Rusper Aikido Club
There are many and varied benefits of an aikido practice, as it encompasses mind, body and spirit. It is physical self-defence; a conflict resolution art which creates a friendly blend of social mixing, and we welcome people with widely differing abilities and experience.
At present, attendees range from a gentleman who trains alongside his teenage daughter to a young man who is not able to live independently, and everyone in between. We all benefit from training together.
We are a not-for-profit, inclusive group and we offer the first session for free, so there’s nothing to lose!
Morag Warrack
Welfare Officer
What is AI-KI-DO?
Aikido can be translated as ‘The Way of Peace’. Aikido improves our posture and helps us grow calmer and more confident. It has the sports objective of training the body so that it can perform certain movements and improve our reaction times, flexibility and balance, but more than this, it develops our self-awareness and personal skills. It helps us become more resilient and we can learn how to manage negative emotional states and create more positive ones.
“True Mastery is Mastery over Oneself”
Adrian O’Brien – Class Leader (Sensei)
I started Aikido in 2012 under the tuition of Piers Cooke Sensei 7th Dan. I’d been interested in it for some years and felt it was really different from other martial arts.
Aikido has principles of calmness and empathy that you can introduce to everyday life. It increases your awareness of always maintaining correct posture as well as improving your physical and mental fitness.
Although it may be calming, it’s also a truly effective martial art. So come and have a go… if you think you’re calm enough!
Photos courtesy Alecsandra Dragoi
Morag Warrack- Welfare Officer
I began aikido at the age of 59, never having done anything remotely like it before.
I was extremely anxious and stressed at the time, having been overwhelmed with the demands of full-time teaching, dying parents in the Midlands, and teenagers at home. It has been one of the hardest things I have ever done, while also one of the most rewarding, in so many unexpected ways.
I am now in a place of great fulfilment and much of this has happened through the practice of aikido in a small, caring, diverse community. Its power is to transform the mind by way of the body, rather than the other way round.
Come and see for yourself.
Classes are held in Rusper Village Hall on Mondays from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.
Morag: 01403 266502 07876 472651 rusperaikido@gmail.com
Adrian: Class Leader (Sensei) 07866713210 rusperaikido@gmail.com