Aikido as a psychological test

“Understanding Aikido means realizing the unimportance of measuring ourselves to others”

Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba in the 1920s, derived from the Daito-ryu and Aiki-jujutsu martial arts. Its techniques consist of entering into the opponents’ space and redirecting the momentum of the attack, usually ending in a joint control or throw (back-roll, front-roll, or breakfall). The “ai” (合) in Aikido stands for joining, unifying; the “ki” (気) stands for spirit, energy; the “do” (道) stands for way, path.

There is a very mental aspect to training in aikido, alongside the physical one. One needs to be able to relax the mind and the body, blending in with the attack rather than resisting it, and use intention, willpower, and the entire body to redirect the energy of the attack. This mental side to a physical activity demands discipline, patience, and shows personality traits of those who practice the art (aikidokas).

As in many martial arts, there is a grading system, with ranks and tests. However, unlike other martial arts, an aikido test does not just consist of fighting against an opponent and beating them using certain techniques, coupled with intensive training. First off, an aikidoka is never required to test. The ranks are used to estimate how skillful one is, not for the sake of competition. Secondly, an aikidoka chooses when to test. Choosing to test shows dedication to the art, commitment to evolving, along with a will to show “one’s own progression in approach to Life”, approach based on harmony with the environment and acceptance of oneself and others.

Maybe testing in aikido can be seen as some form of psychological test. It is used to represent not only the work put into preparing for it (training, attending practices regularly; physical state), but also the mental state of the aikidoka, with regard to the patience, discipline, and serenity involved in testing. This is as important, if not more so than the purely physical side to training. After all, testing is an “ongoing, evolutionary process, that implies equivalent responsibilities and availabilities for the running and operation of the Dojo”, showing commitment to the aspect of one’s life.

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