CLASSES 7 DAYS/WEEK
We currently offer weekday evening classes M-F, and weekend morning classes including weekly outdoor classes on Saturday mornings in Emeryville featuring Iwama Aikido wooden weapon practices. Please email the Dojo at info@aikidoinstitute.org for the most recent updates.
We currently offer weekday evening classes M-F, and weekend morning classes including weekly outdoor classes on Saturday mornings in Emeryville featuring Iwama Aikido wooden weapon practices. Please email the Dojo at info@aikidoinstitute.org for the most recent updates.
New to Aikido?
Schedule a free introductory class
info@aikidoinstitute.org
Visiting Aikidoka
Our mat fee is $20.
Please send an email to let us know you're dropping in!
info@aikidoinstitute.org
Yoga with Simona
We continue to offer a once-a-week Yoga class on Sunday Mornings.
Now available in-person at the dojo and on Zoom.
We continue to offer a once-a-week Yoga class on Sunday Mornings.
Now available in-person at the dojo and on Zoom.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Subject to adjustment as needed.
Please email the dojo at info@aikidoinstitute.org to confirm specific dates/times.
_________________
M
6:30-8:00pm Aikido with Jacob
TU
6:30-8:00pm Aikido BASICS with alternating instructors
W
6:30-8:00pm Aikido with Dave
TH
6:30-7:30pm Aikido with Deborah
F
11:30am-12:30pm Aikido with Deborah
6:30-7:30pm Aikido with Steve
SA
*Saturday classes are held Outdoors at a location in Emeryville
9:00-10:00am Aiki Ken/Aiki Jo with all instructors (alternating)
10:00-11:00am Aiki Ken/Aiki Jo with all instructors (alternating)
SU
9-10:30am Aikido BASICS with Dave
11-noon Yoga with Simona Balan
________________
Wooden sword and staff practices for Aikido.
The Founder taught wooden sword (bokken) and wooden staff (jo) practices at his dojo in Iwama, Japan. Morihiro Saito Sensei augmented these practices with suburi and kata and taught these practices to his students in Iwama and in his many teaching tours overseas. Through this, these Aiki-ken and Aiki-jo practices became an important part of our Iwama Aikido curriculum --something that distinguishes our style of Aikido from other styles. Weapon techniques are included in our tests from the very beginning of a student's progression through the ranks.
We practice Iwama Aikido Weapon forms outdoors on Saturday mornings at the Emeryville Marina. Weapon practices may also be brought in to other classes during the week from time to time at the instructors' discretion.
We practice Iwama Aikido Weapon forms outdoors on Saturday mornings at the Emeryville Marina. Weapon practices may also be brought in to other classes during the week from time to time at the instructors' discretion.
AIKI-KEN & AIKI-JO
“When O-Sensei explained Aikido he always said that taijutsu (body techniques) and ken and jo techniques were all the same. He always started out his explanation of Aikido using the ken. Although he didn’t use a one-two-three method, he always taught us patiently and explained in detail what we should do.”
...
“When I started teaching myself ... I classified and arranged his jo techniques. I rearranged everything into 20 basic movements I called “suburi” which included tsuki (thrusting), uchikomi (striking), hassogaeshi (figure-eight movements), and so on so it would be easier for students to practice them. I was taught first how to swing a sword. I organized what I learned and devised these kumijo and suburi for the sword. O-Sensei’s method may have been good for private lessons, but not for teaching groups. In his method, there were no names for techniques, no words. This was why I organized the movements into tsuki (thrusts), uchikomi (strikes) and kaeshi (turning movements) and gave them names.”
- Morihiro Saito Shihan
...
“When I started teaching myself ... I classified and arranged his jo techniques. I rearranged everything into 20 basic movements I called “suburi” which included tsuki (thrusting), uchikomi (striking), hassogaeshi (figure-eight movements), and so on so it would be easier for students to practice them. I was taught first how to swing a sword. I organized what I learned and devised these kumijo and suburi for the sword. O-Sensei’s method may have been good for private lessons, but not for teaching groups. In his method, there were no names for techniques, no words. This was why I organized the movements into tsuki (thrusts), uchikomi (strikes) and kaeshi (turning movements) and gave them names.”
- Morihiro Saito Shihan