Women and Aikido
Women may be the West's most important contribution to Aikido.
We are delighted that women are well represented at Heart of San Francisco Aikido.
Although we are deeply grateful for the magnificent art of Aikido from Japan, we are very aware that women were barely included in its development. Even today in Japan, women are often ignored or overtly discouraged from practicing Aikido. In this country, most Aikido dojos are headed by men and have only a small minority of women training in them. This trend is beginning to change, especially on the west coast.
One of the primary purposes of Heart of San Francisco Aikido is to create a learning environment that is inspiring for women. We work hard on special outreach to women — offering special women's-only courses twice a year in the winter and summer — and a major part of the teaching we offer is done by women. We strive for excellence in women and seek to maintain a strong female blackbelt presence in our dojo community.
Getting Started
For women new to the art, please check the information about our beginners' classes. Women of all ages are encouraged to join.
