Aikido

合気道

合気道正流会

Aikido Shoryukai

Aikido is a practice of body movements to evade or redirect an attacking opponent thereby enabling opportunities for escapes, throws, joint-locks, or counter strikes.

Practise involves basic drills to understand fundamentals movement, a distinct study of the elements of Awase (coming together) as a method of engagement, and paired kata to study the underlying principles of techniques. Various levels of freestyle practices are also included to understand the application of Aikido body movements.

Currently Kuroyama Budokai members have an interest in exploring and reawakening the traditional martial integrity within Aikido practise that is slowly disappearing.

Aikido origin & background.

Aikido s a modern Japanese martial art founded in the 1930s and 1940s by Ueshiba Morihei (1883-1969), referred to as O'Sensei, as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy and religious beliefs through which practitioners could use to defend themselves ideally without unnecessary injury to the attacker.

The empty-handed foundation of Aikido are derived primarily from O'Sensei's study of Daito-Ryu Aiki-jujutsu however Aikido's technical structure has clear relation to his study of Kenjutsu (swordsmanship) - Yagyu Shingan-ryu and Kashima Shinto-ryu. To a lesser extent Sojutsu (spear), Jukendo (bayonet) and Judo had influence on the development of his art.

In the late 1920s, O'Sensei became involved with the Ōmoto-kyō, an organisation whose Shinto based teachings influenced his spiritual path for the remainder of his life.

O'Sensei gave different names to his art during its earlier development, including Aikijutsu, Aiki-Bujutsu, and Aiki-Budo, however Aikido became the official name of the art in 1942 when the Greater Japan Martial Virtue Society (Dai Nippon Butoku Kai) was engaged in a government sponsored reorganization and centralization of Japanese martial arts.

During his life O'Sensei continued to refine and develop his art and as a result his senior students have different emphasis in Aikido training and different interpretation on O'Sensei's philosophy of Aikido, depending partly on which point in his life they studied with him. This has lead to the various schools throughout the world that have grown from the teaching passed on by these senior students.

Aikido training at Kuroyama Budokai.

Aikido at Kuroyama Budokai has drawns inspiration from the diverse experiences of our instructors and blended them into our practice. Our Instructors have trained both in Australia and Japan across a range of hard and soft "styles" of Aikido, and within those a diversity of teachers and their approaches to study. Many of our instructors have credentials in Iaido and Jodo, and our Principal instructor has civilian and (previous) law enforcement self defence instructor qualifications.

Our link to the Aikikai Foundation (Aikido World Headquarters) is through membership of Aikido Shoryukai Australia (ASA), an organisation of Australian Dojos. ASA is directly affiliated with the Toyonaka Shosenji Dojo in Osaka Japan led by Shimamoto Katsuyuki Shihan 8 Dan, also the Chief Priest of Soto Zen Ryukōzan Shosenji Temple.

Our lead Instructor is:

Damon Schearer - Godan (5th Dan)

Instructing Team.

Our assisting Instructors are:

Clint DeViale - Yondan (4th Dan)
Andrew Thompson - Shodan (1st Dan)
Lee Walsh - Shodan (1st Dan)

Governing bodies.

Aikido Shoryukai Australia is organisation of Australian Dojos directly affiliated with the Toyonaka Shosenji Dojo in Osaka Japan led by Shimamoto Katsuyuki Shihan 8 Dan. Shosenji Dojo is recognised by the Aikikai Foundation (Aikido World Headquarters) and has affiliated dojos in Netherlands, Poland, Israel, Belgium, Germany, and Canada.

Aikikai Foundation is the parent organization, officially recognized by the Japanese government in 1940, for the development and popularization of Aikido throughout the world. Current Doshu (head) is Ueshiba Moriteru Sensei, the grandson the founder of Aikido Ueshiba Morehei Sensei.

Australian Jujitsu Federation (AJF) is the National Sporting Organisation (NSO) recognised by the Australian Sports Commission as the governing body representing Jujitsu and related martial arts (including Aikido).