Martial Arts for Youth

What’s the right choice for my child?

Aikido is unique in many ways; there are a lot of things that set it apart from other Martial Arts. It’s well suited to any body type, any strength class, man or woman, girls or boys. Aikido is for everyone. But not everyone is for Aikido. It takes dedication, perseverance and above all a willingness to learn to be able to do this Martial art. Training in a good environment teaches you these skills. It has been our experience that children leave class more focused and determined then they were when they arrived so in that way, we guide them to learn the tools which will ultimately help them succeed both in and out of the classroom.

Self defence is one of the prime reason parents introduce their children to martial arts. In Yoshinkan Aikido, we teach effective self-defence techniques which begin with skills aimed towards avoiding an altercation all together. We teach avoidance and evasion as well as how to neutralize. In this respect, Yoshinkan Aikido is very different from many other forms of training.We teach our students mastery of the self and we remind them that this is a life long pursuit not something that is attained just by changing the colour of your belt.

Have you ever heard of “a McDojo”? A McDojo is typically a western style dojo that appropriates asian ideas and asian philosophies but packages them all boiled down, templated format. Typically these kinds of organizations are about going through the motions without adhering strictly to their roots. These kinds of schools are about trophies and competitions and they go a long way to inflating ego… WE ARE SO NOT ABOUT THAT.

We teach our students mastery of the self and we remind them that this is a life long pursuit not something that is attained just by changing the colour of your belt.

Our chief instructor was senshusei trained direct from the hombu dojo in Japan. All instructors are Japan certified. We don’t hold competitions, we don’t have trophies and we don’t wear loud uniforms with logos or patches. We are about keeping to the our traditional roots in the study of this exciting and awe-inspiring martial art. We advocate a clear mind, strong focus and the shedding of the ego which only serves to confuse and get in the way of true budo.

Yoshinkan Aikido is a highly disciplined martial art and there are many traditions, both on and off the mat that we maintain. Respect, discipline, perseverance and hard work are the tools we teach and use to hone our skills. In this respect, Yoshinkan Aikido is excellent for youth as it cultivates a deep sense of purpose as well as instilling certain values and self control mechanisms which help young people meet the challenges day to day life presents us with. If you are looking for a serious place of training, with a community spirit and sense of purpose then our dojo is a good fit for you.

Aikido has many benefits.

Students will learn:

• Centering
• Calming
• Confidence
• Cooperation
• Grounding
• Mindfulness
• Self regulation
• Self control

Aikido is a “moving meditation” — it cultivates a meditative state of mind. Training can foster positive mental health, positive physical health / fitness, and good overall wellbeing.

Students will enhance their self control/regulation, self defence, anti-bullying, and social skills in a non-aggressive, cooperative, safe setting. Aikido also helps to improve one’s self esteem and confidence.

Homeschoolers Program

Our home school class is held every week and is geared towards children (parents are welcome) who are between the ages of 4 and 7.

Students in the home school class learn just as much about their responsibilities with school work as they do Aikido.

CLASS SCHEDULE

MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY

Youth Class 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Adult Regular Class 8:00 - 9:30 pm

SATURDAY

Youth Class 9:30 - 10:30 am

Adult Regular Class 10:45 am - 12:15 pm

Please check our Facebook page for class cancellations.

 (Updated Apr 2023)