Aikido is a modern Japanese martial art derived from older styles of ju-jitsu. It was created by Ueshiba Morihei in the early twentieth century. Since its creation, it has spread across the globe and many different styles of Aikido have developed.

The style of Aikido taught at West Coast Martial Arts Academy is Jiyushin-ryu Aikido. Jiyushin-ryu Aikido focuses on the use of good posture, coupled with correct timing and distance, to break an opponent’s balance and make techniques. Strength and speed are not essential factors in making techniques work.

Education in Jiyushin-ryu Aikido follows a rational, progressive curriculum. Students are taught basic movement and balance-breaking drills and eventually work their way up to dynamic applications of those principles in free practice.

For more information on Jiyushin-ryu Aikido, please visit the Jiyushinkai website at www.jiyushinkai.org or contact our resident Aikido instructor, Jim Hanna.

Jim Hanna has been training in the martial arts since 1979. He began his training with karate-do and kick-boxing, but began studying Aikido in 1989 and has continued to do so ever since. He holds the rank of godan (5th Degree Black-belt) in Jiyushinkai Aikido. Jim has also worked as a paramedic in Manatee County for almost twenty-five years.