AIKIDO KIHON

Welcome to the AIKIDO KIHON course. This ten-week series of classes is designed to introduce you to the Japanese martial art of aikido and quickly bring you to a good basic understanding of the system. Classes will take place every Wednesday evening from 7pm throughout January, February and March, culminating in an optional examination at the end of March.

If you are interested in participating, please contact us to reserve a place - spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Cost: £6.50 per class, or £50 for the complete course (save £15). An additional £22 deposit for insurance is also required; this can be refunded at the end of the course or alternatively used to cover insurance for the rest of the year if you decide to continue. No martial arts uniform is required (at least not until the examination); comfortable clothes or sportswear are all that is needed.

Class Timetable

Jan 23 - Week 1: Hajime! (“begin!”) In your first class, we will address the question, “What is aikido?” and introduce some basic techniques.

Jan 30 - Week 2: Ashi sabaki (“organising the feet”) A class looking at the importance of foot movement and stance, with drills and exercises for improving footwork.

Feb 7 - Week 3: Shugi (“principles”) Examining the underlying elements of aikido, this lesson builds on previous classes to develop variations of the basic techniques.

Feb 14 - Week 4: Kuzushi (“unbalance”) A person who is off-balance is easier to deal with - this week, we look at methods of striking or otherwise destabilising a person prior to completing a throw or pin.

Feb 21 - Week 5: Kokyu (“breath”) Breath is used extensively in aikido to develop power and control. In this lesson, you will learn some simple breathing techniques and integrate them into the movements of aikido.

Feb 28 - Week 6: Aiki (“uniting energy”) Aiki is - rather obviously - very important in aikido (“the Way of Aiki”); this class will look at defining what aiki is and how it can be created.

Mar 7 - Week 7: Tetsugaku (“philosophy”) Aikido has a rich and complex philosophical system underpinning its movements; having examined aiki in the previous class, we will now look at the wider philosophy of the art.

Mar 14 - Week 8: Bukiwaza (“weapon techniques”) The use of weapons (specifically the wooden sword and short staff) is important in aikido; this class will consider some basic weapon movements and think about how they underpin the empty-handed techniques.

Mar 21 - Week 9: Shugyo (“practice”) A revision of the previous lessons and preparation for a grading the following week.

Mar 28 - Week 10: Gakka (“examination”) Optionally, this week participants may choose to take the examination for 6th kyu, the first level of aikido practice.