Hear from our members
Rob, aged 31, member of Slough Centre Aikido Club
I started in Aikido in 2007 and I’m now a 1st Dan and I’m working towards my 2nd Dan.I was recommended to Aikido by a friend as a way of keeping fit and also it has an interesting philosophy. I started at Reading and then moved to Slough.
Aikido classes always have a great spirit, there’s a great atmosphere in the club, we’re very lucky to have excellent instruction. We always have a fantastic time, we always have a laugh when we’re training, but at the same time everyone is very dedicated to the Martial Art and is taking it seriously. We manage achieve a great balance between great fun,
remembering it’s a hobby and also learning a beautiful martial art with all the discipline that entails.
The students come from all walks of life, they’re all shapes and sizes and everyone finds something different in Aikido which I think is one of the best parts about this martial art.
One of the great things about Aikido is that your fitness comes almost naturally without your having to think about it, mainly in terms of agility and flexibility. All shapes and sizes can do Aikido and you find a way to work with your own body.
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I always try to attend several courses every year as it's an invaluable opportunity to train with Aikidoka from other clubs and styles and we always find that there's something new that we can learn from other people.
I think that what I pay for my Aikido is far outweighed by the benefits I get from it. It's incredibly reasonable considering how much I enjoy my training and the great friends I've developed and trained with over the course of the
years. I think Aikido has allowed me to look at the world in a very different way in terms of trying to find a way of harmonising with people around me and also finding a degree of confidence and self-assurance that wasn't there so much before I started doing Aikido.
Anyone who knows me reasonably well knows about my Aikido because I talk about it so much. When I get along to training it's always a highlight of my day, no matter what other things might have happened it's always a great opportunity to put it all behind me and focus on what's going on.
Simona, aged 24
I've been practising Aikido for nearly a year now.
I have always been fascinated by different types of martial arts. However, I wanted to try something that was more suitable for self defence, involved weapons and had pin
techniques. After much research I found that Aikido was most suitable for my needs, so I started attending classes at The Hut in Uxbridge.
The classes have a great mixture of people who are at different grade levels. They're also well disciplined allowing to concentrate and learn the techniques properly. My Black Belt teachers are very supportive and are patient and motivating. My fellow students are either lower or higher grade than me and all provide brilliant experience when practising weapons and open hand techniques. Generally everyone is positive and willing to teach and learn.
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Aikido does not generally require you to be fit to start with but you certainly become more physically fit once you’ve been practising Aikido for several months. My flexibility, stamina and strength have improved. So far I am currently 5th kyu, - yellow belt.
As well as classes at the Hut I attended the Institute Winter School in March in High Wycombe where I met many new people and learnt many new techniques.
Overall my self-discipline has certainly improved and I feel more confident in myself. I am more physically fit and made many new friends that I enjoy practising Aikido with.
Aikido is great for any age.