aikido
Aikido is a grappling art originating in Japan, classified within the broader budō tradition of Japanese martial disciplines. Its training focus centers on blending with an attacker's movement rather than opposing it directly, using that redirected energy to apply throwing techniques and joint-locking pins. Practitioners work to receive incoming force and guide it in ways that neutralize the attack through controlled off-balancing and restraint holds.
As a grappling art, training in this family generally emphasizes body positioning, timing, and sensitivity to an opponent's movement and balance. Drills typically involve partnered practice in which one person attacks and the other receives and redirects, developing the coordination and body mechanics needed to execute throws and joint pins from a range of incoming motions. Physical conditioning supports this work, though the core emphasis remains on technique and movement integration rather than strength alone.
Several distinct sub-styles of aikido exist, each approached separately in the sections below. Iwama Ryu represents the aikido taught during the founder's Iwama period and incorporates weapons practice. Ki Aikido follows a formal curriculum centered on ki and mind-body development. Kinomichi is a movement art derived from aikido but practiced outside a martial context. Real Aikido is a Serbian derivative oriented toward self-defense. Shōdōkan Aikidō introduces competitive randori practice into the art.
Styles & branches of aikido
Iwama ryu
Type: Grappling · Lineage: aikido
founder's Iwama-period aikido incl. weapons Wikipedia →
Ki Aikido
Type: Grappling · Lineage: aikido
aikido with formal ki/mind-body curriculum Wikipedia →
Kinomichi
Origin: Japan · Type: Grappling · Lineage: aikido
non-martial aikido-derived movement art Wikipedia →
Real Aikido
Origin: Serbia · Type: Grappling · Lineage: aikido
Serbian self-defense aikido derivative Wikipedia →
Shōdōkan Aikidō
Type: Grappling · Lineage: aikido
competition (tomiki) aikido with randori Wikipedia →
Gear to expect. Grappling training typically calls for a gi or no-gi rashguard, and quality mats for home drilling — your school will tell you exactly what, and when. New students rarely need to buy anything for a trial class.
Find your martial art →Related grappling styles
Classification and facts from our open-data taxonomy (Wikidata CC0 base + our editorial classification). Where a fact (like origin) isn't recorded, we leave it out rather than guess. Methodology.