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GET STARTED

TRYING IS EASY

You can try a class for free any time that an aikido class is scheduled, just text or email to let us know you're coming. Wear comfortable exercise clothes that cover your elbows and knees, and remove all jewelry for safety reasons. 

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TRAINING IS A COMMITMENT 

If you like it and want to continue, great! Beginning a martial art is brave, and a profound commitment to make to your own development. This is why dojos traditionally offer monthly dues, rather than single classes. Taking an occasional class is a good way to miss the purpose and benefits of training. 

 

This commitment is, increasingly, countercultural. Everything else in our environment is prioritizing quick returns, instant gratification, and short term comfort. Learning something new puts most people outside their comfort zone, and the whole point of training a martial art is to keep you a little uncomfortable much of the time so you can learn profound things about who you are. 

 

Even though you know in your heart that discomfort is good for you, and you want to push yourself, there will be very little cultural support as you begin training. In fact, you will find reasons not to train everywhere you look. For this reason, I ask for two things to set you up for success: 

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  • Three months of dues. This commitment is not refundable for any reason, and must be paid in advance

  • Write down your training plan. I strongly recommend writing down why you're deciding to train, when you are planning to come to class, what kinds of obstacles could come up, and how you're going to address these obstacles. This document should be personally meaningful. You do not have to share this with me or anybody else unless you want to. 

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WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

Be patient and compassionate with yourself for the first six classes. These are the hardest classes you will ever take! Aikido trains your nervous system to respond to conflict with openness and grace. That is easy to say, and hard to do. The things that make aikido beautiful over a whole lifetime are the things that make it hard to start. 

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After three months, if you consistently train at least twice a week, you should expect to see:

  • Improved posture, sleep, strength, endurance, confidence

  • More calm

  • Basic mastery of 2-3 techniques

  • Ability to do conditioning exercises and fall safely

  • New friends

  • At least one ah-ha moment

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