Aikido of West Seattle Inc

I'd taken some martial arts training in my college days, and was looking for a school (dojo) to get back into it. But I wanted something a little less formal, and a LOT less agressive. There are two basic types of Aikido - "hard" which puts more emphasis on the attack and disabling the opponent, and "soft" which puts the emphasis on defending without needing to cause harm, and immobilizing the opponent. Aikido of West Seattle teaches the "soft" variant.



Anyone can come and watch a class, which is exactly what I did, and the main thing that stood out for me was the laughter that filled the dojo! That made my decision, and I signed up on the spot. Four years later, I'm still pleased as punch to be a student. Pam Cooper, the owner, is a fantastic teacher (you should see her with the children's classes, too!) And Mike, Rachelle, Andy and the other black-belts are incredibly supportive and caring.



Interestingly, the techniques of Aikido are mental as well a physical, and can be translated into other areas of one's life, such as dealing with difficult co-workers, clients, or family members. Since the "soft" form of Aikido focuses on harmonizing with your opponent, you can take those "harmonizing" mental aspects and use them anywhere you go. (Even in rush hour traffic...) And I find myself using them more and more in the other areas of my life, to my benefit (and usually to the benefit of those I interact with).



I rate Aikido of West Seattle as the most fun you can have doing martial arts!

I have been practicing Aikido with Pam Cooper at Aikido of West Seattle for almost ten years. My younger sister, age ten, has also been practicing there for a number of years. Aikido of West Seattle is a great place for children and adults to learn the loving art of aikido. Many of the students at this dojo have practiced there for a long time and are extremely welcoming. At aikido of west Seattle, one is able to find not only excellent instruction in self defense but also a caring community. Pam Cooper is a phenomenal teacher and I would recommend her to any person looking to learn self defense.