Aikido Center of Savannah

Offering Japanese martial arts since 2004

102 West Broughton Street, Savannah, Ga. 31412

912-232-6850

 

 

 

 

The ACS offers Aikido training for adults only on:

 

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday beginning at 6:30 pm

 

Weekend classes are seasonal, please inquire at the school.

 

Guests are welcome to observe classes and participate in two before enrolling.

Please press the “Aikido” button at the entrance door on Whitaker Street for entry.

On occasion, teachers and/or enrolled students are running late and are unable to buzz guests into the school, please be patient.

 

Our dues are forty dollars per month.

We accept cash only at this time.  In the coming months, ACS will begin collecting monthly dues via a billing company and an authorized account.  All students will be required to pay using this service.  There is no long term contract and payments will discontinue with 30 days notice.  Participation in the USAF belt testing and seminars require additional fees.  Students are encouraged, but, not required to become USAF members and take exams.

 

A white Judo or Karate uniform is required.

We do not sell uniforms or any other merchandise.  Most students order equipment from martial arts retailers on the internet.  Guests must wear loose exercise clothes during their trial classes.

 

We are affiliated with the United States Aikido Federation (East).

ACS is part of a group of schools located world wide and obtains diplomas from Aikido Hombu Dojo (Tokyo) through this organization.  USAF members are welcome to train in any affiliated school while traveling and should you move to another city, your rank and hours will be honored at any USAF school.

 

 

Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying (with) life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury.

Aikido is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on. The aikidōka (aikido practitioner) "leads" the attacker's momentum using entering and turning movements. The techniques are completed with various throws or joint locks. Aikido can be categorized under the general umbrella of grappling arts.

Aikido derives mainly from the martial art of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, but began to diverge from it in the late 1920s, partly due to Ueshiba's involvement with the Ōmoto-kyō religion. Ueshiba's early students' documents bear the term aiki-jūjutsu. Many of Ueshiba's senior students have different approaches to aikido, depending on when they studied with him. Today aikido is found all over the world in a number of styles, with broad ranges of interpretation and emphasis. However, they all share techniques learned from Ueshiba and most have concern for the well-being of the attacker. This attitude has been at the core of criticisms of aikido and related arts.

Aikido training is based primarily on two partners practicing pre-arranged forms (kata) rather than freestyle practice. The basic pattern is for the receiver of the technique (uke) to initiate an attack against the thrower nage, who neutralizes this attack with an aikido technique.

Both halves of the technique, that of uke and that of nage, are considered essential to aikido training. Both are studying aikido principles of blending and adaptation. Nage learns to blend with and control attacking energy, while uke learns to become calm and flexible in the disadvantageous, off-balance positions in which nage places them. This "receiving" of the technique is called ukemi. Uke continuously seeks to regain balance and cover vulnerabilities (e.g., an exposed side), while nage uses position and timing to keep uke off-balance and vulnerable. In more advanced training, uke will sometimes apply reversal techniques (kaeshi-waza) to regain balance and pin or throw nage.

Ukemi , Ukemi refers to the act of receiving a technique. Good ukemi involves a parry or breakfall that is used to avoid pain or injury, such as joint dislocations or atemi.                                                                                                                                                               

        

Alan James Gay, 2nd degree black belt and chief instructor, began his training in the Aikido Center of Atlanta in 1982 and continues his association to this day.  His additional focused training includes, the New York Aikikai (1986-1988) and Aikido Hombu Dojo in Tokyo (1999-2003).

 

Web sites:

This connects to our national school in New York

http://www.nyaikikai.com/

 

This connects to details about the USAF

http://www.aikido.org/

 

This connects to our sister school in Atlanta

http://www.aikidoatlanta.com/

 

This connects to the world school where all our diploma and ranks are registered

http://www.aikikai.or.jp/