 |  |  |  |  |
What is Aikido?
Aikido is a Japanese martial art, developed by Morihei Ueshiba, who we call O-Sensei (great teacher). Aikido distinguishes itself
from the field of other martial arts by using the energy of the attack to subdue the attacker or resolve the conflict.
What does the word "aikido" mean?
Literally "ai" means harmony, "ki" means energy, and "do" means path. Taken with more liberal interpretation, it means the way or
path of harmonizing with the energy of the universe. Some say is means the art of peace. O-sensei felt that the heart of martial
arts is to protect others and create peace in the universe, and he designed aikido to be a tool on that path.
How is aikido different from other martial arts?
Unlike many other martial arts, aikido does not teach punching, kicking, and board breaking. Aikido uses blending, balance
taking, throws, and joint locks. Aikido is a strong and effective martial art.
What type of aikido does River City Aikido practice?
Our lineage stems from the aikido that has been taught and practiced in Iwama, Japan. It has come to be known as Iwama-ryu.
Literally Iwama school or style. River City Aikido is a very traditional dojo, with high expectations for etiquette and respect.
What distinguishes Iwama-ryu aikido from other types of aikido?
All martial arts have their strengths and practical applications, and so it is sometimes difficult to compare. Just as people have
different personalities, so do martial arts. Iwama-ryu has a reputation for a strong, practical style, rather than the more flowing,
energy focus in other styles. Iwama-ryu definitely has flow, and the ki flow is in every technique. However, basics are covered in a
systematic way the demands a more static approach for beginners. Flow comes with experience and grows out of knowledge of
basics.
Another aspect that distinguishes Iwama-ryu from others is the focus on the relationship between the knowledge of and use of
weapons techniques (bukiwaza), and unarmed techniques (taijutsu). Weapons were practiced much more regularly in the Iwama
dojo post war than in Tokyo (hombu dojo), and as a result, weapons practice figures more prominently in modern Iwama-ryu
dojos.
What weapons do you practice with?
We practice with the wooden sword (bokken) and the wooden short staff (jo). Less prominent are knife defense techniques, with a
wooden knife (tanto). Much of the movement in aikido is based on the body positioning and movement in classical samurai sword
fighting (kenjutsu). Aikido takes the sword techniques, spear techniques (yarijutsu), and grappling techniques (jujutsu) of ancient
Japanese martial arts and synthesizes them into a modern approach.
Doesn't aikido have a "spiritual" component?
O-sensei was a very spiritual man, especially as he became older, and was sometimes rather esoteric in his teachings. He left
his students scratching their heads at times. To be clear, aikido is not "religious." In our aikido practice there is no "worship" of
anything. The philosophy of aikido is to create harmony within yourself and in your world, which can be seen from a spiritual
perspective.
Aikido is a very internal martial art and requires you to work on awareness (zanshin). Awareness of self, of yourself in relationship
to others, of your surroundings. Daily practice which expands and deepens your awareness will also begin to feel spiritual.
As your aikido practice begin to mature you may begin to realize that what seemed esoteric and spiritual at the beginning
becomes simplified and commonplace. You may begin to see that there are many aspects of life that are "spiritual" but also very
mundane. Through aikido practice you learn how to navigate those situations with awareness and centeredness.
We are now offering meditation practice before the morning practice on Saturdays.
The first thing you should do is look around at a few websites online, or do some research into the different types of martial arts
(karate, tae kwon do, jujitsu, judo, kendo, Kali, Bagua, Hapkido), and decide what best fits your personality. There are even
different schools (styles) of aikido around Richmond, and one may fit your style better than the other.
One big aspect is your connection with the instructor. Give sensei (the instructor) Brian Hill a call (804-387-2279) or email him at
bthill70@yahoo.com. Ask questions, get to know him, see if you connect. Then if you are still interested, come by and watch a
practice. You should have a sense that the training is serious and purposeful, and yet there is a light feeling and people are
having fun. Talk to one or two of the students, and get the inside scoop.
One of the main instructors in our lineage once said that he believes there are three main ways to evaluate a dojo:
1.) Do the sensei's techiniques work?
2.) Are the students having fun?
3.) Are the new students being taken care of?
Once you've decided you want to train with River City Aikido, call sensei and let him know you are coming. We train in several
different locations, so you have options. We train at Lewis Ginter Recreation Association, 4025 Yoga and Wellness for Kids
Classes, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College during the school year, and outdoors at Bryan Park. Look at the Schedule
page for times, days, and fees.
Sensei offers a good selection of training times and days, both mat practices and "park" practices. Park practice takes place at
Bryan Park and we primarily practice weapons there, with some no-fall hand to hand techniques.
