FAQ

It is fine to start at any age. It is best to start by relaxing your body and allowing your muscles and joints to get used to the motions of Aikido. There are many Aikido practitioners of all ages, even into their 80s. Every practice session can be done at a level that suits your ability and comfort.

As with any physical activity, it is possible to get an injury. However, injuries can mostly be avoided by training carefully, with respect for oneself and for one’s partners. You can avoid injury by taking care of your own body, by doing proper warm-up activity at the start of training, by training properly, and by learning proper methods of falling and receiving techniques (called “ukemi”). You can also avoid causing injury to others by being respectful to your training partners by not applying techniques harshly or with excessive force or power. Sengenkan instructors will train everyone in correct methods to avoid injuries. Sengenkan dojos are also encouraged to maintain sports injury insurance.

In general, it is a sign of courtesy and respect to the teacher and to the other students to arrive and leave on time. However, if there are circumstances that make punctuality impossible, it is also possible to show courtesy and respect by how you deal with these situations. The exact manner is something that can be discussed with your instructor. A typical procedure is to wait at the edge of the training area until the instructor invites you to join the class.

This is okay. In fact, for many people, joining Aikido is their first experience in sports outside of school. There will be others in the dojo who have more experience than you, and after you join there will be others who have less experience than you. This range of experience is an important part of the culture of the dojo.

Yes, a judo-style uniform is generally fine for Aikido use. Most Aikido practitioners use a judo-style uniform. If you already have a martial arts uniform (like judo, karate, tae kwon do), ask your instructor if it is acceptable for use in that dojo. If you do not already own one, ask the instructor for advice about what to buy. There are many features (material, colour, stitching, cost) that can be considered. It is best to ask for advice before buying something.

In Aikido, men and women practice together. Even adults and children (girls and boys) can practice together, although adult-only and children-only classes are very common, for obvious reasons. Because Aikido is a martial art, and because Aikido has no competitions, there are no age, no weight, and no gender categories or restrictions. A major element of Aikido is “respect”, so there should be no difficulty with mixed classes of men and women, girls and boys, adults and children, or any other combination of people. To the extent that Aikido may be used for self-defence purposes, it is important that women train with men, so that women learn how to use the techniques effectively against men.

Aikido is as appropriate for women as it is for men. It can be approached as a serious study for self-defence or for recreation. There is formality, but it is also friendly and helpful. Aikido offers many physical and mental benefits. There is muscle stretching and aerobic improvement, and mental concentration and self-discipline. All of these are right for women.

There are no religious restrictions or requirements to training in Aikido. While it is true that practitioners bow when entering and leaving the dojo, and bow to instructors and fellow practitioners, remember that bowing is a traditional form of greeting in Japan between people, much as a handshake is traditional amongst Western people. The bow is therefore a sign of respect between us as people, and does not have religious significance. Around the world, there are Aikido practitioners of all faiths, or of no faith. In other words, religion has no relevance to our Aikido practice.

No. In fact, because Aikido is a martial art (“budo”) of respect and discipline, it is more common to find that children become less aggressive and less violent as they learn Aikido. In Sengenkan Aikido, we teach children to respect teachers and others, by following instructions and by using movements carefully and properly, and in a way so as not to cause injury. We do not teach about “defeating the enemy” but about “working with your partner”, which helps to create a non-aggressive, non-violent mindset.