Why people practice Aikido-in their own words: David

My main reason for starting Aikido at this point in my life was because of my daughter. We were looking for a physical activity for her that not only gave her some exercise, but also would be able to keep her attention. She has little interest in group sports and the combined physical, mental and positive values of Aikido seemed to be a perfect blend for her. Not only is it excellent for all-around physical fitness & flexibility but it also focused on correct posture, positive mind, stamina, and relaxation. The fact that it contains no attacks, only defence, helped my wife get past the fact that it is a martial art.

I first learned about Aikido many years ago and had always meant to start doing it myself, but never managed to actually do so. I always had some excuse – working late or travelling for work were favourites. Now that my daughter was going each week I really had no more excuses. While the fact that I am now over 50 years old might be a major blocker in many other martial arts, it is barely relevant to starting Aikido. This is because Aikido does not rely on athletic talent, size, speed, or weight and instead focuses on redirecting an opponent’s force.

Ultimately I finally started because it is a fun and challenging way to reduce stress, keep fit and stay healthy.

Saito BOOK 1 Seminar

This Seminar aims to teach all of the material in Saito Sensei’s BOOK 1 – BASIC TECHNIQUES

BOOK 1 covers RIAI the combined Aikido System produced from the harmonious blending of ken (sword), jo (staff), tanken (knife) and tai-jutsu (body) techniques.