Good Aikido Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Aikido (Shinjitai: 合気道, Kyūjitai: 合氣道, aikidō, Japanese pronunciation: [aikiꜜdoː]). It is also known as Aiki. Aiki is a modern Japanese martial art that has many different styles and flavours, including Iwama Ryu, Shodokan, Yoshinkan, Aikikai and Tenshin.

Aikido is present and active in around 140 countries. It was originally developed by Morihei Ueshiba (Osensei) (a highly talented martial arts master that grew up during the Japanese Meiji Era), as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs.

Ueshiba’s goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attackers from injury. The idea is the ultimate act of harmony, protect yourself and your enemy. No need to destroy, injure, or kill.

After WWII, Osensei retired in Iwama (a small country town 100kms north of Tokyo) because he was so aghast with the violence he witnessed during the war. During his ‘retirement’ he transformed the older, more violent, and deadly Aikijujutsu, into Aikido. In Iwama, Aikido was found and invented.

Aiki-do is often translated literally as “the way of unifying (with) life energy” or as “the way of harmonious spirit”.

According to Osensei’s philosophy, the primary goal in the practice of aikido is to overcome oneself instead of cultivating violence or aggressiveness.

Morihei Ueshiba used the phrase “masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi” (Japanese: 正勝吾勝勝速日) (“true victory, final victory over oneself, here and now”) to refer to this principle.

Good Aikido is Aikido that fuses the traditions of Iwama Ryu (Osensei’s Aikido) with personal development, meditation, and adds a modern fitness component.

In other words, what we do is truly holistic. Good Aikido’s focus is to strengthen the body, and expand the mind, and grow the spirit of the student or the member.

To give a taste of what our school is all about. Here’s 20-minute practice video on mediation and bukiwaza. Watch it and even do it every morning before you start your day.

If you are in the Ryde, Marsfield, Epping, and Macquarie Park area of Sydney Australia, then you have a Good Aikido school near you. Our classes are in the Macquarie University Sport and Aquatic Centre and Ryde Community Sports Centre. Our Aikido Sydney dojo probably will come in a year or so. To be honest we are not in a hurry.

The Kid’s Martial Art and Aikido Classes are in the Macquarie University Sport and Aquatic Centre.

The over 14+ and adult Aikido Martial Art Classes are in Ryde Community Sports Centre.

Here is a link to our classes and tuition.

Come, JOIN, and train with US.

Macquarie University Sport and Aquatic Centre

We are there every Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Here’s a link to the Macquarie University Dojo. It’s easy to get to and there are lots of parking nearby.

If you are a parent you can watch the kid’s martial art class, outside overlooking the dojo.

Here’s the information for the mat and training tuition fees.

https://goodaikido.com.au/aikido-class-times-tuition-fees/

Yes, Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Macquarie University Dojo from 16:00 to 17:00.

Here is the link to class times.

https://goodaikido.com.au/aikido-class-times-tuition-fees/

Here’s also some information on our Martial Art for Kids Class

https://goodaikido.com.au/aikido-kids-class-martial-art/

To start Aikido, you just need to turn up in a shirt and a pair of trackies. However one of the things that we’ve noticed is that as soon as you put your Aikido ‘Gi’ you also put on a different mindset that Keiko (Aikido class or training) starts and whatever ‘stuff’ you were doing is finished. By putting on your Aikido uniform (Gi), you look the part, you are unconsciously telling yourself it’s time to train.

Now that’s the mindset of the Aikido uniform (Gi). On a practical level, in Aikido we do a lot of grabs such as Kata Dori (shoulder grab) and Mune Dori (chest grab) which require a full power vice grip on the clothes. We’ve seen lots of t-shirts (both cheap and expensive) rip during these exercises.

We recommend getting your Aikido Gi as soon as possible. When you enrol with Good Aikido, one of the first things we need to help you organise is your Aikido Gi.

We have some spare Bokken and Jo in the school. We don’t have a lot though. Although you can borrow and use the school Bokken and Jo, it is good to have your own. Ideally by the time you go for your Yonkyu (orange belt) you have your own Bokken and Jo set because you will do Buki Waza (warrior techniques) in your curriculum.

By Purple Belt (Yonku), the student is expected to know (not master) the first five moves of the Jo Suburi. Have a read and watch the Jo Suburi video. It is the basis of all Aiki Jo techniques.

The simple answer is YES. A man in his 30s or 40s doing an hour of Good Aikido can burn an average of 600 to 800 calories. We do a lot of cardio and ukemi. Your body will also toughen up during your training.

No, you don’t need to be fit to do martial arts. An even better answer to this question is you don’t have to be fit to get started with Aikido. Part of our curriculum is to take you to a good level of fitness

Yes. Some of the best Aikidoka in Australia and the world are women.

Not all martial arts are the same. They all come with different personalities and styles.

Our martial art is unique because, at its core, it teaches you two things:

1. to move to avoid incoming attacks
2. second, to blend with them (harnessing the energy of the attack and redirecting it into a throw or restraining move).

Our martial art is a non-competitive martial art, so there’s no fighting – we don’t meet force with force; instead, we meet it with control.

Aikido is a fantastic art for people of any gender or age, but it’s especially great for girls and women.

Girls and women have a head start over males in learning this exciting martial art because females aren’t necessarily as naturally strong as many men. In Aikido, pure strength is actually a hindrance, rather than a help. The strong usually take longer to learn because they rely on their strength to do the techniques. Yes it may help them to force their techniques, but forcing the technique is not the same as knowing and effectively executing the technique.

Females generally learn and master Aikido techniques faster than men because they haven’t become accustomed to relying on strength; instead, they learn to execute the correct technique.

In Aikido, most movement comes from the hips – something women do instinctively because the centre of gravity is usually lower than men’s. That’s a great advantage because, in Aikido, the aim is to blend with (and move) our partner with as little effort as possible.

In Aiki we think of our ‘partner’ as someone to work with in order to achieve a mutual goal rather than our ‘opponent’, which implies a struggle against one another.

Aikido’s fundamental principles and techniques include irimi (entering), atemi, kokyu-ho (breathing control), sankaku-ho (triangular principle), and tenkan (turning) movements that redirect the opponent’s attack momentum. Most Aikido curriculum comprises various techniques, primarily throws and joint locks. Aikido (specifically Good Aikido) also includes a weapons system encompassing the bokken, tantō, and jō.

There are many Good Aikido books. Here’s a link to Good Aikido books.

Aikido Technique Books

Because of the non-competitive nature of Aikido, it is not in the Olympics.

If one trains regularly and passes all their grading exams, shodan (1st Degree Black Belt) can be reached in three years.

It is worth thinking about the intent of this question though. Are you in a hurry to be a black belt? A black belt’s main purpose is to hold up the pants and Aikido GI together. Hahaha.

On a more serious note, let me (Crom Salvatera) give you something to think about. Getting a black belt is easy, just go online or a store and buy one.

BEING a black belt (Shodan) not that’s something else, that’s someone to BECOME. It is right of passage, one can only become a black belt through time and training. Trust me, you want to become a GOOD black belt, NOT a fake or bad one.

The UFC and MMA are polar opposites with Aikido. Although Aikido is an effective martial art, most of our students and masters don’t go cage fighting. To be honest, if your aim is to cage fight, pick fights in the streets, or bully your family, classmates, and people, then Good Aikido is not for you.

https://goodaikido.com/ufc_aikido/

No martial is effective against guns, machine guns, airplanes, and tanks. We don’t teach classes nor techniques that deal with guns. If you are in a situation where guns are involved, we recommend you call the police.

Absolutely. Come to class. Have a go. Get your martial art uniform (keikogi) and get started. Getting started is probably one of the hardest parts of your martial art journey. Like all skills and training, you just need to turn up and keep on turning up and do your best. So what are you waiting for? Contact us today and start training.