Welcome to South Austin Aikido

ASU Membership Dues: There is a yearly registration fee of $35 paid to the ASU (Aikido Schools of Ueshiba), the organization that sets our teaching qualifications and testing guidelines.

Kyu Testing: Testing is part of the Aikido curriculum. As students progress they will be expected to test in accordance with the standards set forth by Saotome Sensei and the ASU. There are 6 kyu ranks before Shodan (black belt level) with minimum time requirements between each level. The fee for each of these kyu tests is $45.

Weapons: Training with weapons is an integral part of Aikido. We use bokken (wooden sword), jo (staff), shoto (short wooden sword), and tanto (wooden knife) in our training. The dojo has extra sets for members to use, though many of our students eventually purchase their own set. The cost of these items varies with the quality and supplier. Information on different suppliers is available on our LINKS page.

Uniforms: One mugen gi (practice uniform) is supplied as part of our sign-up package. Additional MUGEN gi's may be purchased as needed. The Hakama, traditional Japanese split pants, are part of the uniform after a student passes his/her first test. Costs vary by supplier and quality. Please see the LINKS page or ask one of our instructors for more information.

Seminars: As part of our development, it is essential that we seek out and experience instruction from advanced practitioners of Aikido. South Austin Aikido regularly invites Senior Instructors to our dojo for teaching and student development seminars (approximately 2 times per year). There are usually additional costs involved in these seminars, ranging from $60 to $100. Attendance at these seminars is not a requirement, though students are encouraged to participate to aid in their Aikido development.