Barbara Litt, head instructor of Aikido Kokikai Pittsburgh, 5th dan, has taught Aikido at the WSCC since 1997. She began to study Aikido in 1988 in Princeton, NJ, and is now a senior student of Sensei Shuji Maruyama, of Nagakute, Japan, whom she saw several times a year, until the pandemic. Since 2021 she serves on the Board of Directors of the Aikido Kokikai Federation USA. She teaches Aikido because the practice has contributed very positively to her life and she wants to share it. The longer she practices Aikido, the more wonderful it gets—and it is always interesting. Barbara’s day job is teaching Japanese language and culture at Carnegie Mellon University.
Aikido Kokikai is a modern Japanese martial art using the momentum and reflexes of an attacker to evade, neutralize, and redirect the attack. It does not rely on physical strength so it is well suited to people of all ages and sizes. Its principles for effective self-defense technique apply equally well to resolving conflicts and meeting life’s challenges, great and small. Practice will develop your grace, flexibility, confidence, stamina, coordination and calmness.
Learning objectives include:
(1) how to fall safely and comfortably,
(2) exercises to train your body and mind to work together, and
(3) self-defense techniques for a wide variety of attacks.
Join instructor Barbara Litt in this positive practice of self-defense! All levels practice together. Classes are for adults and youth (age 13 and older). Parent-child (age 10 and up) pairs may practice with instructor approval. There is a potential to start a new daytime class for seniors and others with limited mobility.
Requirements:
(1) Be willing to practice in a high-quality mask covering nose and mouth, such as a kn95 or surgical mask, and be fully vaccinated for Covid-19.
(2) Remove or cover any metal accessories or piercings that might contact your practice partners (exception: most smooth wedding bands)
(3) Wear loose-fitting clothing you can move in that you don’t mind being grabbed. No shoes allowed on the mat—socks are optional.
(4) Sign a liability release form before stepping onto the mat (available by email—see below).
(5) Be able to climb up and down stairs to access our 2nd floor classroom.
For more information: https://aikidokokikaipittsburgh.com/, or visit Aikido Kokikai Pittsburgh on Facebook www.facebook.com/AikidoKokikaiPittsburgh Questions? email AikidoKokikaiPittsubrgh@gmail.com, or phone 412-421-0454.