to avoid injuring oneself in the process. And even at these senior levels, older students may argue the legitimacy of certain levels of mastery as different influences have created several different corollary methods. However, the overall principle remains true to the core.

As part of this core, we see the presence of uke and nage. Most training centers on two pupils executing choreographed sets (kata) as opposed to freestyle sessions. In these sessions, one can usually see a pattern of the uke, person on receiving end of particular method, attacking the nage, the thrower or controller. The nage’s responsibility is to control the attack by neutralizing the threat as opposed to taking it or returning it straight on. Since one of the main principles that makes aikido unique is the controlling of an attacker’s movements in a way that avoids causing them harm, practicing this form of martial art’s techniques with two people present is essential for true mastery of this art. Uke and nage are both necessary for the successful practice of this art as they contribute to its foundation of unification and adaptation. More specifically, the nage’s role within these practices is to combine their force with and manipulate the attacker’s imposing energy.

In contrast, it is the uke’s role to counter this loss of control caused by the nage by attaining a certain degree of calmness and flexibility. This interaction between nage and uke illustrate the existence of ukemi, which demonstrates a taking of balance and the constant attempt to likewise preserve one’s balance. This interaction highlights one of the main elements that makes aikido different from other martial arts.