Words of Wisdom from O-Sensei

“Iron is full of impurities that weaken it; through forging, it becomes steel and is transformed into a razor-sharp sword. Human beings develop in the same fashion.”

-Morihei Ueshiba

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Welcome to a New Semester!

I hope everyone is settling into the new semester well. I'm excited for this one because we have a good possibility of reaching our goal to make enough money to get some mats! That and I'll be getting my AS degree this semester (FINALLY!). In any case, there will be many opportunities this semester to really get involved in the Aikido Club. We're finishing up Club Rush right now, we'll have Club Nights, we can do some Club Spotlights, and the Club All-Nighter is this semester, as well. Each of these events is an opportunity for our club to raise the needed funds for our mats. So, whenever you can, your help in those events would be greatly appreciated. If you want to get involved, talk to Sensei or myself to see how you can help.


We've had a good number of people visit our table during Club Rush, which has been great. To those we've spoken to: thank you for stopping by! We hope to see you on the mat!

I've been thinking about my Aikido experience (all two whopping years of it :)) and have reflected on what things have been helpful or not to me. Here are my thoughts:


1) Step onto the mat with an open mind. Some of you may have had training in other arts, which is awesome (I'm jealous!). Since Aikido is an art that is very different from most martial arts, it is important to focus on learning the new concepts that you will see and hear. Everything that you will learn has a place in the techniques found in Aikido.


2) Ask questions! You may be tempted to think you have to get it "right" the first time. Don't worry about that! NOBODY gets it "right" the first time. So, take your time, and ask questions.


3) Be there. It seems obvious, but it's probably the most important thing. In my experience, my technique is a lot more sloppy and needs to be "re-polished" when I haven't gone to club in a while. The more you're there, the better your Aikido will get.


4) Get involved. Being a part of the Aikido Club has been a lot more meaningful to me because I have tried to be involved. Coming to events (like Club Night, Club All-Nighter, etc.) will help us reach our clubs goals.

Good luck everyone in your classes! We hope to see you on the mat!

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Club News

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Aikido Club Details

Days, Times, and Location: Aikido Club sessions are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00pm to 5:30pm. We meet in PE 221 on UVU campus.

Club Dues: As a club at UVU, we are actually required to collect dues. We currently collect $20 per semester in club dues per person. Many dojos outside of UVU run about $40 per month, so this really is a great opportunity to learn Aikido at a great price! Club dues go right into the club fund where they can then be used for equipment for club and other club expenses.

Equipment: Bring a T-Shirt and athletic style pants, such as sweat pants. Those that have a gi are welcome to wear that. We recommend that you not wear shorts.

Testing: As Sensei is an Aikido Association of America certified instructor, he is able to conduct belt promotion tests. This is an awesome opportunity to progress further into Aikido. AAA fees apply (Ex. 7th kyu test fee is $25).

If you have any other questions about the club, please click the "contact me" button found on the right side of this page and send us a message.

Note to those who are not UVU students: The UVU Clubs organization states that we are able to accept non-UVU students into the club. However, at least 75% of our club membership MUST be UVU students. If you would like to join the UVU Aikido Club, prior approval must be obtained from Sensei.