How to choose the right Aikido school?

Question

I need to choose the right school, what are the factors I need to consider to choose it?

Watching a practice how can I say: "this is the right one"?

Any suggestions for Calgary or Edmonton?

Answer 1

Also, look at the philosophy. Military-style aikido is a distortion of the real thing. It should be a purely defensive art.

Answer 2

in a very traditional art such as aikido. you need to be looking at the credentials of the instructor.

how long has he studied? under who? is he in good standing with the organization? did he have the same teacher for a long time? what is his rank? what is his lineage?

bottom line though...there can't be that many legit aikido schools in your area. so i bet your choices are limited.

Answer 3

Yes, choosing the right school can be tedious.  But take advice from my personal experience:

Choosing the right martial arts school is one of the most important decisions you will make.

There are several factors you should consider, and if you do, you will have a very good idea of whether or not the school is the right one for you.

Consider:  

Your needs.

Style.

Location.

Schedule.

Price.

The instructor.

The school's atitude.

Other students.

Ratio of students to teacher.

Safety and cleanliness.

If you want more information on each of the items listed above, go to http://www.socalmartialarts.com/choosing... for a full explanation of each and to read the full article.

Hope this helps.

Socalmark