Adult Classes
Whether you're looking to improve your physical fitness, seeking a mental respite, or aspiring to master self-defense, our program welcomes you. Harness the power of Aikido to cultivate balance, self-awareness, and a spirit of harmony in your daily life. Join us today to start your transformative journey towards empowerment and well-being.
What To Expect?
In Aikido, there are no separate classes for beginners. Instead, new students are paired with experienced practitioners. This arrangement allows for mutual benefit as senior students get to hone their teaching skills and identify areas for improvement in their own Aikido, while the beginners receive guidance from their experienced partners and progress more rapidly.
You will be immersed in an environment of motivated and inspiring individuals from various social and professional backgrounds. Take advantage of the opportunity to form new connections and interact with like-minded individuals who are dedicated to their success.
Achieve Mastery!
When we truly want something and set our minds to it, we can unleash amazing capabilities and achieve great things. With consistent training for a period of 3 to 5 years, it is possible to achieve a black belt in Aikido. It's important to never give up and to keep pushing forward, continually learning and improving with each training session. With hard work and determination, a black belt in Aikido can be within reach.
It's Never Too Late!
Adults of all ages can benefit from regular Aikido training. Students in their 40s, 50s and beyond have taken up Aikido, and with consistent and regular practice, they have been able to master new skills. Some have even earned their black belt in Aikido, showing that age is no obstacle when it comes to learning this art. Not only does this practice help build resilience and physical strength, but it also fosters mental agility and can help improve memory, focus, and sharpen the mind. All in all, regular Aikido training is a great way to stay sharp and strong.
Class Structure
Before each class, a basic warm up that consists of stretches and light falls takes place to get students ready for practice.
- Students sit upright in a row, facing the front.
- Everyone bows to the "Shomen" which is considered the front of the dojo, and Iwama Aikido dojos traditionally has pictures of the Founder of Aikido and of Morihiro Saito Sensei. This is done with respect for the art, teachers and fellow students.
- Practice begins with basic Aikido exercises. These are the basic movements of Aikido and are considered the building blocks of techniques.
- From here practice includes Kihon Waza (basic techniques) from the Aikido syllabus. Basic Aikido techniques are set techniques that teach students the underlying principles of Aikido. It can be said that the effective use of Aikido in battle relies upon intuitively applying principles to create techniques to fit the circumstances, rather than trying to fit circumstances to techniques.
- In class, students take turns practicing techniques on each other. In addition to learning how to apply wrist locks and throws, students learn how to receive techniques safely by learning how to fall in different ways.
Reach New Heights
Reaching black belt level in a martial art is a very impressive accomplishment. It demonstrates strong character, discipline, focus and ability stick to long-term commitments.