Mokuyobi Yoru Aikido ClubBeginners
Comment from a Beginner: "The club offers professional training in which you are allowed to progress at your own pace. The Sensei is passionate about his craft and has a vast amount of knowledge and experience. The other members are extremely welcoming and immediately put one at ease. Its amazing how after just a few weeks you can develop to some quite complicated moves. For me Aikido is not just about the physical training aspect but also clarity of mind too. Even after a hard work out, you go home really refreshed and envigorated. It's a great way to get fit! You are able to tone up and become more flexible and your stamina levels increase too."
First Lesson
The purpose of this page is to take some of the mystery out of starting Aikido for the first time. Many people become a little apprehensive or nervous when faced with new situations: having a good idea of what to expect can make it a lot easier to come along and enjoy yourself.
Come Along!
Since you're reading this, you must at least be considering Aikido. Why not come along to the next session? The best way to find out what Aikido is all about is to come along and try it out, or at the very least, come and watch. Beginners are always welcome - even if you want to just try it out for one session to see if you like it. We run regular beginners courses if you want a more intensive view of Aikido (see opposite).
When and Where
We meet Thursdays (8pm - 10pm) at The Parish Centre in West End (see the contact page for directions). Most people turn up a few minutes before the session starts: don't worry if you get there ten minutes early and the place is deserted, we'll get there by 8pm.
What to Wear
Wear something loose, that isn't going to hamper your movement: Something like tracksuit bottoms and a T-Shirt is perfect.
Getting Ready
OK, so you've found the dojo (training hall), you're wearing your old jogging bottoms, what happens next? Take off your shoes before walking around (training is barefoot, so we leave the stones and dirt from the roads outside). Have a look around - anyone else getting changed is probably also doing Aikido, so chat to us - we don't bite. You can take your shoes, socks, coats and any other bits and pieces into the hall. Also take off any jewellery and anything else that might get caught in clothing and damaged. Empty your pockets of everything that might fall out, such as wallets, purses and mobile phones (best to switch off if possible). At this point it's worth meeting John Carpenter, our resident black belt, for a quick chat to introduce yourself and meet some of us.
So, how do we get going?
Follow everyone else onto the mat (it is customary to make a little bow as you come onto the mat) and we all line up facing the teacher (usually John). We kneel down and relax for a few seconds, to leave any worries outside, and to focus on training. We all bow once forward, and once to the teacher. If you get lost at any point, just follow someone next to you. Don't worry! Everyone was a beginner at some point, and we all made mistakes. No-one will laugh, and the teacher will probably show you, or get someone to show you the right movement.
Loosening up
We all spend a couple of minutes loosening up joints - Not stretching, just moving each joint to the maximum range of movement, so that it is nice and loose and easy to move later. Follow the sensei (teacher) or someone next to you as we all wave our arms like windmills and make Elvis-style pelvis motions.
Loosening wrists
Next up, we normally loosen up the wrists with several specific stretching exercises. Because Aikido techniques often involve wrist and arm locks, we stretch the wrists out beforehand so that when the techniques are applied, we don't cause damage to the wrist. Don't worry, some of these exercises do involve some weird grasps and manipulation of your hands and arms, so you will almost certainly need a bit of help to get them right.
Feet Movement
Now for the scary stuff. Now, on some vague commands from the front ("hoe!..a jimmy!... itch! knee! sand! she!") the entire rest of the class perform a complex line dance, and you're left standing there like a lemon - or trying to follow them about four steps behind. Don't worry, it won't be long before the sensei takes pity on you and you get shown the foot movements. The foot movements form the basis of many of the techniques you get to try later, and are also a defence in themselves - they fulfil rule number 1: always move out of the way.
Techniques
Once you have your feet under control, we get on to the meat of the session. The sensei (teacher) will gather everyone around, and demonstrates a really simple technique - usually a defence to a wrist grab or something similar - against one of the higher grades (coloured belts). Everyone splits up into pairs, and you spend the next two minutes trying to work out which way up your hands are supposed to be before you start, and you realise that the really simple technique is actually really quite hard - the sensei just made it look easy. After a minute or so, the sensei will come over and show you again how it is done properly - and you just start to get the idea when he calls everyone back to look at the next technique. After a few more techniques, all seemingly easy but with hidden complexities that mean you end up facing the other way - or holding the wrong arm - you find a technique which you can do! Your 6 foot 4 partner, built like a brick outhouse, collapses onto the floor and whimpers in pain when you grab here, step just there, twist the wrist like so, and apply pressure like that - and this is the point at which you realise that Aikido is actually really cool. This is also usually the point at which the sensei will let you in on a little secret - the fact that your partner is slapping the mat with the one hand he can still move is code for "Ow! That wrist lock really hurts! Please let me up now! Please!".
Afterwards
All too quickly, you all line up again and by looking at the clock, you realise two hours have slipped by - it doesn't seem like it!. After a couple more bows, you make your way off the mat (bowing again to the mat on the way off) and start putting your shoes and socks back on, feeling warm and slightly tired - but feeling like you've really learnt something different, and that you're now part of the group. John does his collection of 'subs' - at £5 a lesson it's less than a couple of pints and far better for you than spending your time in a pub for the evening. As you go through the next few days, you'll find yourself practicing the foot movements - stepping aside at doorways, front corner, back corner while waiting for the kettle to boil - just so you can do it that little bit quicker next week... and then you've got it. Aikido is cool.
What Next
Once you have decided Aikido is for you, you will need to buy a gi (cost £27.00 plus a club badge) and join the British Aikido Association (BAA).
Membership of the British Aikido Association costs £25.00 p/a (Adults) £12.50 p/a (Juniors)
