Aikido

Aikido is a discipline and an educational process for training the mind, body, and spirit. Physical technique is not the true object, but a tool for personal refinement and spiritual development.

An Aikido dojo is a place where the teachings of Master Morihei Ueshiba (“O-Sensei”) are studied. It is not the place for the display of one’s ego, but a place for uplifting and cleansing one’s body, mind, and spirit. The correct attitude of respect, sincerity, and modesty, and the proper atmosphere are essential to the learning process; and as Aikido is also a martial art, essential to the safety of each individual.

Aikido is a peaceful, noncompetitive martial art with an emphasis on self-defense. This art makes use of hand to hand, sword, knife, and staff techniques. You will learn how to become a more grounded individual and increase your flexibility and resilience. Through the study of Aikido, you will also develop leadership and self-awareness skills.

This was taken from the Rules of the Dojo and Rules of Training posted prominently for all visitors, guests, and members to see.

See our Training Supplies page for details about outfits and weapons we use, as well as tips on some recommended suppliers.

Taijutsu

Our dojo practices empty hand skills (“taijutsu”) and has a syllabus of techniques to help students study O-Sensei’s teachings that have been transmitted to Saotome Shihan. Many techniques are shared and may or may not be specific to standard instruction in other Aikido organizations.

Taijutsu is fundamental to our practice. However, Sensei reminds practitioners of the following: Aikido is about energy (“aiki”) and not just movement. This is a helpful reminder to study principles.

Weapons

Aiki-Ken

Aikido Schools of Ueshiba maintains a comprehensive weapons program in addition to taijutsu. Our students practice with wooden swords (“bokken”) and bamboo swords (“shinai”), which represent live blades, and wooden staff (“jo”). Students of aikido use these weapons to study aiki further. We pride ourselves in our weapons work, as many of our students are also members of other traditional martial arts such as Shinkage-Ryu, Katori Shinto-Ryu, and Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo. Members are highly recommended to acquire bokken, jo, and shinai to complement their practice.

Shinai

Shinai are more flexible and allow students to practice with a bit more intensity with significantly less chance for injury than a bokken.

Aiki-Jo

Walking staff (“jo”) skills are also taught and is useful to integrate into daily life. The staff is a versatile weapon and allows students to study flexibility, adaptation, exchange, and further body coordination. We study jo along with ken quite intensively. Members are highly recommend to acquire jo to additionally complement practice. We also occasionally practice with bo, a longer version of the jo staff.

Tanto

The practice of knife attacks and takeaways is also practiced and offers a unique experience in one of the most used and dangerous weapons in the history of mankind. A weapon with minimal inertia to overcome to change orientations, it nearly as fast as the empty hand and is a good teaching tool for many principles.