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Why Train at Aikido Seattle?
Maybe you have practiced martial arts before – perhaps you have even done aikido. But maybe this is the first time you have thought about any martial art. So, the question is, why would you want to come train with us?
As we prepared to re-design our website, we sat down with our students and talked about the features that they thought made our dojo distinctive – and what had brought them to us in the first place.
Location
We at Aikido Seattle believe in staying local; shopping local, training local – and many of our students live or used to live within walking distance of the dojo. We are a neighborhood dojo, located at the top of the hill just south of the University of Washington, on the border between Capitol Hill and Madison Park. We are supported by and in turn support community based enterprises.
Training at every age/ for every body
Our students range in age from 16-66, a full three generations. This leads to a feeling that we are one big family, and our students mention how much they enjoy being part of an aikido family.
We also invite every body into our community. We welcome beginners as well as people who have previous martial arts experience. We believe that every body can learn how to become more flexible and to move more freely.
Having fun and learning how to focus
The most common experience our students talked about was how much fun they had when training. People feel a sense of connection to each other and experience a sense of camaraderie. They almost always have big smiles on their faces as soon as they come into the dojo.
At the same time, our students all talked about how much they have learned to focus since beginning their training at Aikido Seattle.
How we practice
One of the major features that distinguish one dojo from another is the style that is practiced. Some dojos emphasize the “martial” aspect of aikido, focusing on the self-defense aspect of aikido. Other dojos, such as Aikido Seattle, emphasize the “health and vitality” aspect of aikido, focusing on how doing aikido will increase one’s sense of well-being. While we try and keep our practice grounded in the real-life nature of attacks and self-defense, we also strive to increase our student’s flexibility, both physically and mentally.
Ukemi (the art of falling) is practiced with an emphasis on the connection (musubi) between the attacker (the uke) and the defender (the nage). Our approach encourages students to tumble (roll) in a manner that enhances energy flow and vitality.
Our Instructors and our lineage
When evaluating a dojo to determine if it is the right place for your training, you will want to know who the instructors are, and who their instructors are. Our Sensei, who is our main inspiration, is Seishiro Endo Shihan, 8th Dan,Aikikai from Hombu Dojo, Tokyo, Japan. Each spring the dojo invites Endo Sensei to Seattle for an international weekend seminar. The first time he came, in April 2005, 120 students from all over the world attended.
Each fall, Jan Nevelius Sensei, 6th Dan, from Vanadis Aikido in Stockholm, Sweden, comes to Seattle for a week of training with us. The weekend seminar with Nevelius Sensei, one of the most senior of Endo Sensei’s students, is the other main seminar the dojo sponsors.
In addition, we have had numerous “guest” instructors from abroad visit our dojo. Just to mention a few, Matti Joensuu, 6th dan, visited from Finland, Mouliko Halen, 6th Dan came from Oslo, Norway, Frank Ostoff, 5th Dan, came from Dusseldorf, Germany, and Lothar Darjes, 5th Dan, visited from Hamburg, Germany. These instructors enhance the atmosphere of Aikido Seattle and truly make it an international friendship dojo.
Instructors at Aikido Seattle
The owner and Chief instuctor of Aikido Seattle is Glenn Leichman, 4th Dan, Aikikai. Leichman Sensei not only has many years of aikido practice, but also has a PhD in Psychology and maintains a private therapy practice next door to the dojo.
Lance Sobel, 2nd Dan Aikikai, is also an accomplished aikidoka as well as a Psychologist in private practice, where he specializes in the treatment of adolescents and their families.
Lou Pollack, 2nd dan, Aikikai, brings great heart to his teachings. He has a MD and works as a neo-natologist, helping new born babies to survive.
Other good Aikido sites on the internet: (click on name to visit site)
Aikikai World Headquarters
Aikido Dojo Dusseldorf
Aikido Saku Dojo
Vanadis Aikido
Akari aikido