author: @sleepyfox
title: Why Aikido?
date: 09-Sep-2024

Why Aikido?

Aikido is:

Fun
Good physical exercise
Good mental exercise
A sport
A martial art
A spiritual path
Jedi training

Aikido (translation: 'The Way of Divine Harmony') is a traditional Japanese art invented in the 1920s but with roots in other much older arts. Although technically it is a martial art, paradoxically it has a non-aggressive, non-violent philosophy. Although technically a sport (regulated under the Sports Council in the UK), there are no competitions. Aikido defies conventions.

Where and when we practice

We practice on Thursday evenings at the Harborough Martial Arts and Wellness Centre, which is above Starbucks on St. Mary's Road, in the centre of Market Harborough. Classes are from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

Is Aikido for me?

Aikido is inclusive, everybody is welcome no matter their origins, beliefs or physical attributes. We ask only that you:

Respect and take care of other attendees
Be honest with others and yourself
Listen attentively to others
Aspire to be joyful

There are no enemies, or opponents to be defeated in Aikido practice, other than your own weaknesses.

Aikido can help:

Build self-confidence
Develop resilience
Grow leadership skills
Nurture a positive attitude
Enhance balance, coordination and physical fitness
Develop core and functional strength

In the end, only you can make the decision if Aikido is for you - we encourage you to come along and try it out. We are a small, friendly group, and you are welcome to stay as long as it takes you to understand whether you like it. There are no contracts or up-front payments required, or compulsory gear, just a small yearly fee to cover insurance and a monthly payment to cover hall hire costs. Discounts are available for unwaged, students and seniors.

What is training like?

Training varies, but a typical session may consist of most of the following:

a warm-up, with gentle moving, stretching and breathing exercises;
practice of 'break-falls', a gentle way of moving from a standing position to the ground without harm;
solo practice of body movements;
practice of short sequences of movements with a partner, perhaps ending in a pin or a break-fall, always adjusted to the safe level of practice of both partners;
practice with a wooden sword or staff, to learn key movements of the body;
a cool-down - moving, stretching and breathing exercises;
(after practice, optionally) discussion, maybe with a cup of tea, of any topics arising during practice.

Explanation of points of practice, philosophy or technique are answered as they come up in class.

Your host

My name is Nigel Runnels-Moss, but people call me 'Fox'. I have been training in Aikido since 1990, before that in Judo, Karate and Fencing. I became an instructor in 1995. Since that time I have practised a variety of martial arts, many of which have influenced me, most notably Taiji Quan (also written T'ai Chi Ch'uan). Professionally I work as a coach and mentor in the IT industry, and have done so for more than 25 years.

I prefer to be called a facilitator, rather than an instructor, coach or sensei. We all bring something to the table, my role is to provide a facilitated learning environment where everyone can safely stretch themselves, improve and help others.

Wait, what, Jedi training?

Yes! The philosophy of Aikido is very similar to the Jedi, in almost every way. George Lucas was strongly influenced by Japanese culture in the 1970s when he produced the first Star Wars movies, going so far as to bring a Kendo instructor onto the set to help teach the actors how to use a two-handed sword. Aikido's sword techniques would be as effective with a lightsaber as with a traditional Japanese sword, the katana.

Yoda's sayings about the Force e.g. "A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defence, never for attack" could easily be translations of the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba e.g. "True victory does not come from defeating an enemy, true victory comes from giving love and changing an enemy's heart".

If there was any art that can claim to be Jedi, it would be Aikido. Certainly it is the closest that I've found in more than 30 years of training.