Aikido Principles: Basic Concepts of the Peaceful Martial Art

Aikido is a martial art unlike any other. It contains no attacks, only defense, and this defense should be so gentle that even the attacker is delighted by it. There is no competition, since each participant should be a winner. It is an art that takes a lifetime to learn.
This book presents the principles and basic concepts of aikido €“ deeply rooted in Eastern philosophy and the refined ideals of the samurai. It is not a technical manual, but an exploration of the thoughts and theories at work in aikido practice. The book was previously published as Aikido: The Peaceful Martial Art.

(KINDLE edition: Some formatting errors have been corrected on September 17, 2011, to make the book and its images display properly.)

Stefan Stenudd is a 7 dan Aikikai Shihan Swedish aikido instructor, member of the Swedish Aikikai Grading Committee, President of the Swedish Budo Federation, and formerly Vice Chairman of the International Aikido Federation. He has practiced aikido since 1972. He is also a writer of both fiction and non-fiction.