What Is Aikido and How Do You Get Started?

Updated

Aikido is a Japanese martial art built around blending with an attacker's motion and redirecting it rather than meeting force head-on. You can start as a complete beginner: most dojos expect no prior martial arts experience, and your first class usually needs only loose clothing and a willingness to follow etiquette on the mat. The practical path is to find a dojo whose lineage and teaching style you trust, watch a class, then try one.

What aikido is

Aikido is a modern Japanese martial art. Its defining idea is to receive an attack by moving with it—entering or turning to take the attacker's balance—and then redirect that energy into a throw or a pin. Practitioners do not train to overpower an opponent through size or strength; the techniques are designed to work by using the attacker's own momentum and position.

Training is done with a partner. One person attacks, the other applies the technique, and both take turns in each role. This is why aikido is often described as a martial art of receiving as much as of applying technique.

Origins and lineage

Aikido was founded by Morihei Ueshiba. The United States Aikido Federation (USAF) traces its line directly to him: the organization was established in 1976 by Yoshimitsu Yamada, Akira Tohei, Mitsunari Kanai, and Kazuo Chiba, all direct personal students of Ueshiba. Through their teaching, the USAF expanded across the United States and internationally.

The USAF describes itself as the oldest aikido organization in the United States and a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization of independent dojos dedicated to advancing and promoting aikido training for its members. After the passing of Yoshimitsu Yamada Shihan, 8th dan, on January 15, 2023, the USAF has been under the technical direction of its Technical Committee. The organization also states that it advocates mutual respect and does not tolerate discrimination, exploitation, or harassment of anyone for any reason.

For a beginner, this matters in one practical way: lineage and affiliation tell you who sets the technical standards at a dojo and where an instructor's rank comes from. A dojo affiliated with a recognized organization such as the USAF is following a defined curriculum and grading structure.

What a typical class involves

Exact formats vary by dojo, but a standard class generally includes:

  • Warm-ups — light stretching and movement to prepare the body.
  • Paired technique practice — working with a partner on a named technique, alternating attack and defense.
  • Ukemi — the art of receiving a technique safely, including rolling and falling. Beginners learn this gradually; you are not expected to fall well on day one.
  • Weapons work — some classes include training with wooden weapons such as the jo (staff) and bokken (wooden sword), which reinforce body movement and distance.

Classes are usually taught by an instructor who demonstrates a technique, after which students practice it in pairs while the instructor moves around correcting form.

What you need before your first class

  • Loose, comfortable clothing — sweatpants and a long-sleeve shirt are typically fine until you have a uniform (gi). Ask the dojo whether they loan or require one.
  • A mat — training happens on a padded dojo mat, so you train barefoot or in clean indoor footwear as the dojo directs.
  • Etiquette basics — bowing at the edge of the mat and to your partner, arriving on time, and keeping jewelry off are common expectations. The dojo will explain its own customs.
  • No prior experience — beginners start from zero. Expect to spend early classes learning to move, take ukemi, and follow the attack-and-receive rhythm.

How to choose a dojo and start

  1. Check affiliation and instructor credentials. Ask which organization the dojo belongs to and where the instructor's rank comes from. A clear answer—for example, affiliation with the USAF and its Technical Committee standards—tells you the training follows an established line.
  2. Observe a class before committing. Watch how the instructor corrects students, how partners treat each other, and whether beginners are integrated safely.
  3. Ask about beginner intake. Confirm whether there is a trial class or introductory period and whether new students can join at any time.
  4. Ask about fees and schedule directly. Class fees, uniform costs, and membership dues vary by dojo and are not standardized; get the numbers from the dojo itself rather than assuming.
  5. Try one class. The best test is how the training feels: whether the pace suits you, whether the etiquette is explained clearly, and whether you leave wanting to return.

Aikido rewards patience more than athleticism. If you want a martial art where the first lessons are about moving safely with a partner and receiving technique calmly, start by watching a class at a dojo whose lineage you can verify—then step on the mat.