Training Approach

Spend dojo time focused on martial arts, not focused on fitness! 

We seek to create a unique training environment, or at least a rare one! When you picture a martial arts studio or dojo, what’s your first thought?  Is it pushups or jumping-jacks?  Maybe it’s yelling or hitting bags in groups.  It might be a group running, or maybe a group doing a kicks, and punches in unison.  These activities are fine strength building or repetitive desensitization drills, but are not actually “martial arts.”  In all of the above, you do not fully need a martial arts teacher (and pay for studio fees and mat time) to effectively do these things!  The best educational approach I’ve come across to describe how this works it the “Flipped Classroom” approach.

Spend dojo time training for the practical realities of facing unlimited and unpredictable attacks!

We do our best to look at the core elements of motion that make the martial art of Aikido work without focusing on the “stuff” or “things.” Ultimately, “where do I put my foot?” “What move do I do next?” and “What if…” don’t help students learn to martially move.  Rigid and repeated drills, interpersonal intimidation, physical fitness, harsh discipline, demands for respect, or sales of matching uniforms are not very useful for learning martial arts. We take the core motions and principles of martial arts, and creatively apply them to an infinite number of situations, and work on exploring solutions together. 

Spend dojo time open to questioning what you know!

At Arundel Aikikai, class time, all work is focused on providing space for students to question and explore the foundations, applications, and improvements of martial arts movement with partners and their instructor.  Questions are welcomed, expected, and often immediately incorporated into the current class theme to explore further!  (As a note of caution/encouragement though; if you ask the question, you’re the recipient of the answer!)  Time in the dojo with Arundel Aikikai is spent mutually exploring Aikido in martial situations