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Epsom & Ewell Aikido Club
The Epsom and Ewell Aikido Club was set up by Trevor Atterton in 1995. Trevor is a 3rd Dan in Ki Aikido and has been practicing the Art since 1980.
We originally started in a small dojo in Court Recreation Ground in Epsom, and we moved to our existing location in 2003.
While at the dojo in Court Recreation Ground the club was affiliated to the Martial Artists Association under the guidance and direction of Mr. William (Bill) Tanike, 6th Dan Aikido. Following the sad demise of Bill, we associated ourselves with the Association for Aikido in Daily Life, whose Senior Instructor is Piers Cooke, 6th Dan who has been Trevor's teacher for over 20 years.
The club now has nearly 100 members, with a very strong junior and teenager membership, and in 2008 we decided to set up our own association, Harmony with Aikido.
What is Aikido?
Aikido is a Japanese martial art, and it does not have an attack form. We do not kick, punch, or in any other manner, attempt to hurt our opponent.
Aikido, in its practical application, is a self-defense art. Aikido emphasizes good body movement, throws, and locks. When you use Aikido properly then you can neutralise violent aggression. This is done quickly and cleanly with control over all the aspects of attack and defense, so that self-defense becomes possible without the necessity for inflicting serious injury.
The Basic Movements in Aikido are:
- to move out of the way of the attack. The most important technique in Aikido is to not be there when the attack arrives, be it a punch, kick, blade or bullet,
and
- to lead the energy of the attack in circles back to the attacker. All techniques are combinations of circles. Even when doing the smallest movement, you must be in the center of the circle in order to control the movements.
History of Aikido
The history of Aikido is interesting in that although it is a "modern" martial art, having been developed by Morihei Uyeshiba in the 1930's, it is said that Aikido can be traced back to 880 A.D.
In the 12th Century the second son of Prince Teijun, Shinra Saburo Yoshimitsu founded a new clan with the name Takeda. The history of the Takeda family has been portrayed in the TV show Shogun,, and Takeda sword masters instructed samurai for generations. They also developed a style of unarmed defense, called Aiki-jujutsu. Sokaku Takeda (1860-1926) was teaching the constabulary on the island Hokkaido the art of Aiki-jujutsu when he met Morihei Uyeshiba.
Morihei Uyeshiba (1883-1969) is the founder of modern Aikido. He is the man who transformed the deadly techniques of Takeda Aiki-jujutsu into a peaceful way of harmony; from a means to destroy one's enemy into a means to resolve conflict. The contrast between Aiki-jujutsu and Aiki-do is mirrored in the contrast between Bu-jutsu, military techniques, and Bu-do, the code of conduct for the warrior.
O Sensei
Morihei Ueshiba 1883 - 1969
O'Sensei means "great teacher." Morihei Uyeshiba was born the son of a farmer of Samurai descent, near Osaka in 1883. He was a sickly child, but was determined to become strong, and therefore studied the sword, spear, jujutsu and kendo in his youth. He volunteered for the war against Russia in 1904. After the war he taught jujutsu in his own dojo. Uyeshiba developed Aikido because he felt that a person with experience and agility should be able to defeat a younger and stronger opponent. This laid the groundwork for Aikido.
In 1938, O'Sensei built a dojo and temple in Iwama, north of Tokyo , to teach Aikido. Some of the greatest masters of the time in the martial arts came there to study. Tokyo Aikikai was opened in 1948. From then on, Aikido was to spread throughout the world.
O'Sensei Morihei Uyeshiba died 1969 in Tokyo , at the age of 86.
Styles of Aikido
O'Sensei developed Aikido from the early Twentieth Century onwards, and many of his students "graduated" from his school, Aikikai, and started their own schools. Among them are:
- Tomiki (Tomiki),
- Korindo (Minro Hirai),
- Nihon Goshin (Shodo Morita),
- Yoshinkai (Shioda), and
- Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido or Ki Aikido, from Ki No Kenkyukai, or Ki Society International, founded by Koichi Tohei
All of these forms of Aikido have their roots in the teachings of Morihei Uyeshiba.