Cookeville Aikido

12/04/2025

Tomorrow is the day. Thank you to everyone who's decided to make the trip to out little Dojo for the seminar. I'm looking forward to training with you all!

10/18/2025

Now offering Aikido Classes Saturday mornings at 10 am!

10/09/2025

Aikido is one of the most maligned martial arts by its critics, but practitioners will spend every penny they have and travel the world to study with high level teachers. Come decide for yourself. Try a free lesson in Aikido at South-Side Dojo. Call today!

09/12/2025

Remember that practicing aikido in the dojo is not necessarily practice focused for a street fight.
We are teaching our bodies ‘tai sabaki’ (learning to acutely manage our own bodies), based around movement that is counter intuitive, while restricted to a set of principles. Practice can emphasize a Budo aspect, or it can focus on a more ‘energetic’ control over uke. It can visually appear primarily direct or aesthetic depending on the inherent value in regards to what is emphasized.
Skill is attained as mindful awareness in movement becomes embodied and intuitive - not reflexive, unconscious and incidental.

These aspects might display aikido as more of a ‘survival/defensive’ art as opposed to mass orientation toward ‘crush and destroy’. Yet aikido can be budo as well as spiritual, martial as well as energetic. These varied approaches do exist, but note that all schools manage the same set of principles. Being able to learn the versatility in governing movement from all approaches -while maintaining set principles and philosophy- creates that lifetime of layered learning.
The curious who are drawn to a more peaceful resolution of conflict, the counter intuitive precision of movement, and the study regarding energetic parameters, might be more inclined to remain devoted to this art.

The fortunate circumstance is that there are many other excellent martial arts to choose from in regards to fulfilling our own individual needs.
Whatever discipline, note that it is the quality of attention toward our own earnest and sincere study that promotes continuing progress.
Beware of the distractions.

G. Breeland, 6th dan

09/07/2025

My Sensei, Mary McIntire, was recently interviewed about our parent dojo, Nashville Aikikai, for Tennessee Highlighter.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mary McIntire and we've shared our conversation below. Hi Mary, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of? Aikido is a martial art without competition. Everyone helps everyone else learn and impr

07/23/2025

Saotome Sensei is the head of the association we belong to, and still teaches seminars weattend on occasion. He's a genius.