Is Aikido a Martial Art 

In the early 1950s Kenshiro Abbe Sensei introduced the martial art of `Traditional Aikido`to the UK.

It was a very positive style of Aikido. Only the disciplined and determined would train in this hard style, then in the 60s came Ki Aikido, the people who didn't like hard physical training and enjoyed a more social club atmosphere were attracted to what some would describe as a form of Yoga or Tai Che. Henry Ellis when asked the difference between Traditional and Ki Aikido he replied " The Ki people always carry a set of wrist bandages in their training bag in case they meet someone from a traditional school" I had the rare opportunity to spend many hours over a period of time to interview Henry Ellis a 1950s direct student of Kenshiro Abbe and personal assistant to Kazuo Chiba. The book " Is Aikido a Martial Art ? " is now on sale at `Amazon Books`.  Yours in Budo - Co-author Abdul Rashid.