Choosing Career as Aikido Instructor

Are you interested in learning a form of martial arts that aim to protect not just the defender but also the attacker? If yes, then aikido is for you. How do you become an aikido practitioner? Learn from our guide the basics of becoming an aikido student and an instructor later on.

If you are looking for a form of martial arts that cares for the well-being of the attacker as much as the defender, then aikido is for you.

Aikido espouses harmony and reconciliation, hence, its concern for the opponent. If you want to become an instructor in aikido,

  • Make sure you are physically fit for the physical demands of learning and executing martial arts movements.
  • Master the art. It would take years. First, you must find a good teacher and mentor. You can find an aikido teacher in martial arts centre. Look for such centres in your city. Also, attend local martial arts tournaments and talk to people who share the interest. Some of them may be students or instructors or people who can lead you to what you are looking for.
  • Talk to several instructors and discover who among them offer the most compatible training to your needs. Also talk to students of these instructors. Choose the one you think meets your needs most, and schedule a trial or observe one of his classes.
  • Train with an aikido teacher. Serious aikido practitioners train for many years and they continue to become students even if they are instructors themselves.
  • Get a rank. Through years of training, you will progress through a series of grades and degrees (dan) until you qualify for a test to get a rank. Testing and ranking varies from one organization to another and they may use white, black or various other colors to denote ranking. A black belt will usually denote instructor rank.
  • Get affiliated with local and international aikido organizations. Join their activities and participate in competitions. Some aikido associations that you could affiliate with includes the United States Aikido Federation and the International Aikido Association.
  • If you are serious in getting into a teaching career in martial arts and defence schools, get a teaching certification. Better yet, get a certification as an aikido teacher.
  • Apply as assistant instructor in gyms, health clubs, recreation, community and martial arts centres. Martial arts movements are also now also being used as physical fitness training. You can also teach aikido for law enforcement training, in universities. Usually, you’d find part-time employment as teacher for evening or weekend classes.
  • Continue to train on a regular basis and attend seminars both related to aikido and to teaching.
  • Later, after you’ve established your name as an instructor, you can open your own private training centre. You can teach aikido both to adults and children.

 

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