Aikido for Children at Woodstock Aikido

Woodstock Aikido currently offers two Aikido classes for children every Saturday morning:

• 9:00 to 10:00 am for ages 3½ through 7
  (This is currently one of the only Aikido classes in the country that starts kids at such a young age.)
• 10:00 to 11:00 am, for ages 8 through 16

The children in these classes learn to be calm, peaceful, disciplined, and in control of their bodies and mind. One very unique quality of Aikido is that it is non-competitive. There are no tournaments, and no desire to defeat someone else. We do not train in groupings based on age, rank or weight because the effectiveness of Aikido is not contingent on size, or physical strength. Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of the art, was only five feet tall. It is dynamic, powerful, fun and inspiring, and many parents who watched their kid's take classes at Woodstock Aikido – have started adult classes themselves.

Aikido, from Japan, is one of the most modern of all martial arts. It was created and developed by Morihei Ueshiba, who died not too long ago, in 1969. Aikido focuses not on punching or kicking opponents, but rather on using their own energy to gain control of them, and neutralize their force. An Aikido practitioner feels that the highest level of defense is to dissipate an attacker's aggressiveness, and restrain their movement, without inflicting any injuries to that individual. Although the idea of a martial discipline striving for peace and harmony may seem paradoxical, it is the most basic part of the art.

This hombu style of the art is taught at the Woodstock Aikido Dojo, a beautiful rustic Byrdcliffe converted barn. You will not find Aikido taught at strip mall locations, and our Aikido facilities are dedicated solely to Aikido training.

Ralph Legnini is a fourth degree USAF blackbelt (4th dan), and the director of the children's program at Woodstock Aikido. His lineage in the art is direct to the founder of Aikido through his primary teacher, Harvey Konigsberg Shihan and his teachers, Yoshimitsu Yamada Shihan and Seiichi Sugano Shihan.

Ralph has been teaching Aikido to children for 15 years, and is also the former President of the Onteora Central School District Board Of Education, and a professional music producer with a degree in music education.

Please stop by on any Saturday morning, watch a class, and check it out. If your child wants to try it – the first class is free. If you want to continue, your child can become a Dojo member, pay dues of $45 per month, and begin taking the Saturday morning class appropriate for their age group. There are no contracts, or long term written commitments. However, like many of us here at Woodstock Aikido who have been training in Aikido for decades, once you start - you may not be able to stop!

For any additional information, contact Ralph Legnini directly at