How to Choose the Best Aikido School for You

Aikido schools are different because of the focus, experience and training of the primary instructors or the culture that develops from them. Some schools can be primarily focused on precise choreography, others on "street applications", others on aerobic or flowing movements, and some others on conceptual material like energy flow - there is no "correct" way to study aikido; it's best though to study with consistency, self-discipline and sincerity.

Aikido began with one man teaching a small group of people traditional budo and each generation of students has had their own interpretations, strengths and limitations. In this sense, the art inevitably moves further from the source with every successive generation. The character of the teaching powerfully affects the transmission of the most important traditional elements, such as the principles of authentic martial awareness, mutual safety, and harmony.

Quality, focus and expertise of schools change over time, depending on the teachers. Generally, more experienced teachers develop at a greater rate (some say that this development becomes exponential after 4th or 5th dan). Teachers can come and go, and not many of the original ones are left (especially in Boston!), so it's important to know the level of experience, philosophy and who you'd learn from in each school if you started classes.

One idea that people generally support is that potential students need to consider their training as a serious endeavor and to research all of the options that are reasonably available. Aikido students must find the school that is the best fit for their schedules, values, training philosophies, goals and personal investment. Even after some years of training in one school, it can be extremely informative to study for some time at another dojo with a highly-respected and experienced teacher.

We hope that you come in to observe a class at Shobu Aikido of Boston and even check out our Beginner's Program. We get students from all systems and aikido schools attending our classes, from near and far, beginners to seasoned experts and also teachers of other martial arts.

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If you you're still unsure about the right school for you, here's a list of all the aikido schools local to Boston that I could find on the web - please let me know if there are others to add!

The Aikido Schools within 30-40 minutes of
Shobu Aikido of Boston Are:

Boston:

Cambridge:

Framingham:

Newton:

Salem:
Shodokan Dojo
Westford: