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Practice at the 2006 Winter Solstice Celebration

Training at Musubi Dojo takes place mostly in either the Adults program or the Youth Program depending upon your age. However, Musubi Dojo does encourage training opportunities that mix the programs so that the children and adults can get to know and support one another's training. Usually referred to as All Musubi Workouts mixed training of this sort happens a few times each year.

In 2007, Musubi Dojo will enjoy a new form of training: Big Sister/Little Sister Workout and Big Brother/Little Brother Workout. We are recognizing the need formally to offer a rite of passage to our young people as they make the often difficult transition from the Youth Program to the Adult Program. These new claseses are met to help familiarize the girls with the women and the boys with the men of the dojo;the recognition and support of the older to the younger members of the dojo will motivate young people to invest in the longevity of Aikido practice as well as to encourage more adults to take part in helping young people learn Aikido.

Musubi Dojo's Youth Program

Youth Program

Some Aikido Dojo refuse to teach children Aikido because of the serious nature of the art. And, of course, there are martial arts businesses that hand out black belts to young children after a few years!

The Founder of Aikido did not offer children's classes. In fact, for anyone to learn Aikido they would first have to formally present letters of recommendation and already have achieved a black belt status in some other martial art before O-sensei would take them as a student. So, O-sensei would not teach this art to just anyone who was interested. This is not an uncommon attitude. Bruce Lee was chastised by the Chinese Kung Fu community for holding open classes when he came to this country. So it is a very modern practice that martial arts lessons are offered openly.

Musubi Dojo's chief instructors take a black belt as a very serious adult rank but they believe that children can benefit from Aikido training. And so, Musubi Dojo has offered a Youth program for the past 25 years. In fact, we feel it's important to start training early in Aikido. A child can begin to develop a deeper sense of self-control and some self-discipline. Parents, as well as teachers, have been pleased with the improved behavior.
Children as young as five can begin to develop skills in:

• self-control
• centering
• patience
• respect for others
• self discipline

These principles are taught at Musubi Dojo through various methods such as exercises, technical practice and games. We take pleasure in seeing students who began in the kids' classes graduate into the adults' class. Those children who have continued their Aikido study in this way, display a developed sense of focus, patience, self discipline, coordination, and respect for others. We choose to believe that their tenure in Aikido helped them to cultivate these virtues of character, and, that they will carry them into the world at large.

Students who are under 12 years old begin Aikido in the Youth program. The ranking system for the Youth Program begins at 10th kyu and ends at 8th kyu where the adults' program picks up. There are important differences between the adult and the youth program:

- As children are still growing and forming strong joints, we reserve the use and instruction in control holds (joint locks) for older children and adults.

- Some self discipline develops at a later stage of maturity - a stage when one is able to reflect on one's own limitations and habitual patterns of movement and thought. And so we reserve practices such as multiple-partner-practice, and weapons-partner-practice for those who have had more experience in life.

 

Very Young People's Class: ages 5-8
(requires parent participation)
4:00-5:00 pm - Tuesday and Thursday
In this class, we work on the skills of focus, co-ordination, working with others, and listening to directions. Lessons in conflict resolution, how to stay safe, and developing tolerance and respect for other perspectives are presented. We do what we can to increase a child's awareness of health issues like good posture and maintaining a strong center as well as the importance of skills of polite social behavior like saying "hello" when coming in to a place and saying "goodbye" when leaving. Children love to learn the forward and backward rolls of Aikido's ukemi and they can slowly pick up the ability to engage in simple partner practice. Japanese terms are introduced slowly beginning with the count from 1-10, "hello" , "good-bye", and "thank you" are favorites.

Young People's Class: ages 8-12
5:15-6:15 pm - Tuesday and Thursday
In this class, skills in focusing, co-ordination, working with others, and following more complex directions are taught. Deeper lessons in conflict resolution, how to stay safe, and developing tolerance and respect for other perspectives are presented. We begin to help the student develop a little distance on themselves with the thought that it is what another feels is insensitive or arrogant behavior that begins social tension and leads to violence.

Students engage each class in stretches, partner practice and more complex rolling skills. Emphasis is given to leadership skills and self discipline such as leading the class in a stretch, and, pacing oneself in a rigorous practice. Students in this class will learn a basic sword kata which is used to help develop a student's timing, proper ma ai (distancing), and posture. Working with a wooden bokken develops a heightened awareness of the ease with which one can be hurt. It has been observed in this class that once given this awareness, young kids become much more mindful about their practice without without bokken (wooden swords).

 

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Aikido is a Japanese martial art based on the sword arts of the Samurai warriors. Aikido's founder - Morihei Ueshiba O-sensei - was one of Japan's national treasures and one of Japan's strongest men. Also, he was also one of the most eccentric Japanese martial artists as well. O-Sensei was a spiritual seeker as well as a student of the martial arts; these seemingly separate pathways came together in his later life to produce Aikido.

Aikido is a deep art and it offers a broad spectrum of lessons. In the Aikido dojo, you will find many different kinds of people from martial artists and law enforcement officers to nature lovers and designers. People come for many different reasons :

- exercise
- social atmosphere
- stress reduction
- martial arts philosophy
- rejuvenating practice
- self defense

Musubi Dojo has students from many different walks of life. We find this a great advantage as it adds diversity to our practice. But one lesson everyone follows is how to train safely in the dojo. At Musubi Dojo you can begin your Aikido training with seasoned instructors and friendly students. All of our classes are taught by qualified black belt teachers.

Adult Program (ages 13+)

You can begin your training in one of two ways: pay a monthly fee and begin in the on-going classes, or, wait and take an introductory class.

 Beginning in the on-going classes: Fill out an application and one of the founders will help you decide in which class you should begin your training. You might look at our regular class schedule to help you form some ideas about a good schedule

 

Take an introductory course: There are three introductory courses each year. In 2007, a one-month introductory cousre is scheduled to begin February 5, June 1, and October 1. These courses will meet from 5:45-6:45pm M/W/F during each month mentioned above.

 

 

Adults Aikido
6:30-7:30 am - Tuesday and Thursday
7:00-8:30 pm - Monday through Thursday
8:30-9pm - Mondays and Wednesdays
* 5:45-6:45pm - Monday and Friday
10:30am-12noon-Saturday (Weapons)
12:00-1:30 pm - Sunday
Fee: $110/month

* Class meets in months between the intro course (Mar, April, July). This hour is consisdered open mat time. Open mat is supervised by a blackbelt but open in terms of training. Musubi students only.

Aikido for Blackbelts
7:00-8:30 - Friday
This class is by invitation only and is taught by the chief instructors of the dojo.

Introduction to Aikido (held in Feb, June, Oct)
5:45-6:45 pm - Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Fee: $150 for one month program (includes uniform)
Call us for dates when the class begins.

Beyond Blackbelt Workshop
click here

 

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Weapons Class (Aiki Ken and Aiki Jo Class)

Skill in using the wooden sword (bokken) and staff (jo) are essential to Musubi Dojo's Aikido program. Aikido is based on Samurai arts and we incorporate sword and jo practice in solo forms, paired practice, take-aways and throws. We also practice with the wooden knife (tanto).

Class Times:
8:30-9:00 pm - Monday and Wednesday
10:30-12:00 noon - Saturday
Fee: free for Musubi Dojo students who are attending Aikido classes

Note: It is expected that students who attend the Monday and Wednesday weapons class are participating in the 7pm class before it.

Fees:

Adult	............	$110
Student	............	$100
Family of 2	............	$180
Family of 3	............	$250
Drop In	............	$12*

*For non-Musubi Dojo students.

 

 

 

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