We are offering a 3 month beginner's class from January 4th through March 28th.

Aikido is a traditional Japanese way of self-development based on a martial art. Though many instructors approach Aikido as self-defense or fighting techniques, we focus on body alignment, balance, sensitivity to energy, and safe application of techniques in a respectful and joyful atmosphere. You will not be taught how to subdue or injure an assailant, though Aikido techniques have been applied to this kind of activity. It has been said that Aikido uses the energy of the attacker against them to redirect and neutralize the aggression of the attack, and this is a good understanding with which to begin. At higher levels this kind of transformation of incoming energy can be applied outside the dojo to redirect and neutralize emotional 'attacks' as well, so at root Aikido is a practice of self-awareness and self-mastery that begins with the physical.

My name is Peter Dorsey, and I will be teaching the class. I have been practicing Aikido for 10 years and currently hold the rank of Shodan, or black belt first degree. The Sensei of Aikido of Prescott, Bob Ward, has endorsed this class, and you are always welcome to come observe a regularly scheduled class taught by Sensei.

Details of the class are as follows:

The beginner's class will be held on Monday evenings from 5:15 -6:30. All Mondays will be consecutive with the exception of March 7th when there will be no class.

The cost for the 3 month course is $175 which includes the $45 gi/uniform.

Monday, January 4th- Monday, March 28th (no class March 7th)= 12 classes

To get the most out of the course, please commit to all the Mondays- obviously things come up, but once a week is the minimum frequency in order to get the movements of Aikido trained into your body.

There will be an option to continue with the regularly scheduled dojo classes afterwards, and the usual initiation fee will be waived for participants in the beginner’s class. If desired, participants can begin to integrate into regular classes in the third month with instructor approval.

Current dojo students of all levels will be welcome to participate in the beginner’s class in order to provide further coaching and modeling.

A note about weapons:

Traditional Aikido practice includes the use of the wooden sword (bokken), the staff (jo) and the wooden knife (tanto). We will use these sparingly in the beginner's class to teach stances and principals. Sparring and techniques involving weapons are taught at higher levels.

A note about YouTube:

There are many Aikido videos on YouTube, and many will give an unbalanced picture of what we teach. Here are some instructors to search for if you want to examples of the style of Aikido we practice at Aikido of Prescott:

-Yoshimitsu Yamada Sensei

-Yoko Okamoto Sensei

-Christian Tissier Sensei

-O Sensei (the founder of Aikido)

-Doshu (the name for the current leader of the international Aikido organization and the grandson of the founder of Aikido.)

*Most of what you will see is done faster and more aggressively than what you will be learning in the first couple years of Aikido study.