Will Aikido keep me fit?
Aikido will keep you fit. Whatever your starting point you will be challenged, but will be able to train comfortably.

 

Will Aikido teach me to defend myself?
Aikido is a self-defense system of devastating effectiveness, but requires subtlety and technical precision to perform well.

 

Will I have fun?
If Aikido was joyless then there would be little point in talking about harmony and peace. Aikido aims to be a joyful activity with a serious and disciplined philosophy.

 

Can I develop myself mentally?
Aikido is primarily concerned with the development of harmony and the cultivation of body and mind in order to create a peaceful reconciliation with yourself, your surroundings, and others.

 

Do I have to attend both weekly classes?

No. Obviously the more training you do, the quicker you will improve, but if you can only attend one class in a week then that's fine.  You'll still enjoy yourself and advance your skills.  As the class is made up of all different grade levels, you won't 'fall behind' if you miss classes.

 

I've never done any martial arts before, can I join your class?

Absolutely!  Everyone who joins the class is taught the basics of aikido.  It is a unique and very technical martial art, so there is no pre-requisite knowledge or skills to start!  You can join the classes at any time of the year.

 

I don't speak Japanese, will I understand what's going on?

Very few of us do!  We have enough to get by and as the weeks go on you will learn what you need to - counting, the names of various moves etc.  Have a look at the BASICS page for some intro japanese phrases.

 

Can I compete?

An international competition is held every 2 years around the world with both Kata and Randori competitions.  An Oceania competition is usually held in the alternate years.  The 2015 International Champtionships were held on the Gold Coast. 

 

Will I get punched in the face?

The short answer is probably not.  We do not teach or use punching and kicking as a form of attacking.  That said, injuries do happen but they're usually the black belt being injured by a beginner since we don't know our own strength.  (To be honest, I (Leanne / blue belt / Everton Hills) have been doing this a year and most of the times I've hurt myself, it's been self inflicted!)  

 

Where can I get more aikido info away from class?

A great book to track down is AIKIDO RANDORI by TETSURO NARIYAMA (any videos with him are great).  OR, if you're super keen, you could always watch Steven Seagal's early movies (Hard to Kill etc)!  There are a couple of good sources of info on the web but watch out for random youtube videos.  Since aikido shodokan is very technical, some people use techniques that differ from our style.