Aikido is a modern, non-competitive martial art, based on the traditional warrior skills of the Japanese Samurai. Aikido is non-aggressive, and does not rely on physical strength, but instead seeks to control and dissipate the energy of an attack. Aikido builds self-confidence, fitness and friendships.
Aikido was developed by Morihei Ueshiba (referred to as “O-sensei”) in the late 1920s, as a synthesis of his lifelong training in classical Japanese martial arts, and his personal philosophy of universal peace and reconciliation. The goal of Ushiba's “way of harmony of spirit” was to allow practitioners to defend themselves very effectively while also protecting their attacker from injury. As with any system of training which passes from teacher to student, variations in style occur, and there are now vario
Ric Costigan Sensei started Aikido in February 1977 when first introduced to Tom Moss Sensei (1944 - 2003) at the Coventry Phoenix dojo. He gained his 1 st Dan black-belt in 1982, and slowly worked his way up to become one of the senior instructors at the Coventry club. In April 2002, Ric started the Stratford club - Stratford Phoenix Aikido - to give Yama Arashi UK a wider reach within the midlands. He was awarded his 5 th Dan in October 2010 by Tony Thielemans Sensei in Brussels, and is qualified as a Nat