It does not meet force with resistance or brute strength; instead it redirects an aggressor’s force with well-timed, flowing, circular movements that lead an attacker off their centre of balance. Rather than relying on our strength to protect us, the attacker’s own motions and momentum are utilized to compromise their balance and stability. Once they are off-balance they are subdued or dispensed with by using any of a large variety of joint locks, pins or throws.

Thus, it is the attacker’s own force and momentum which neutralize his aggression. Because of this principle of “active non-resistance”, Aikido can be effectively performed even against larger, stronger attackers. At the higher levels of the art, it is equally effective against multiple attackers. Aikido is not a sport or a game. There are no tournaments or competitions. Rather, practice is conducted in a spirit of mutual respect and co-operation.