Aikido meaning "way of harmony of ki", is a modern Japanese martial art. It was developed by Morihei Ueshiba over the period of the 1930s to the 1960s. Ueshiba is also known by practitioners of aikido as O-sensei or "Great Teacher".

The name aikido is formed of three Japanese characters,
- ai - union/harmony.
- ki - universal energy/spirit.
- do - way.

So aikido can be translated as 'the way to union with universal energy' or 'the way of unified energy'. Another common interpretation of the characters is harmony, spirit and way, so aikido can also mean 'the way of spiritual harmony' or 'the art of peace'.

Morihei Ueshiba developed aikido mainly from Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu, incorporating training movements such as those for the yari (spear), jo (a short quarterstaff), and perhaps also juken (bayonet). But arguably the strongest influence is that of kenjutsu and in many ways, an aikido practitioner moves as an empty handed swordsman. The aikido strikes shomenuchi and yokomenuchi originated from weapon attacks, and resultant techniques likewise from weapon disarms. Some schools of aikido do no weapons training at all; others, such as Nishio-Ryu and Iwama Ryu usually spend substantial time with bokken/bokuto (wooden sword), jo, and tanto (knife). In some lines of aikido, all techniques can be performed with a sword as well as unarmed.

Aikido's techniques are designed to harmonize with an attack by redirecting the energy instead of blocking it.

Aikido incorporates a wide range of techniques which use principles of energy and motion to redirect, neutralize and control attackers. One of the central martial philosophies of aikido is to be able to handle multiple-attacker circumstances fluidly. Randori, practice against multiple opponents, is a key part of the curriculum in most aikido schools and is required for the higher level belts. Randori is mostly intended to develop a nage's ability to perform without thought, or mushin. The idea is that the continued practice of having one opponent after another coming at you causes you to constantly be aware, and to have no rest, therefore not allowing the mind time to think, but only for the body to respond.

Ki is a central concept of aikido, and over time it can become a valuable tool in training. Whether one concieves of ki as a spiritual force filling the universe or a matter of leverage, relaxation and focus, one's movements will become more powerful if they are based on ki extending from the center about two inches below the navel rather than on specific muscles.

A person who masters the projection of power from the center can, in a martial context, often overcome a person who is much bigger or stronger. The reason for this is that the contractive power is only as great as the mass and power of your individual muscles. Expansive power, however, as used in Aikido, can be much greater than your size may lead you to believe. This is because you move with your whole body. Rather than stressing and tensing only a few muscles, you learn to relax and move from the centre of your body, where you are most powerful. Power is then extended out naturally through the relaxed limbs, which can become almost whip-like in their motion.

Another core teaching of Aikido is the maintenance of an upright posture, which improves balance and awareness and enables power to flow through the body

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