Looking to try Aikido?
We are a small, friendly club who are always looking for new members. If you are looking to try a effective yet non-aggressive martial art, then we offer two free classes for beginners or those who are looking to try a new dojo. Just come along to one of our classes and give it a go. On arrival, introduce yourself to the instructor, and if you’re not sure who that is, one of our members will help you. At first, any sportswear that covers the knees is fine (we spend a fair amount of time performing techniques from a kneeling position, so bare skin soon gets sore!). A pair of track pants and a t-shirt is fine. Later, we can advise you on a suitable Aikido Gi (Aikido suit) to purchase.
It’s always nerve-wracking starting a new hobby or club. Rest assured, we train in a safe, non-pressured environment, with an emphasis on enjoying ourselves. Each class starts with students lining up in a kneeling position facing the instructor. We bow to the founder of Aikido, and then to the instructor. We then have a short period of mediation. Aikido is not a religion or cult – the meditation is designed simply to clear your mind of any day to day troubles, so that we can focus on training. Following this, the instructor leads an Aikido-specific warm up. Some motions and actions may seem strange and difficult at first, but they are designed to warm up the body specifically for the rigours of Aikido. With time, these become much easier! Following the warm up, the instructor leads the class in training break-falls (known as ukemi). This is very important in learning how to receive a technique without injury. Again, this gets easier with time, so don’t be worried if at first the movements seem difficult or unnatural! After this, the instructor leads the group through various techniques. After each technique, we partner up and take turns in either being the tori (or nage) who is the person executing a technique, or the uke, who plays the role of attacker. Through this method we slowly build up our skill set. Training ends in the same way it begins; with a short mediation, a bow to the founder and a bow to each other.