Immediately after entering the Tri City Aikido dojo, I knew Aikido was what I needed in my life. Aikido has not only taught me how to blend with an opponent, and to take control of him, but also how to blend with life in general. As my sensei kindly put it once, "Life is not about perfection, it's about dealing with imperfection." These words are a direct reflection of the spirit of Aikido and the teachings of O'Sensei (The founder of Aikido) who said once, "Aikido is not a way to fight with or defeat enemies; it is a way to reconcile the world and make all human beings one family.

Date of Posting: 11 May 2010
Posted By: Mohammad Iqbal

"Six years ago my life was in the type of steady downhill spiral that most people don't easily recover from. I was living in Fremont and working as an engineer at a large manufacturing facility where, by all accounts, I was doing very well. In reality, I was caught in some serious personal problems and quickly incurring a heavy debt load. Finally, I took control of my life, and part of that was joined Tri City Aikido. Tri City Aikido and the practice that I started there has been an influential part of turning my life around. * The positive environment has built my self-confidence * The supportive people have given me a good social environment * The focused training has given me mental clarity * The rigorous exercise has helped me heal physically The result is that I'm currently a successful business manager, I'm financially solvent, I have good personal relationships, and I'm even giving back to the community through volunteer work. Aikido is not just another martial art where people punch and kick each other. We do not compete in sport competitions, and we do not build ego inflated fighting students. Aikido is about bringing people together to help each other learn how to turn conflict into harmony. I have also been proud to support our school in providing free rape prevention courses to the public."

Date of Posting: 11 May 2010
Posted By: Brandon Soule