Youth Aikido

The Jikishinkan Youth Program offers classes for students ages 6-13.

Classes are structured around ki development exercises, rolling (ukemi), and aikido games. Basic techniques (kihon waza) are taught with an especially strong emphasis on basic body movements (tai sabaki), breaking grips, and developing confidence and awareness (zanshin). Self-awareness is a key aspect of our children’s program: all students are expected to know their name, age, home address, other personal information, how to scream for help, and general rules of safety (e.g., not getting into cars with strangers) for their first promotion.

Older children (ages 10-13) incorporate greater focus on executing kihon-waza, developing zanshin, timing and spacing, learning applied technique (oyo waza), and how to avoid potentially dangerous or violent situations.

Jikishinkan’s youth program is under the direction of Josh Paul Sensei. Josh Sensei has been training and teaching at Jikishinkan since 1999 and directing the youth program since 2005. In addition to teaching at Jikishinkan, Josh Sensei conducts aikido programs in NYC public schools for elementary and high school students, students with autism and other disabilities, and at-risk teenagers. He holds the rank of sandan (third-degree black belt) in aikido and shodan (black belt) in shindo muso ryu jodo. He is currently studying karate, as well.

For Youth class times and program fees please refer to our schedule page.