This Aikido story has been provided By Linda Zak from the Muswell Hill Club.
My husband was a long time practitioner of Ki Aikido and was attending classes in Muswell Hill. Previously, I had some training in Karate when in my twenties. Recently I had some practice in Tai Chi.
I was curious about Aikido and decided to go along for a trial class, to see if it was for me. So, in October 2014, I attended my first class and was introduced to Sensei Mark Greenley. He had been practising and teaching for several decades at that point.
At first, I was a bit intimidated. About half the class of roughly 15 were black belts! Sensei Mark immediately put me at ease, so I did not feel out of my depth. I was introduced to Ki development exercises first, and then some basic techniques in pinning class members to the ground.
I realised how different was this practice compared to my past experience of the martial arts. Over time, I found it be non-competitive. I loved the focus on not being aggressive, but of being respectful during the practice. There was a mindset of working together with your training partners. You could really focus on developing skills through feedback from within yourself, and from the Sensei and training partners.
I really valued the Ki development exercises. I learned that Ki is a generalised form of energy, and intention, that is most effective if you are relaxed and grounded. I learned that being calm and aware under pressure was something to be applied outside the training dojo in daily life.
Muswell Hill Aikido club, as part of the Ki Federation of Great Britain, meant I was able to attend courses at different locations in the UK. I could meet other Aikido practitioners/students. Friendships and connections were formed as the same faces turned up at these courses over the years. I loved meeting people from all walks of life, from different areas of the UK, and from abroad.
I first started in 2014, and now, 10 years later, I have completed my First Dan grading. I feel, as my 60ᵗʰ birthday approaches, that Ki Aikido has helped me maintain balance and flexibility. I have developed a positive outlook to life in general, for which I am profoundly grateful.
Linda Zack
Muswell Hill Ki Aikido Club
November 2024