Aikido Shugyo Dojo | A non-profit organization dedicated to the practice of Aikido.

Remembrance

by Jennifer Cheney

An article about my father's wartime experiences appeared in the Remembrance Day issue of the Globe & Mail. It was written by a distant cousin, Peter Cheney, who writes the ‘Globe Drive’ section.

January Practice Theme – Uke Awareness

Following are instructor comments about the theme for the month—how uke, the partner who receives the neutralization in the encounter, needs to move. Some points are repeated. This will give you a sense of how important they are for Aikido practice.

New location: 302 Carlaw Avenue, Studio 121

We have a new location: 302 Carlaw Avenue, Studio 121 (in the laneway across the street from 245 Carlaw).

Classes start in our new space Monday November 28th.

2012 Seminar with Clyde Takeguchi Shihan

Date:

Saturday, February 4, 2012 (All day)

Aikido Shugyo hosts a seminar with Clyde Takeguchi Shihan

Saturday & Sunday, February 4th and 5th, at Aikido Shugyo Dojo, 302 Carlaw Avenue, Studio 121, Toronto (NEW location)

Join us for our annual winter seminar with Clyde Takeguchi Shihan. On the mat, Clyde Sensei warms up our Aikido being - body and soul - with his dynamic and inspirational instruction. Everyone leaves his classes with a smile. Clyde Sensei creates a fun and positive learning environment to help us refine our practice.

Registration:
~9:30 am both days~

Saturday classes:
10 am – 12 noon
2 pm – 4 pm

Sunday class:
10 am – 12 noon

Bring your jo and bokken.

Fees:
Both days: $80 / $60 for students & seniors
Saturday only: $60 / $50 for students & seniors
Sunday only: $40 / $30 for students & seniors

2012 Beginning Aikido: an Introductory Workshop

Date:

Saturday, February 18, 2012 - 2:00pm

Beginning Aikido is a workshop offered on Saturday, February 18th, 2012 from 2:00 - 5:00 pm. This FREE workshop will be taught jointly by senior students of Aikido Shugyo Dojo. It is for new members (in their first six months) at Aikido Shugyo Dojo, and others who have no experience in Aikido, but are interested in trying.

This workshop offers a comfortable atmosphere in which to try new things and to ask questions. Please bring a t-shirt and loose-fitting pants. For more information, please contact Fran Turner.

Elements in the workshop, Beginning Aikido, include:

Ukemi—fear of falling, balance, power
Timing—dynamic vs. static practice, waiting
Contact—controls, locks, pins, contact exercises
Centred Movement—weapons demonstration, selected techniques
Breathing—ki and relaxation
Demonstrations of weapons practice, dealing with multiple attackers and technique reversals

Welcome to Aikido Shugyo Dojo

Aikido Shugyo Dojo offers classes six days a week. We are located in Leslieville on Carlaw Street between Dundas Street East and Queen Street East, easily accessible by car from the Don Valley Parkway or the Gardiner Expressway and from a number of TTC routes.
See Directions

About Pins

About Pins
by George Chan

Pins help refine one’s Aikido through practice of good posture and awareness of centre. Pins allow nage to maintain control of a situation without causing further harm to uke. Pinning is not about grabbing and possessing uke’s arm or shoulder and then inducing pain. To apply a good pin (or immobilization) nage needs to have proper posture and needs to sink the centre down while connecting to uke’s centre.

Hanmi handachi

Hanmi handachi
by Ana Pérez-Leroux

Every month, the dojo sets a theme for practice. Having a theme allows the instructors to unify their various teaching styles towards a single goal. Some months the theme is an abstract point, such as connection, or maai (distance to the opponent). For others, the theme is an actual technique, such as ikkyo (the "first" arm immobilization), or a type of attack, such as shomenuchi (overhead strike to front of head). Hanmi handachi is both a technique and an approach: nage sits on her knees, with feet underneath, much like in the seiza meditation posture, but resting on the toes, to allow for readiness of movement.

Reflections on Suwari Waza

Reflections on Suwari Waza
by Paul Seto

After the last class of the evening, everyone usually gathers at the door and we all leave together. On one particular evening towards the end of the month someone asked me the theme for next month’s practice to which I replied suwari waza. I heard a series of groans followed by talk of going on vacation next month or being happy they had to work late and would miss some classes. What is this suwari waza that elicited a negative reaction?

Footwork in Practice: Ashi-Sabaki

Footwork in Practice: Ashi-Sabaki
by Justin Baily

I believe footwork is a crucial area of development in Aikido training, not just for beginners like me, but for all practitioners. It is one of the first things a beginner should focus on, as it directly affects the basics of Aikido.

Self Defense Story

Self Defense Story
by Sean Braune

I left a party down by Guildwood Parkway in Scarborough at 3:00 am and was waiting for the bus. A van was driving up and down the street. It pulled down the side street just next to the bus stop. Two men, both wearing black bandanas pulled over their mouths, got out of the van.