Uniform/Training Gear/Weapons

A judo type uniform (called dogi, keiko-gi or simply gi) is preferred (judo gi is thicker and heavier than karate gi). Weapons are an integral part of our style; jo (staff), bokken (wooden sword), tanto (wooden knife) may be bought from e-bogu, BujinDesign or other online vendors.

Recommended Books

  1. Aikido: It's a Lot Like Dancing by Terry Dobson (non-technical, user-friendly, straight talk from the heart)
  2. The Principles of Aikido by Mitsugi Saotome (serious study of principles and techniques)
  3. Total Aikido by Gozo Shioda (great book on technical aspects of aikido)
  4. The Hidden Roots of Aikido by Shiro Omiya (technical book that describes aikido's relation to daito-ryu, the mother art to aikido)

Recommended Technical Videos/DVDs

  1. Bruce Bookman videos on ukemi, Basic and Advanced - excellent for teaching ukemi (backward and forward rolls)
  2. Ellis Amdur's Ukemi from the Ground Up - available from aikidojournal - Maverick teacher of aikido and other arts but knows what he is talking about
  3. Hiroshi Ikeda's videos/dvds on Za, Irimi, Buki, and Koshi from BujinDesign
  4. Shoji Nishio's videos/dvds available from aikidojournal

Recommended Martial Art/Samurai/Zen Movies

  1. Peaceful Warrior - based on a book by Dan Millman. Inspired by true events.
  2. Gandhi (Yes - watch this movie to see real-life applications of aikido principles and metaphors; Gandhi never studied a single aikido technique, yet used its principles to drive the mighty British empire out of India, as friends!)
  3. Aiki (inspiring story of Ole Kingston Jensen, 4th Dan in Daito Ryu Roppokai Aikijujitsu, and completely paralyzed from chest down)
  4. Rikyu (story of a tea master in 16th century Japan - watch this to understand the aikido principles of mushin, fudoshin and zanshin)