What Happens in a standard Lesson...
1. Everyone Bows to the instructor.
We are not too formal in class but we do bow ("Rei") at the start and end of lessons and when training with each other.
- Follow everyone onto the mat (it is customary to bow as you come onto the mat)
- Everyone lines up in grade order facing the instructor
- Kneel down when told
- Everyone bows to the instructor
Don’t worry! Everyone was a beginner once. We will all show you what to do.
2. Warm Up - 10 - 15 mins
We all spend a few minutes "warming up". You don’t have to be fit before you start, and for most of us, getting fit is one reason why we come to Aikido.
3. Loosen wrists and shoulders
Aikido techniques often involve wrist and arm locks, so we stretch our wrists, to get used to the techniques we apply in lessons.
4. Foot Movements
The foot movements form the basis of many of the techniques we do. The instructor will show you the movements but keeping a picture of the union jack in your mind will help (You will see).
It looks a little like a line dance with someone calling out "hey... jimmy...itch... knee...sand...she...." Just remember it's only your first lesson and no-one expects perfection... that is lesson two...
"You often find yourself practicing your foot movements while you are waiting for the kettle to boil or pushing your way through doors at work like you are pushing someone across the mat..."
Notes from the beginners/students
5. Breakfall Practice
There is an element of learning to fall over safely doing both forward and backward rolls. It takes a little bit to learn this but is an essential part of the lesson. Please let the instructor know if you have any injuries that may cause you problems in the lesson. Eventually this is one of the fun parts of the lesson.
6. Techniques
This forms the majority of the lesson.
The instructor will gather everyone around and demonstrate an Aikido technique - usually how to defend against an attack; either a wrist grab or something similar, on a senior member of the class (those with coloured belts on).
" Aikido has some neat tricks in it that you just want to keep practicing"
Notes from the beginners/students
Everyone splits into pairs and you spend the next few minutes practicing. The instructor will always be around to help you get it right.
"It takes a while to work out which way up your hand should go. What looked simple when you saw the instructor do it, is actually not as easy as you thought."
Notes from the beginners/students
7. End of Lesson
All too quickly you line up again and looking at the clock. You realise two hours have slipped by. After a couple more bows you make your way off the mat (bowing again at the edge of the mat on your way off)
8. Pub-do
Aikido does not end at putting the mats away. We like to be a very social group and will often go to the pub after a hard session to have a drink and chat about anything.
We like to make everyone feel welcome and we hope you quickly get to feel the club is about a big group of friends who like to learn Aikido, get fit and have a few laughs along the way.
"You always wonder how the instructor can make it look so easy, until you find yourself facing someone bigger than you and you try it...suddenly you find he has collapsed on the floor and you don’t remember using that much effort, but he sure seems to have felt it.... then you want to try it again because that was cool!"