We’ve had to move things around this week because of the tube strike. Here are the detials.

1. Tuesday 29/04/2014 This class in the City will be a ‘free’ class. There will be no instruction but you will will be able to come along and go through techniques together. This will also be a good opportunity to practise your ukemi (rolling). If you don’t pay monthly, can you pay one of the senior students on the day? Jon/Zibi/Oskar/Satosan could you make sure you give the key back after locking up? This class will still cost £10.00 and run from 6pm-8pm
2. Wednesday 30/04/2014 will be the continuation of the introductory course. If you couldn’t make it last week feel free to turn for this class. The class will cost £8.00 as usual and will run from 6pm – 7:30pm
3. Thursday 01/05/2014 in Harrow will a normal class. Hopefully the tube will be running normally by then
4. Saturday 03/05/2014 – Sunday 04/05/2014. There will be a seminar in Salisbury. I understand that there is still a couple of spaces left in the car if you’d like to just come for one day. Could you let me know if you would like to come this this class?
5. I hope to confirm a venue for the Friday night class on the 13th June with Yoshigasaki Sensei this week. I will keep you posted with developments. I have arranged a minibus for  14-15 June course in Salisbury. If you would like to come to this class let me know.
6. I will be going to Denmark, along with Radek and Rekha from 19th July-24th July. If you would like to come along as well let me know. Details can be found here
7. I will be driving to Coventry on 10th May for our monthly visit to see Sensei Burgess. If you would like to come could you let me know.

If you have any questions or suggestions about any of these items let us know.

We will be running a beginners course running every Tuesday from  22nd April 2014 – 27th May 2014.

The six week course will be geared towards running through some of the basic concepts of Aikido practise. It would be suitable for both complete beginners or anybody who would would like to get back into training after a break.

The class will run weekly from 6pm-8pm and will cost £10.00 per a session and will be running at our City Dojo.

If you would like more information please fill out your details below.

We have a busy year ahead of us.

• 3rd-4th May We will be in Salisbury, filming the Dan grade Syllabus
• 13th June  Doshu Yoshigasaki will be teaching our club on the Friday evening. We are expecting students from Europe again to join us at they did last year.
• 14th-15th June Doshu Yoshigasaki will be teaching the weekend in Salisbury. 
• 19th-24th July Doshu Yoshigasaki will be teaching in Denmark. We are arranging a group from our club to attend this course.
• 5th-7th September Doshu Yoshigasaki will be in Scotland. I hope to attend this course, as I did last year again
• 21st-23rd November Doshu Yoshigasaki will be in Burton.
• We are still going up to Coventry to see Shihan Burgess the second Saturday of the month. Our next visit will be 8th February. 
• I am also in the process of arranging a weapons class to run the fourth Saturday of the month. I’l post details when these are finalised.
• We are still running the children’s class on Thursday from 6pm-7pm. I’ve posted earlier on the benefits of training for kids.
• Are regular clubs for adults, Tuesday and Wednesday in the Barbican and Thursday in Harrow are running as well.

I’ll keep the site updated with more details as I get them.

We are back to our normal routine of practise now. The classes will continue to run three times a week,

The children’s class has moved to run on a Thursday 6pm-7pm just before the adult’s class in Harrow.

We’ll be looking at running monthly weapon and possibly misogi classes as well this year. Watch this space

Congratulations to Radek, Jon and Rekha for theirs gradings yesterday at Burton. I think we demonstrated again the high standards we are setting ourselves at our club.

We are teaching a children’s class from 6:00pm-7:00pm on Thursday at our Harrow Dojo. The class will cost £5.00 and will be for children from 5-14 years.

Aikido is an ideal martial art for children.

• Aikido is a non-aggressive martial art. What does this mean? Basically, you can’t start a fight with Aikido – you can only finish one. Aikido doesn’t encourage children to go around punching and kicking instead the technique starts when someone else “breaks the rules”
• Aikido helps children at school. They learn to absorb knowledge more easily, and to think with greater clarity and awareness. By practising in this way, children can’t help but apply this to their daily lives.
• The children also learn to develop calm, confident and clear minds. Of course, children shouldn’t be calm all the time. But Aikido gives them the choice. If they need to sit still at school, concentrate on homework, or focus during sports, Aikido shows them exactly how to do that. The techniques will teach correct calmness. This is different from keeping their emotions bottled up. Aikido calmness feels good.
• Aikido does not rely on size, speed or gender. Actually if they use their bodies correctly, it is possible for children to throw adults.
• There is no competition in Aikido.  The children take turns throwing and being thrown. In that way they learn that it is always better to work together.
• Aikido is fun! There is a lot of rolling around, stretching, and practical martial art all taught in a friendly, welcoming environment

I have been practising AIkido for over twenty years and teaching for over ten.  I am a registered coach with the British Aikido Board and am also DRB checked.

Our child protection policy can be found on the British Ki Society website.
For more information, give me a call on 07973 626518, or use the contact us page.

We will be running a six week beginners course at our dojo in the City from 17th September 2013. The course will provide as an introduction to some of the basic concepts of our practise and would be suitable for new practitioners, or for those who are interested in what we do from different schools.

For more information please email us at city@knk.org.uk

Here is an interesting video from the late 80s where Tohei Sensei shows how to cut with Ki. The Uke, who has difficulty keeping hold of his bokken, is Doshu Yoshigasaki.

Although narrated in Japanese there is a lot of other interesting bits on the video.

Here is a video os Doshu Yoshigasaki teaching  a few techniques  at a seminar in Sweden in 2009