Boulder Aikikai

I’ve been training in aikido at both Boulder Aikikai and its affiliated CU aikido class for over 10 years, and feel lucky to have access to such fantastic instructors and training partners. For those who might not be familiar with aikido, it’s a Japanese martial art that focuses on joint locks and throws with the goal of resolving physical conflicts with a minimum of injury to both parties. Aikido classes generally tend to focus on open hand techniques, but can also encompass weapons like knives, swords, and staffs. Unlike many other martial arts, it is non-​competitive and has an emphasis on paired practice, so you end up working with a wide range of people at different experience levels, backgrounds (many people have trained previously in other schools of martial arts), and styles, all of which makes it consistently fun and engaging to train.
Both of the head instructors – Hiroshi Ikeda sensei and Tres Hofmeister sensei – are 7^th degree black belts with many decades of experience who have become known worldwide for their expertise, even outside of the aikido community (the only downside of this is that they tend to travel on a recurring basis). In fact, students have even been known to move to Boulder specifically in order to train with them. Unsurprisingly, the dojo has attracted a large number of advanced (black belt-​ranked) students, and it’s not uncommon to train with people who have been practicing aikido for 20 – 30 years or more.
Despite the wealth of experience and knowledge on hand, one of the things I really like about the dojo is that most people aren’t especially focused on rank, and we all get to train with each other regardless of experience or skill level (which can be especially great for newer students). There’s a nice sense of community, and people are generally supportive and encouraging while also challenging you to push yourself in different ways. I can’t speak to the child and youth classes, but I expect the more peaceful nature and fun training style of aikido could be great for kids, and all the instructors I’ve worked with to date have been fantastic.
So, in summary, if you’re looking for a different martial art that’s fun, has fantastic instructors, and an array of experienced students to practice with, I’d highly recommend checking out Boulder Aikikai. If you’re on the fence or want to see it in person, you can always come watch a class – there’s a large balcony overlooking the mat where you can sit on couches and easily see everything that’s happening.