Aikido Martial Art Group

Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying (with) life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury.

Aikido is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on. This requires very little physical energy, as the aikidoka (aikido practitioner) "leads" the attacker's momentum using entering and turning movements. The techniques are completed with various throws or joint locks. Aikido can be categorized under the general umbrella of grappling arts.

Aikido derives mainly from the martial art of Daito-ryu; Aiki-jujutsu, but began to diverge from it in the late 1920s, partly due to Ueshiba's involvement with the Omoto-kyu; religion. Ueshiba's early students' documents bear the term aiki-jujutsu. Many of Ueshiba's senior students have different approaches to aikido, depending on when they studied with him. Today aikido is found all over the world in a number of styles, with broad ranges of interpretation and emphasis.

We study a form of Aikido created by Roy Suenaka called Suenaka-ha Tetsugaku-ho (Suenaka style, philosophical way). Our Aikido is a synthesis of Founder Morihei Ueshiba O’Sensei’s Aikido and that of Shin-Shin Toitsu Aikido founder Koichi Tohei Sensei. It is a system of self-defense designed to be street-effective, while paying equal attention to spiritual, mental and moral/ethical development.

REGULAR CLASS TIMES
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Tuesday Evenings: 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Thursday Evenings: 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Sunday Mornings: 9:00 - 10:30 AM