Aikido is a Japanese martial art and competitive
sport. We have training sessions at our Dartford dojo every Tuesday and
at other locations across London throughout the week. Full details are
on our training times page.

If you are interested then please come along to our next session! It's
the best way to find out what Aikido is all about. At the very least,
come and watch - Beginners always welcome. Sessions cost 6 with your
first class FREE.
Aikido is a modern Japanese
martial art founded in the early 20th Century by Morihei Ueshiba
(1883-1969). After mastering classical styles of Judo, Kendo
and Jujitsu, he created Aikido - a defensive martial art based
on spiritual teachings. Although there are now many varying
styles of aikido taught throughout the world, the basic principles
remain the same. The force of any attack is controlled and
diffused without injury to either instigator or defender. This
is achieved by using avoidance and balance breaking followed,
if necessary, by techniques including a range of locks and
throws.
Sport
In Shodokan Aikido we promote
the idea of development through competition. There are two main
types of competition: embu and shiai. Embu is where two people
perform a set sequence of moves together and their technique
and timing are judged against another pair doing the same thing.
Shiai is more physically demanding and requires two players to fight it out within
a set of rules, rather like a Judo bout (see the freestyle section
for more details on training methods). It was our founder Professor Tomikis
belief that the sports arena could be a replacement for the
battlefield in terms of keeping the Martial skills alive and
effective, and that without practice against someone trying
to resist the techniques, the core aikido skills would be lost.
A significant part of each lesson is devoted to practicing
both the embu and the shiai, especially on the lead up to a
big competition. If we set out to win fairly, while maintaining
respect for our opponent, we can hope to achieve the ideals
of sportsmanship and progress our aikido to the best of our
ability. Participation in the competitions is encouraged, but
not compulsory. Fitness
There is no doubt that regular attendance at a Shodokan
Aikido class will increase your fitness. Whether talking about
cardiovascular fitness, strength or suppleness, all will improve.
You may find that your energy levels get a boost, some have even
reported that back and joint aches have disappeared! If your
current level of fitness is quite low, or you havent done any exercise
for a while, dont worry. As a beginner you wont
be expected to keep up the whole time, and if you need to take
a breather, thats no problem. Self Defence
To many, being able to look after themselves is
what brings them to start Martial Arts. Most of us would like
to have more confidence when walking home at night, and to feel
that if any trouble started we would be better equipped to deal
with it. The techniques we use in aikido depend on sensing an
attack, then using speed and timing to disarm it before it becomes
effective. Done well, these techniques can be a devastating form
of self defence, but they may take some time to master. Personal Development
The reason people stay with aikido is seldom
the same one that brought them to start. At the beginning it
might be to get fit or to learn self defence, or you might have
just watched Enter
The Dragon and fancy doing some of the throws and locks
youve just seen. When you begin training, it soon becomes
obvious that to really learn the Art is going to take commitment.