| Day | Time | Class Focus, Skill Level |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 6:30-7:30 pm | Weapons, all students. |
| 7:45-8:45 pm | Empty hand, all students. | |
| Tuesday | 6:30-8:00 pm | Empty hand, all students. |
| Wednesday | 6:30-7:30 pm | Empty hand, all students. |
| 7:45-8:45 pm | Weapons, all students. | |
| Thursday | 6:30-8:00 pm | Empty hand, all students. |
| Friday | 6:30-8:00 pm | Empty hand, all students. |
| Saturday | 7:00-7:50 am | All students. |
| 8:00-8:50 am | Fundamentals Workshop. | |
| 9:00-10:30 am | Empty hand, all students. |
Most of our classes are general: all students, regardless of rank and experience work together at all times. (We put very little emphasis on rank.) Rather than separate classes for beginners, new students work with more experienced students at their own pace. (Our fundamentals workshop is a slightly less formal class focusing on some basic principles and is meant to supplement what is learned in other classes.) In addition, the first class on Wednesday is devoted to basic techniques.
There are several reasons that most of our classes are open to all levels of experience. First, this approach enables new students to train more frequently with more experienced students. This helps to bring new students "up to speed" sooner. Second, it enables experienced students to train more frequently with new students. As the experienced students help the new students learn, this effort increases the experienced students' depth of understanding of aikido technique. Further, this approach avoids the tracking of students by outward signs of rank and experience, and emphasizes that all dojo members must work together to extend their understanding of aikido.
Frequently Asked Questions about Children and Aikido