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OUR PRIME AIMS
• To provide opportunity to practise Traditional Aikido, following the example set by Aikido Founder, O Sensei Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969), his descendants (Doshus, Dojocho) and two of our most respected British teachers, Shihan Mr W.Smith M.B.E.(d. 2006) and Shihan Mr Mike Smith (d.20 April 2022).
• To promote an atmosphere of accessibility, friendship, encouragement and mutual development.
ALL PRACTITIONERS
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- Please inform the instructor if you have an injury, restricted movement, a medical or other condition that could affect you when you take part in physical activity. Please inform your practice partners, if necessary.
- You must be insured to train. Goshinkai makes provision for new beginners, who may attend two classes prior to joining Goshinkai.
- Training Clothes and Equipment: Judo or Karate suit (white). White belts are worn until practitioner achieves 1st Dan and wears black belt and hakama (black or dark blue). It is good to have your own bokken, jo, tanto and weapons bag. When carrying weapons in a public place, i.e. on your way to class, have them safely stowed and covered up in a suitable bag: carry your Aikido membership book with you.
- Belt must be tied correctly. One version of how to do this is shown here:
- You Tube: How to Wear Aikido Hakama. Tomohiro Mori Shihan
- You Tube: How to Fold Aikido Hakama. Tomohiro Mori Shihan
BEGINNERS
Beginners are always welcome. Everyone has been a beginner at some time – we will do our best to help you. Your teacher will help you learn and understand the techniques. Your practice partners will also talk you through the movements required for executing and receiving the techniques and conditioning exercises.
Most Aikido practice is with a partner (sometimes two or more). Practice can be empty handed or with wooden weapons: bokken (wooden sword), jo (short staff), tanto (wooden dagger). Techniques involve throws, joint manipulations and joint locks. The techniques are practiced in tachiwaza (both practice partners standing), suwariwaza (both starting from kneeling seated position then moving in shikko (knee-walking)) and hanmihandachiwaza (attacker standing, defender seated). Beginners will need to spend a significant amount of their early practice on developing good posture and stance, on body movement (entering, turning) and forward and backward breakfalls.
The aim of practice is to develop mind, body and spirit. The training atmosphere in the Dojo should reflect positive energy, readiness to learn with an open mind, a spirit of co-operation, support and mutual respect. All this should combine to make practice enjoyable and exhilarating. The Dojo Etiquette is a set of guidelines that help us try to attain such an atmosphere.
DOJO ETIQUETTE
“Onegaishimasu” “Please teach me”
“Domo Arigato Gozaimashita” “Thank you very much”
Dojo etiquette is well documented on the following sites:Bicester Aikido Club; Go Shin Kai Introduction for Beginners
GRADINGS
Goshinkai Grading Syllabus Download here ; Kyu Grading Form – Download here to follow
Gradings and Grading Protocol at Bloomsbury Aikido Club 2017 – Download here
The grading system is important to our Practice in that it provides a structure to, benchmarks in and recognition of an individual Aikido student’s development. The system helps to ensure that training standards are upheld and that Aikido is passed down in its traditional form. However, gradings should be viewed in a proper perspective as a training tool and not as the reason for training.
Aikido students should train regularly throughout the year and not just when they feel that the time has come for them to get their next grade. All club members should try to support those students who are preparing for gradings, at whatever level. The form of this support should include regular attendance at class, doing your best to practise with flowing movement and blending with (not blocking) your practice partner, attending any mock gradings and the grading itself, either as observers or, if a suitable grade, taking part in the examinations as uke.
AIKIDO TECHNIQUES AND NOMENCLATURE
The Bicester Aikido Club website has an excellent “Resources for the Aikido Practitioner” section, see http://www.bicesteraikido.org/resources.htm
Also see www.theaikidowarrior.com
For Glossaries, see:
British Aikido Board – Aikido Terms
Aikido Schools of Ueshiba www.asu.org/studenthandbook/glossary-of-aikido-terms
For Aikido Warm-up Exercises look up these videos on You Tube:
Aikido Warm Up Exercises by Morihei Ueshiba O Sensei
Traditional Aikido Warm Up and Stretching Exercises
Evolution of the Torifune/Funakogi Movement in Aikido
Videos on You Tube of Basic Techniques, 6 Kyu Syllabus to help our beginners with their home studies between classes:
SUWARIWAZA KOKYUHO
being applied by Mitsuteru Ueshiba (Waka-sensei) and Moriteru Ueshiba (Doshu).
Related preparatory solo exercise: sit in seiza, holding a bokken in each hand. Cut up and down, keeping the bokken shoulder width apart.
IRIMINAGE
Saito explains Iriminage with commentary by Stanley Pranin.
The Anatomical Analysis of Aikido Aikikai Technique Irimi Nage (How to do Irimi Nage) Instructor: Osamu Obata, 7th Dan JCCC (Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre), Toronto, Ontario, Canada, August 2016
Christian Tissier – Iriminage
Gyakuhanmi katatedori iriminage. Nishio Sensei
Related preparatory solo exercise: Tai sabaki irimi-tenkan.
For Basic Weapons Suburi and Kata
You Tube: Saito Sensei demonstrating the 20 Jo Suburi
You Tube: Saito Sensei demonstrating the 7 Bokken Suburi
You Tube Video of Horii Sensei demonstrating Chiba’s 8-Count Bokken Kata
CBAC Notes for Students: Chiba’s 8 Described
You Tube Video of Chiba Sensei demonstrating application of form #8 to shihonage
CBAC Notes for Students: 9-Count Jo Kata Described
For Connection between Aikido and Sword Movements
You Tube: Shirakawa Sensei demonstrating Shihonage, Ikkyo and Iriminange
COURSES