Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Aikido

What is Aikido?

Aikido is a Japanese martial art which utilizes the energy of an attacker to use it against him to defend yourself.
More details and information about Aikido can be found here.

Who invented Aikido?

Morihei Ueshiba is considered the inventor of the Japanese martial art known today as Aikido.
Aikidoka (students of Aikido) also often call him O’ Sensei (old master or venerable teacher).

Who can do Aikido?

Aikido can be practiced by everybody. Whether if you are young or old, athletic or not, male or female, there is no limitation.
Every person is different and what each one is capable of doing at the training only depends on the individual person and nothing else.

Is Aikido suitable for women?

Aikido is perfectly suitable for women.
Usually women have a disadvantage to men if it comes to strength. Reality is, women mostly get attacked by men which want to use this advantage of strength against them. And if power goes against power, the bigger power always wind.
Since Aikido utilizes the energy of an attacker, it’s ideal for women. Here bigger power is not the key and women usually have the advantage not to rely on strength which makes it easier for them to learn the techniques.

Can I defend myself with Aikido?

Yes, you can defend yourself with Aikido. But since Aikido, like many other martial arts, have different styles, it depends on what the particular style you’ve chosen focuses on.
Self-defense primarily depends on how you train and how much focus is put on reality during training.
Here at Takeki Dojo we teach the Aikido style “Makoto Aikido”, which is a very direct Aikido style which perfectly fits for self-defense purpose. Our goal is to create a bridge between the theory of the dojo and the reality on the streets. We place great emphasis on the fact that everything we teach during training also has to be applicable outside of the training.

Are there any competitions in Aikido?

In Aikido there are no tournaments or competitions.
The ideology behind Aikido is strictly defensive and competitions would violate this principle.
Besides this, competitions have rules which create limitations. These do not apply on the street. If Aikido has to work, these kind of rules will be counterproductive if you have to defend yourself outside of the realm of these limitations.

Does Aikido training also include weapons?

Yes, Aikido training also includes weapons. Typically you also train with a Jo (wooden staff), a Bokken (wooden sword) and Tanto (wooden knife).
There will also be training sessions in which on person is armed while the other person is unarmed and has to defend himself. And there are also training sessions with to armed trainees. This also includes mixing the different weapons.
Additionally at Takeki Dojo we also include everyday objects in our training to meet our demand on a realistic training approach.

Is Aikido better than other martial arts?

If one martial art is better than another does not depend on the martial art itself, rather than the person practicing it. Moreover, the question arises “Better in terms of what?”.
In our view there is no bad martial art. In every martial art there are just good and bad teachers.
It always depends on what each person seeks individually in a martial art. With this in mind, everyone should get their own impression if a martial art and the instructor teaching it meets their own needs.
Most martial arts were developed during times of war. And if a martial art would have been bad or inefficient it would not exist today since everybody practicing it would have died on the battlefield.

Makoto Aikido

What is Makoto Aikido?

Makoto Aikido is an Aikido style known for its very short and direct movements. This style was created by Shihan Larry Reynosa, a former top-student of Steven Seagal for almost 20 years.
The association behind it, the Makoto Aikido Kyokai, is directly registered under Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, Japan.
You can find more information about the Makoto Aikido here.

Where is the difference to other Aikido styles?

Makoto Aikido a very direct Aikido style. It focuses on being applicable on the street while not needing to become more violent than the attacker.
Because of that, training in Makoto Aikido differs from “classical” Aikido styles quite a bit from time to time. For example in Makoto Aikido the direct line between the attacker (Uke) and the defender (Nage) will not be given up like it is often being done in other styles. Also not stopping attacks or not missing punches on purpose but being honest in the attacks is typical for Makoto Aikido. Because once you leave the safety of the Dojo and get into a confrontation on the street, no attacker will stop, hold back or miss on purpose. Training in such an honest way is one of the major differences between Makoto Aikido and other Aikido styles.

Takeki Dojo

When do the classes take place?

You can find an up-to-date class schedule here.

Where are the classes being taught?

You can find detailed directions here.

What classes are there?

Currently we offer classes for adults. More details can be found at our class schedule.
Besides the regular classes there are also workshops and seminars being offered on a regular basis.

Are there kids classes?

Currently we do not offer training for kids.

Who is teaching the classes?

Classes will be taught Christian Föller. Christian is practicing martial arts for over 25 years and since 2003 he is a direkt student of Shihan Larry Reynosa.

In which language do you teach?

Classes are being taught in either German or English.

Which requirements are there to participate?

There are no special requirements to join our training. You should only be in a decent health to be able to participate in the training activities.

What do I need to join the training?

To join the training all you need are a pair of sport trousers and either a t-shirt or long sleeve. Additionally we recommend to take pair of slippers with you to use on your way from the dressing room to the gym (the training itself is done barefoot).
Please ensure that the trousers do not have some press fastening or similar. Especially beginners tend to roll over them during practice how to fall which not only will be uncomfortable but will eventually also lead to many bruises.

If you have other questions, feel free to send them at any time.