North Georgia School of Aikido, LLC

The School of Inner Martial Arts

Offering Aikido in Clarkesvile since 2017

(706)391-1828
Located in the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center - Clarkesville

The North Georgia School of Aikido offers a style of Aikido based on the teachings of Koichi Tohei's Ki Society, Shihan Shizuo Imaizumi's of Shin Budo Kai Aikido and Mark Leidig of the School of Inner Martial Arts. It is movement based, flowing and smooth, but true to Aikido's martial roots.

Training includes the empty-handed arts of Aikido (throwing and pinning) as well as Ki training, jo (staff) and bokken (wooden sword).

Classes are small and focused on personalized instruction. Beginners train with experienced students or an instructor at the start of their training.

It is our hope that you will come by and visit one of our classes.

Although this site deals primarily with the North Georgia School of Aikido dojo, information within these pages pertains to the other affiliated dojos. Additional information regarding these other dojos can be found on the links page.

Within the following pages, you will find information, some history, and photos.

Class schedule:

Day	Time
Tuesday	6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Thursday	6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Classes are ongoing, you may start at any time. All beginning students are paired with advanced students for a quality and safe experience.

It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you watch a class before registering.

Monthly dues:

Regular	$50.00
Students, Law Enforcement	$40.00

No Contracts, No Initiation Fees, No Fee For Testing.

Class Forms:

Liability Waiver - This form must be completed and signed before practicing with the class.

General Information Form - We gather basic contact information to keep in contact with students and provide information about class and pertinant aikido topics. Contact information is not used for any other purpose.

Location:

North Georgia School of Aikido meets at the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center in Clarkesville.

Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center
120 Paul Franklin Road
Clarkesville, GA
(706) 839-0234

*Note* You do not need to be a member of the Aquatic Center to practice.

Other Class Inforamtion:

1. The current Shodan (Black Belt) criteria is to successfully demonstrate over 200 techniques and roughly one hour of weapons katas, including solo and paired bokken (sword) and Jo (staff). Due to the quantity of weapons katas covered, we begin weapons training almost immediately in a student's practice.
   
   
2. We do not utilize colored belts. All students wear white belts. Students are eligible to wear a hakama (the black pleated pants) upon promotion to 3rd Kyu. Students progress at their own rate and test individually when the student is ready.
   
   

Steve Rohrabacher - Sandan (3rd degree black belt)
Chief Instructor

Steve began studying Judo in 1968, he was promoted to Shodan 1977. Steve studied Aikido in Aikikai style with Peter Bernath, 7th Dan, Florida Aikikai, from 1984-1993. Steve has been studying Aikido with Larry Feldman, Shinbudokai / School of Inner Martial Arts, Atlanta, from 1999- present. Steve was promoted to Shodan in 2007.

Steve is still associated with the Atlanta School of Aikido in Sandy Springs, GA. More information can be found at http://http://www.atlantaaikido.com/

Seminar Oct. 23-27, 2019

The Atlanta School of Aikido will be hosting an Aikido Seminar with Mark Leidig, 7 th Dan, Chief Instructor of the School of Inner Martial Arts, based in Austin TX.

An accomplished martial artist specializing in internal styles, Mark was the senior Aikido student of Shizuo Imaizumi and has practiced Aikido since 1976, including as a Chief Instructor since 1981. Mark has also practiced a variety of Chinese martial arts since 1977.

Mark is currently a Professor of Kinesiology at Austin Community College, where he has taught Aikido, Tai Chi Chuan, and Martial Arts Weapons and Conditioning since 1989.

Prior seminar subjects have included: The relationship of Aikido and the Chinese Martial Arts, Putting more Ki in your Aikido, What makes your Aikido correct, The relationship of Aikido to Japanese swordsmanship, The Oneness of Aikido with the World around us, and Hsing-I boxing as it relates to Aikido.

When: Oct 23-27, 2019.

Classes will be:
      Wednesday 7:45 - 9:30
      Thursday 8:00 - 9:30
      Friday 7:30 - 9:30
      Saturday 12:30 - 3:45
      Sunday 12:30 - 3:00

Suggested Donation: $125 for the weekend.

Per Class:
      Wednesday: $30
      Thursday: $30
      Friday: $30
      Saturday: $45
      Sunday: $30

Where:

Concourse Athletic Club
8 Concourse Parkway
Atlanta, GA
(770) 698-2000

Mat space is limited, so reservations are strongly recommended.

For more information contact Larry Feldman (770) 331-1869 (cell).

School Lineage

The following chart shows the lineage of the Atlanta School of Aikido going back to the founder, Morihei Ueshiba

Affiliated Dojos

School of Inner Martial Arts
Austin Community College
Northridge Campus
11928 Stonehollow Dr
Austin, TX 78758
Mark Leidig - Sensei
mleidig@austincc.edu



Atlanta School of Aikido
8 Concourse Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30328
Larry Feldman - Chief Instructor
larryfeldman2 (at) gmail (dot) com

How to Find a School

Most people pick a school because they drive by it on the way to the dry cleaners.

Often times I get asked for recommendations for a kids class, or how to find a place to practice. It's a good idea to treat a search for a martial arts instructor much like you would a search for a physician or attorney, and ask people you know or trust for a recommendation.

A few simple questions to consider:

1. How the beginners are treated by the teacher, and how they are treated by the senior students?
2. Do you think you can learn from this instructor?
3. Are you willing to spend 2-3 days a week with these people in this environment?

One of the great secrets in the martial arts is that there are people, and schools who practice because it is something they love to do. They are usually smaller in attendance, allowing for a more personal teacher/student, artist/apprentice relationship which is how martial arts have traditionally been taught. On top of smaller classes, many times these school charge less than more commercially oriented schools. But they can be harder to find, since they don't always have that big sign on the freeway.

Why should you watch a class before starting our class?

Because I am more interested in your time than your money.

As a school we invest a lot of time in beginners. New students are paired with experienced students or an instructor until they reach a level of proficiency and confidence in their own abilities. Working with a partner who knows what they are doing, won't injure you, and won't let themselves be injured provides the safest environment for beginners. Learning is also easier when your partner has the knowledge and skill required to do the techniques being taught. For these reasons a more personalized approach to beginners is far superior to an 'introductory class', but it asks a lot more of the experienced students to support it.

Advanced students get a chance to learn how to teach, but it takes them away from the more advanced training. Instructors also spend more time watching and instructing beginners than a regular class.

We only require 1 month's dues to start training, and make this investment in you. Since watching a class will help you make a more educated decision about whether practicing Aikido with us is the right thing for you - we ask that you invest an hour and a half to help you make the right decision.

Aikido Benefits the Body

Besides being a full-body workout, Aikido provides many benefits. These benefits Include:

• Strengthing most muscle groups including core muscles.
• Improved balance both at rest and in motion.
• Improved "connectedness" in the body. Some may call this coordination, but it is even more than that.
• Increased flexibility through dedicated stretching and normal practice.
• Learning to fall and roll. That's right, it's a benefit! Many students have come to class and said that their skill in falling and rolling had saved them from broken bones or worse when falling from a ladder, stairs, or the like.
• Easy on the body. Unlike other arts that damage and wear down the body over time, Aikido, as we teach it, can be studied and enjoyed for a lifetime. There is no "smash and crash" here.

Aikido Benefits the Mind

While Aikido is a good workout, it has many benefits for the student's mind as well. Particularly, Aikido views the mind and body as connected and integrated. Therefore, practice builds and stimulates that connection. Here are some of the benefits:

• Increased focus and awareness.
• Being centered and in touch.
• Relaxation and stress relief.

Aikido Benefits outside the Dojo

While Aikido offers many benefits to the student while studying in class, there are also many benefits to be realized outside of class as well. They include:

• Self defence. Aikido is a martial art after all.
• Conflict management and resolution. Many principals learned in Aikido apply to all types of interpersonal interactions and conflict. The principals apply whether the conflict is physical or some other type.
• Peace and harmony. Though it is often misunderstood in its martial context, Aikido teaches the restoration of harmony. The regular practice of seeking harmony rather than destruction is a positive influence in everyday life.

Should you have any questions about the class or the dojo, please contact Sensei Steve Rohrabacher via email at:

       srohback@bellsouth.net

or call

       (706)391-1828