Rocky Waters Aikido Self Protection

06/11/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP0WM58Y7fo

Recorded in São Paulo — the largest city in Brazil — this seminar with Hayato Osawa Shihan was filmed with a different approach from traditional martial arts...

06/06/2026

Aikido is strange like that...

We train with people that just Googled "how to do a front roll" before they came to class, and we train with people that can breakfall in their sleep.

One person joined the school to lose some weight,
another person joined because they want to protect themselves,
and yet another person joined because they just need a couple of hours a week to get away from the daily grind.

20 year olds...70 year olds...business owners....9 to 5 folks...retirees...students...home makers...rich people....and broke people

Some got the throttle set at 100% while others just want to make it through class without pulling a hamstring.

We all have different lives and we may be walking different paths, but on the mats:

NONE OF THAT MATTERS

05/30/2026

People need to realize that the hardest belt to earn in Aikido is their white belt.
It is true that a minority of all new students will go on to earn their black belt. But it is also true that a much smaller percentage of people will ever start their first class to begin with, even though they really want to. It takes MUCH MORE to get your white belt than it does to get your black belt. Encourage yourself with this reality.

05/28/2026

A cool sneak peek at some classic seminar footage of Saito Sensei doing some jo work:

Camera access was quite limited in this location due to all the jo's flailing around, so I had to use the zoom a great deal to get in closer to Saito Sensei....

05/27/2026

What you are cutting with is not as important as knowing how to cut.

05/25/2026

Remembering those we've lost and a debt our country could never repay. Wishing everyone a safe extended weekend. No classes on Monday, Memorial Day. Classes resume on Thursday. God bless.

05/24/2026

Everyone at RWA is hoping our bud Tristan had a rockin’ birthday this year!

05/23/2026

We are the result of our actions, not our aspirations.

Send a message to learn more

05/18/2026

05/10/2026

To all the moms among our Rocky Waters family and friends, we wish you the best of days today. Thank you for all the things you give up for your kids and all the love you pour into them. Happy Mother's Day!