Tenshin Dojo

I’d give this dojo 5 stars, but I just started training here and am only able to go every couple of weeks at this point, so feel five stars would be a little premature. (I take my rating and Aikido training seriously.) That being said, so far, I’m thoroughly enjoying it. I say this as someone who has trained in Aikido pretty regularly for close to six years now, three in San Francisco, two in Berkeley and one in Fresno. I think my experience is unique as my experience in Aikido has been quite varied. I started with a «softer» style and then transitioned to a more conventional, «harder» style in Iwama. Tenshin styled Aikido is, by reputation and design, a very practical and effective style. In my short time here, I’ve learned a lot, especially about deflections and the importance of honesty in training.
By that, I mean training in a way that’s more realistic to what you’ll find in the real world. There’s a lot of cooperation required in typical Aikido on the part of the uke, the person that plays the part of the attacker. The problem with this is that a real attacker is going to resist and/​or not going to wait for you to complete a technique. So, if you don’t train in a more realistic way, you’re not really learning in the self-​defense aspect.
All that being said, it’s important to train with each other at an appropriate level and show sensitivity in training. Sensei Calderon cultivates that in the dojo. His passion for Aikido and teaching are obvious. He truly wants people to enjoy their experience and succeed. Whether you are interested in trying out Aikido or are interested in exploring the more practical side of the Art, the dojo is definitely worth checking out.

Great place to train! This dojo shares a mat with a Japanese jujitsu school so it has a good balance martial arts. As for the aikido portion, the aikido you find at this dojo is unlike any aikido you can learn in NorCal. The aikido taught here is very powerful and very effective. This is the only place around the Sacramento area that I’ve seen that teaches how to defend yourself from real attacks. Not just shomenuchi strikes and wristgrabs. The moves are more direct and more technical than average aikido places. Calderon sensei is able to train with you at a level you’re comfortable with. He’s actually very gentle on the mat and approachable on the mat. He knows how to make each technique work for real (especially on large opponents) which is something other places could not do. I love training here and would recommend it to anyone wanting quality aikido training.