Terminology

Aikidoka: Someone who practices aikido.

Dojo ("Doe-joe"): The hall in which we practice

Sensei ("Sen-say"): Teacher

O Sensei: Great teacher - refers to Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of aikido

Rei ("Ray"): Bow

Tori: The person defending an attack and using a technique

Uke: The person using an attacking motion within training

Gi: The martial arts suit we wear, white with a white belt, also called a do-gi.

Hakkama: The loose black trousers worn by dan grades.

Dan grade: Black belt. Grade of person who has progressed through the kyu grades and passed the first dan grade test.

Kyu grade: Grade of ability, awarded on passing a test. Belt colour depicts your grade. Order runs as white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown and black.

Grading: When you take a test. You will have to satisfy the grading syllabus for the particular grade, and show sufficient ability and spirit (not aggression, spirit and aggression are very different). You may be asked to display particular techniques, or any of your choice. At higher grades you may have to show ability with weapons and defend against multiple attackers, real knives and swords. At all grades you will have to defend yourself against weapons.