Our history and philosophy

Let us have a universal spirit that loves and protects all creation and helps all things to grow and develop. To unify mind and body and become one with the universe is the ultimate purpose of my study. -- Wadokai Aikido motto.

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The mountain does not laugh at the river because it is lowly, nor does the river speak ill of the mountain because it cannot move about. Speak ill of others and it will surely come back to you.

-- Wadokai Aikido proverb.

Aikido RVA South was founded in 2011 under the name Northside Aikido as an affiliate dojo of Wadokai Aikido. Since then the dojo has gone through different names, including Brandermill Aikido, Gym Inyo, and most recently Wadokai Aikido Richmond. In 2021 we renamed ourselves again to more closely match our affiliated dojo Aikido RVA located in Rockville, VA. Students of either location can train at both interchangeably. 

Wadokai is the title of our governing organization founded by Roy Y. Suenaka and currently led by Chad Taylor Shihan in Charleston, SC, after Suenaka Sensei passed away in 2020. In our dojo we train in the style Suenaka-Ha Tetsugaku-Ho Aikido (Suenaka style, philosophical way). This is Suenaka Sensei's style of the art Aikido which he learned directly from O'Sensei (Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido) and Koichi Tohei sensei, as well as many other instructors.

Suenaka Sensei's mastery of martial arts can be read about in detail in our textbook, Complete Aikido, which is on Amazon or can be ordered by request in person. Sensei studied at least 17 arts over his lifetime, and became a master of Aikido and Hakutsuru Karate, both of which he taught from Hombu dojo in Charleston, SC until his passing. All Wadokai Aikidoka had the opportunity to meet and train under Suenaka Sensei, either by traveling to Hombu dojo or to annual camps and seminars. Sensei considered all of his students an extension of his family. 

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At Aikido RVA South we continue to train in Sensei's unique art, focusing on unifying ki development with practical self-defense techniques. Content of our classes vary, but in general one can expect a combination of warmups, wrist stretching and taiso (exercises that help us practice the fundamental movements in Aikido), ukemi drills (falls and rolls), followed by techniques for the majority of class. Our aim is to help each other improve, and you will find that everyone works together regardless of rank.

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