Training

At City Aikido we offer a direct lineage to the founder's teachings. Robert Nadeau (8th dan) studied under the direct tutelage of Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei in Japan in the 1960's. Ross Madden Sensei (6th dan) trained for decades under Nadeau Shihan, and passes the tradition on to newer generations of students.

City Aikido has highly a qualified and experienced teacher, and a diverse community of students who are enthusiastic, helpful, friendly and respectful. If you’d like to check out Aikido first hand, or seek a dojo you can call home, we recommend that you visit City Aikido.

Aikido is a non-violent martial art incorporating a variety of powerful locks, pins and throws based on natural movements that do not require physical strength to be effective.

People of all ages and genders can practice Aikido. No prior experience is required. In an Aikido class, the instructor typically demonstrates a particular technique which students then practice together in pairs.

Training partners take turns being the nage (thrower) and the uke (receiver) so all students get to experience Aikido techniques from both perspectives.

One of the first things beginners learn when they start Aikido is how to fall safely, rolling forwards or backwards on the mat and returning to standing for the next cycle of training.

Aikido is a way to reconcile the discord within ourselves and create a more harmonious world. Aikido’s full-spirited martial arts training aims to help students develop themselves into sincere, balanced people who can contribute to society and foster peace at every level of human relations.

Bowing is an integral part of dojo etiquette. It is an expression of gratitude and respect for our teachers’ teachers who have gone before, our current teachers, and our fellow students. It is not a religious rite.

Guidelines for Aikido Training

City Aikido of San Francisco

1. Students should conscientiously follow the teachers’ instructions in class and refrain from “forcing” techniques, to avoid injury to their partners or themselves.

2. Students should practice Aikido harmoniously, in such a way as to be enjoyable and healthy for everyone. Always respect your training partners and learn from each other, regardless of rank.

3. Beginners may start by imitating the instructor’s movements, but instructors can only impart fragments of the lessons of Aikido. Over time, all students must learn from their own direct experience doing Aikido.  Regular practice is key!

4. Training sessions should begin with light movements that gradually increase in physical intensity, so that students are not injured and can continue training for many years regardless of age or gender. 

3. Nage (thrower) should widen their gaze to “see the whole room” and not unduly focus on a single attack; this trains nage to cope with multiple threats simultaneously. Uke (receiver) should deliver a balanced attack without hesitation and be able fully to accept the resulting throw by safely rolling or falling onto the mat. 

6. Understand that Aikido techniques are not for defeating others. They are for protecting life, resolving conflict, reconciling the world, and improving yourself. 

7. Aikido is not a sport. Competition and sparring matches are strictly forbidden.

8. Students should keep their fingernails and toenails clipped to avoid scratching their training partners. Jewelry such as rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings should be removed before practice to prevent injuries. Practice uniforms (dogi) should be kept clean and well mended.

9. Students should make every effort to be on time to classes.

10. Each class traditionally starts and ends with a seated group bow facing the shomen (front of the dojo), followed by the exchange of seated bows between the teacher and all students.  Training partners should bow to each other before and after practicing together.  Students should also perform a standing bow before stepping onto or off the mat in order to show respect for the dojo as a shared training space.

EMAIL LIST

All students are encouraged to join the City Aikido email group at <cityaikido@googlegroups.com> to receive updates to class schedule and event announcements. To join the email group, go to: https://groups.google.com/d/forum/cityaikido and click on “Apply for membership.”