Aikido
Club
Welcome to the web page of the Grove Aikido Club. Currently we are holding our meetings and practices in the G Sports Club gym. You need to be a member of this gym to join us. Feel free to ask about a one day pass to see what Aikido is all about.
For a link to our calendar page, please click here.
Many ask what is Aikido?
The best answers I have seen on the web can be found here:
Aikido, The Samuri Spirit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs4gTZjSqJc
Aikido, in three easy steps - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxyMZtA452k
For a link to G Sports Club LLC, click here.
For more information about our club, please read below.
To send us an email go to: Info@GroveAikido.org
Purpose:
The purpose of the Grove Aikido Club is to provide a fun, comfortable and informal place for the practice of the passive art of Aikido. In addition we intend to provide a place and a method to increase flexibility and physical health for all of those who join in our regular workouts and practices.
Intent:
It is the intent of the Grove Aikido Club to join in an informal practice among people with some knowledge in the art of Aikido. Although people with no experience or knowledge of the art will be allowed to practice with and join other club members, it is to be understood that there is no Sensei or Master giving lessons. Aikido knowledge will be shared by those that you practice with, and you may be learning from or working with someone with less knowledge than a Master in the art.
Advancement:
The Grove Aikido Club will not be offering belts to show advancement in the art. Although you may learn a great deal, depending on the amount of time you spend practicing your art, the Club members believe that the only true advancement is how you feel about yourself. The Club members believe that improving your own self esteem and your comfort level in difficult situations is a greater benefit than any belt.
It should be understood that time spent practicing with the Grove Aikido Club might not be counted as practice time by any other Master or Sensei in any martial art, and therefore should only be done for self improvement.
The Grove Aikido Club hopes to spend time working on and improving both physical and mental aspects of all those that regularly practice with us. Aikido is an Art of the body and of the mind, and Club members intend to work to improve both of these with the intent of self improvement.
Misuse:
The Grove Aikido Club believes that the Art of Aikido is a passive art. Anyone, including Club members, that is overly aggressive, or that is believed to have used the knowledge learned while practicing with the Club in an aggressive manner, believed inappropriate by a majority of the Club members, may be ask to stop practicing with the club members.
Dress code:
Although the Grove Aikido Club will not expect Judo or Karate Gis, it is to be understood that loose fitting clothing and clothing that allows for free movement is required. Gis or sweat pants and sweat shirts are suggested. If you wear a gi it is requested, but not required, that you wear a white belt to show that you are also still learning, regardless of any previous ranking you may have. Denim pants or shorts often have buttons or rivets that may tear the mats. It is requested that denim or blue jeans not be worn for this reason. Also, sometimes the clothing may be used in the throws or pins, and may become damaged during the practices. Grove Aikido Club, its members and those practicing with us take no responsibility for any damage to your clothing. You are responsible for your clothing and any damage that may result during a practice.
If you are found to not be wearing proper practice clothing or proper underwear or attire under your practice clothing, in case it should be torn, you may be asked to leave until proper attire is worn. Personal cleanliness is expected from everyone. Shoes and socks should not be worn on the practice mats while practicing, but are required to get to the area of practice. Toenails and fingernails should be properly trimmed to avoid damage to yourself and others.
Membership:
Charter Membership to the club is earned by individuals that have some Aikido experience and promise to join the Club for a minimum of 2 practices a month for the first 3 months the club is active. The Charter members, that join and pay on or before the second meeting, shall be able to vote for a Club President and Treasurer in that second meeting. All Charter members must be over the age of 18 or have a parent or guardian that is also a Charter member.
All other potential members must be over the age of 18 or be joined by a parent or guardian at all practices. Those wishing to become new members which can prove some Aikido experience, are required to practice with the club for a minimum of 6 practices, within 6 months or less, to become eligible for Club membership. Anyone with no previous Aikido experience must practice with the Club for a minimum of 12 practices within 6 months or less to be eligible for membership. Anyone that has practiced with the Club for more than 18 practices in 6 months or less will be asked to join the club, or stop coming to practice for 2 months. All members present shall have a vote at any election, and shall be eligible to be Club officers. Votes to change or re-elect Club officers shall be taken every year. At least one Club member must be present at a practice for it to count towards membership for potential members.
The cost to join and become a Grove Aikido Club Member is $10.00 per year, plus the membership at whatever gym or organization allows the Club a place to practice. The cost to join the gym or organization is to be paid directly to that organization and may have other benefits beyond access to the Club practices. To renew a membership the member must have been to at least 4 practices within the last 4 months.
The first $15.00 per year is to be used for the Club web site maintenance. All future monies collected for Club membership are to be saved by the Treasurer and its use is to be voted on by the membership. Suggested uses may include books on Aikido to start a club library, or a club party, improved mats, or any other group benefit that the club votes to approve. Charter membership fees shall not be collected until at least the second practice is held in whatever gym or organization the club chooses to practice in.
All members and all those who choose to practice with the Grove Aikido Club must fill out and sign a “RELEASE OF LIABILITY” prior to practicing with the Club.
Responsibilities:
All club members and all those that practice with club members are responsible to make any preparations needed to the practice area, and to return the area to the original condition, or the condition requested by the gym or organization where they practice. This includes sweeping the floor or mat if needed.
Other Martial Arts and other Aikido programs:
The Grove Aikido Club is very grateful to all Sensei’s that have and do teach Aikido and other Martial Arts. We believe they are a great value to society. We are not attempting to recruit people from any other martial art or any Sensei. We only want to provide an easy and inexpensive, informal, and fun place to practice our Aikido.
We highly recommend that if you feel the need for formal training, or for a system that will have a trained Sensei at the head of the class, or you feel the need for belts that show an increase in rank, that you seek out one of the local Martial Arts Schools in the area where you live.
We also recognize that not all Aikido is the same. The Grove Aikido Club desires to practice a passive version of Aikido. Other Aikido Masters may teach a more aggressive style. We do not believe that any style of Aikido or any other martial art is better than another. We have merely chosen a personal preference of a passive style of a passive art. Each person should look at their own personal preferences before deciding on any martial art, or group to study and practice with.
Practice procedures:
All practices should have the
same basic agendas. They should start on time, so arrive
early.
Please bow towards the front of the class before stepping on the mat,
as a “Thank you” for a place to practice and to follow
ritual. A welcome and a bow to thank your preferred deity for a
place to practice followed by bowing to each other as a thank you for
someone to practice with, will begin each class. Then a series
of stretches and movements should take about 10 minutes, and should
be done together as a group. A program of basic or beginner
Aikido moves, pins, and releases should be practiced for about 50
minutes. After this, if advanced members wish to practice more
advanced techniques they should be able to this for about 30
minutes. Lesser knowledgeable persons may watch or review what
they have practiced earlier. The group should dismiss with bows
and proper thanks, repeating the opening of the class. A bow
should be given to anyone you are working with as a thank you, and
anyone that helps you should
same
courtesy.
The bows are used in recognition of the predecessors of Aikido. Their religion and culture required the bow to honor deities and others. Although our culture does not honor deities or people in this method we believe it is appropriate to use the bow as a thank you, and in recognition of the origins of the art.
Aikido the Art:
giving
away your energy for the other person to use against
you. Done correctly this art should be one of passive holds and
pins taking your opponents energy and using it against them. It
may also include, for more advanced people, some throws that use
their attacker’s energy and redirect it causing them to fall or
sometimes to seem to fly in the air.
If you have not seen an Aikido demonstration this might be hard to imagine, and sometimes even after seeing it you may find it hard to believe that it is not a choreographed dance. But, as you get better you will find the power that Aikido brings to being passive. Some basic striking moves or grabbing techniques will be shown, but only so that you may be on both ends of the art of Aikido. Sometimes, people find it a better teacher to be the one that is pinned, or even thrown, than to just practice.
Aikido is not a quick and easy art to master. Aikido tends to go against what is normal for many people. To do it well you will have to break many old habits and even some natural reflexes or movements. But, the power found in what you learn is hard to believe. I have seen children that were not yet teenagers throw a 280 pound man six feet, by using the principles found in Aikido. That type of ability does not come quickly, and can be lost or forgotten if not practiced regularly.
A small amount of time during certain practices may be spent working with the mental aspects of Aikido. Although difficult to explain, when practiced correctly the mental aspects of Aikido may bring a calming effect to some people, and have even been used to help deal with problems that are not physical in nature, both at home and at work.
As you consider practicing with this Club, remember that you will be pinned and may be taken to the ground often in a practice session. Be ready for the repetitive ups and downs that come with learning this art. It is expected that anyone that gets serious about Aikido will join us regularly. Since the moves and retrained reflexes can be lost without practice. This Club has been created for the purpose of, and with the hopes of practicing often to maintain these abilities. We hope that anyone who joins us will be with us for the long haul, as brief or intermittent practices often do not have the desired effect.
More Information:
There are many good books on Aikido, and it is strongly urged by the members of this Club that anyone practicing with us try buying and reading a few of them as they progress. Some do a better job of explaining the details of why things work than we would even dream of trying to do here.
Links to our friends and members.