The name of our club is the Bugeisha Aikido Club. The name Bugeisha was chosen because it is a concept that we believe accurately reflects what the club is about. Bugeisha is a term used in Japan to describe a person (sha) trying to transform the arts of battle (bu) into a study of beauty and universal truths (gei).
It is fair to say that most people first study Aikido, or indeed any martial art, to learn how to defend themselves. Then they hope to develop this study so that they will be able to defend their friends and their loved ones. This is natural and only right. But the fact of the matter is that pretty much every fighting system teaches an ability to destroy an aggressor. Some martial arts focus solely on that. Some martial arts focus on competition. That’s perfectly fine if that’s what you are looking for and we wish you every success in your search.
Please know that if either of those are what you are looking for then we would suggest that Bugeisha Aikido is not for you. If, however, you are looking to study a martial art where you will not only learn how to defend yourself but also learn more about yourself, in a supportive and friendly environment, then the Bugeisha Aikido Club may be exactly what you are looking for.
O Sensei the founder of Aikido
We believe that to only focus on the self-defence aspect of Aikido is to sell this wonderful martial art short. Like all good martial arts, the true and long-term benefits of studying Bugeisha Aikido are the life skills that you take off the mat, not your ability to clear a bar! We propose that the true benefits of studying a martial art not only comes from the system but perhaps more importantly from the values promoted by the club you study in.
We are sure that most people will agree that one of the primary benefits of studying a martial art is the ability to give an account of yourself if a situation demands it. But in addition to the ability to defend yourself, we propose that there are nine other significant benefits from studying Bugeisha Aikido which we have indicated below.
Perseverance in overcoming our frustration when things are not going our way.
Resilience developed through a willingness to make mistakes and to grow as a result.
Capabilities through a willingness to see beyond what we think we know about ourselves and what we think we are capable of.
Trust in the intentions and abilities of ourselves and others.
Friendship with a new group of like-minded individuals who accept you for who you are regardless of your age, sex, and size.
Accepting and working with our perceived limitations and those of others.
A calmer, more balanced and less aggressive response to potentially hostile situations be they physically threating or not.
Physical wellbeing such flexibility, co-ordination, and generally heightened body awareness.
An enhancement of our confidence in our all-round ability to respond appropriately when stressful situations inevitably arise in our lives.
