There are currently openings for Adult and Children students. Interested candidates are invited to observe a class. The dojo is co-located with the Toledo Zen Center at 6537 Angola Road Holland, OH 43558 jayrinsenweik@gmail.com

Aikido is a non-competitive martial art that can be practiced by almost anyone. Aikido techniques do not rely on physical strength but rather develops relaxed power through the focus of intention and Ki. The result is a creative method of non-destructive conflict resolution.

Aikido is practiced on many levels. The first level is includes the development of stamina, flexibility, and learning how to focus one's intention. The second level is built on the first and stresses self-defense techniques that teach the natural order of movement. In this process the students also become adept at ukemi, the art of rolling, falling and protecting oneself. Aikido provides the opportunity for the development of the entire person. It is a workout of the entire body and mind and results in increased strength, overall physically fitness, flexibility and centeredness.

At the third level students are gradually introduced to the secrets of receiving and harnessing the power of ki, they also develop spatial awareness and learn to judge proper timing and distance. During this training the goal is to establish and maintain an energetic connection to your partner and to lead them off balance. This eliminates the need for more destructive means of resolving situations.

The highest level of aikido is mind over matter. This involves the use of visualization techniques, the power of intention and ki, breath control and meditation. Aikido is truly a spiritual martial art that explores themind - body - spirit connection. This advanced level of training at Shobu Aikido reaches a level not easily found elsewhere. The student learns how to manifest power and effectiveness by the focusing of intention alone. This level depends on and can only be reached through the refinement of technique and the students own deepest feeling. For this reason it alternates between the physical and the spiritual.

In the process of practicing aikido, students inevitably find themselves less stressed and more energetic, better equipped to manage life's many conflicts with calm control. Aikido is great for adults and kids alike because practice encourages respect for self and others, self control, cooperation and responsibility.

Gasshuku or weekend long intensive seminars with William Gleason Sensei are available seasonally.

Children's aikido classes provide a friendly, non-competitive environment for students to become more physically fit, agile, flexible, aware, focused, and relaxed. They learn how to safely fall, roll and perform a variety of self-defense techniques in a supportive, comfortable setting, and parents like Aikido because kids learn how to be powerful without becoming destructive.

Pronunciation

of Nihongo, Japanese language, is like many other things Japanese--straightforward, yet not so much...
Here is a guide I copied off of AikiFAQ (see the links to the left)

Pronunciation Guide
Strictly speaking , the following pronunciation guide is not precise since Japanese has it's own system of pronunciation, but it will help you to figure out good approximations, If you keep in mind that the Japanese words as written in this glossary are transliterations, and as such should be read phonetically, and not as you would read an English language word.
Vowels
Letter
Approximate pronunciation
a-Like the vowel in car, but pronounced further forward in the mouth.
e-like e in ten.
i-like e in we.
o-similar to o in gone but with lips slightly more rounded.
u-similar to u in put but with lips not rounded.
Note: Between Voiceless consonants (k,p,s,t,h) or after a voiceless consonant at the end of a phrase, the vowels i and u are generally not pronounced at all, e.g., Tsuki is pronounced (t)ski and torikeshi is pronounced torikesh.
Consonants
These are pronounced approximately as in English with the following exceptions;
Letter
Approximate pronunciation
g-is pronounced as in English go when at the beginning of a word; everywhere else it is pronounced like ng in ring.
n-as in English no.
r-is pronounced with the tongue more or less in the position for l (there is no separate l in Japanese), but the tongue does not touch the front of the mouth, nor is the sound "rolled".
s-is always hard as in see.

In Andre's excellent blog post about beginners, he mentioned several words. Japanese is known for it's honorific and polite phrasing, and there are many levels of politeness, depending on the situation and who you are speaking with. "Dozo" (doh-zou) indicates "go ahead", but literally means "Please...", the 'go ahead' is understood. "Onegai shimasu" (Oh-ne-gae-shi-mas(u)) literally means "will you do me the favor of..." something. "Domo arigato gozaimasu" (doh-moh-a-ri-gah-tou-go-zae-mas(u)) is thanking someone very deeply, more honorific than "domo arigato". A punch or strike to the mid-section, "mune tsuki", is pronounced "Mu-net-ski"
Chuck
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Saotome

Blog Archive