French martial art drawing on Japanese traditions, combining evasions, joint controls, throws, immobilisations and weapons training, with an emphasis on effectiveness without brutality.
Aikibudo is a defensive martial art developed by Alain Floquet from Japanese traditions he studied and taught in France.
Unarmed training includes evasions, movement, redirecting attacks, escaping grips, joint controls, off-balancing, throws, immobilisations and, at advanced levels, some sacrifice techniques (sutemi).
Students first learn movement and safe falling. Tai sabaki helps evade and redirect attacks, ukemi teaches receiving throws or escaping constraints, and te hodoki develops releases from grips without directly opposing muscular strength.
Partners alternate attacker and defender roles. Attacks may involve grips or strikes; the defender seeks control through movement, technique and off-balancing.
Weapons study is also important in an Aikibudo practitioner's journey. Historically connected to Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū, it includes sword, staff, naginata and spear. This complements unarmed work through distance, precision, posture and discipline.
Aikibudo is generally not organised around competitive winners and losers. Its focus is technical mastery, adaptation to attacks and progress with a partner.
Aikibudo's history is closely linked to Minoru Mochizuki, a Japanese judoka and budoka who studied several disciplines, notably with Jigoro Kano and Morihei Ueshiba. At the Yoseikan he developed an approach drawing on his varied martial experience.
In 1951 Mochizuki visited Europe and presented his teaching as Aikido-Jujutsu. His French student Jim Alcheik continued its transmission in France, assisted by Alain Floquet.
After Alcheik's death in 1962, Floquet continued this work and became technical director of the Aikido-Yoseikan school for France in 1966.
In 1974, Floquet founded CERA (Centre for the Study and Research of Aikibudo) to preserve and develop the practice. He continued studying with Japanese masters including Mochizuki, Tokimune Takeda in Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu and Yoshio Sugino in Katori Shintō-ryū.
From 1982 Floquet called his art Aikibudo. CERA dates the definitive public adoption of the name to 19 May 1983.
Aikibudo is now developed in France within the FFAAA and internationally through the International Aikibudo Federation (FIAB), which uses a shared technical grading programme in participating countries.
Aikibudo aims to respond to attacks without systematically opposing force with force.
It develops evasion, movement, physical readiness, off-balancing, joint controls and throws to regain control of a situation.
Attacks must nevertheless be credible, giving partners a sincere training situation. Techniques should be effective without becoming brutal.
Protecting the physical integrity of training partners is fundamental.
Unarmed and weapons work develop complementary qualities: mobility and adaptation, alongside precision, posture, distance and discipline.
Aikibudo may suit people seeking a varied, technical martial practice not centred on competition.
It may appeal to those interested in evasions, joint locks, throws, immobilisations and responses to different attacks, while also exploring traditional weapons.
Its technical richness can reward long-term study, with precision, movement and control valued more than raw power.
FFAAA / National Aikibudo Committee — French federation organisation
CERA — Aikibudo Study and Research Centre — history and transmission
FIAB — International Aikibudo Federation
Aikibudo beginner's guide — technical principles, unarmed and weapons training
