Ready to break the fall

Do I have to attend all classes?
Not at all. Come whichever classes you can. Obviously if you attend more, you'll have more fun. :-)

Can beginners come to any class?
Yes. Beginners are welcome to come to all our classes as we do not have separate classes for different experience levels.

Do I have to be a Caledonian student to go the Caledonian classes?
No. Externals are welcome.

Do I have to be a Strathclyde student to go the Strathclyde classes?
You must either be:
    A Strathclyde student and a member of the sports union; or
    An alumni with membership of the gym; or
    A member of staff.

What clothing do I need to train?
A clean t-shirt and tracksuit bottoms. If you wish to keep training, it is best to buy a judo suit as this will last longer. They cost between £20 and £40.

Do I need to buy all the weapons?
No, not at the start. Most people have spares which you can borrow if needs be. Although if you intend to keep training it is advisable to buy your own. Weapons start at £10 and a really good bokken can be had for £30. Ask the senior grades for advice.

How much does it costs to train?
There are two main components in the cost of training Aikidio with us: annual club membership and mat fees (class costs). These are explained in more detail below.

What are the membership costs?
To train with us you need to be a member of the Komyokan Aikido Association (KAA), which includes insurance from our governing body, the British Aikido Board (BAB).

• If you’re new to Aikido, or to our club, you’ll need to take out temporary membership to the KAA, which lasts 8 weeks. Temporary membership costs £5 for juniors (under 16s) and student/unwaged seniors and £10 for waged seniors. Please pay your temporary membership before you begin your first class.

• After the initial 8 weeks you will be required to become a full member, which costs an additional £7 for juniors, £10 for student/unwaged seniors and £20 for waged seniors.

This is equivalent to an annual membership of £12 for juniors (under 16s), £15 for student/unwaged seniors and £30 for waged seniors. Full membership lasts for 1 year, includes BAB insurance, which enables you to train in any BAB affiliated dojo or association.

You will be required to complete a temporary membership form prior to the first class and a full membership form prior to the expiry of your 8 week temporary membership period.

What are the class costs?
Mat fees for classes are:

• £3.50 per class for juniors (16s)
• £4 per class for student/unwaged seniors or £20 for a monthly pass
• £5 per class for waged seniors or £26 for a monthly pass
(that's ~£2.20 per class if you go 3 times a week)

Mat fees are paid at the end of each class and monthly passes paid in advance at the beginning of the month.

If you are new to Aikido, the first class is free and subsequent ones are at the price detailed above.

What about grading?
You begin at mu kyu (un-graded). After training for a while you can go for your 6th kyu. From there you can progress up to 1st kyu. After that you progress into the dan grades. For Juniors (under 16's) the kyu grades are further subdivided into mon grades. In order to grade to must be a member of the KAA.
All kyu grades wear a white belt, we don't have coloured belts like other arts. The dan grades wear a black belt with the traditional hakema. The hakema is a pair of large, pleated trousers worn over the suit.

I am a member of another Aikido association; can I train with you?
Of course. Just bring your training book with proof of BAB insurance to the first class.
Also seek permission from your current instructor(s).

Overview of Aikido Etiquette for Beginners