Sussex Aikido follows the syllabus developed by Kenji Tomiki and taught at the Shodokan Honbu Dojo in Osaka. It builds progressively from basic ukemi (breakfalls) and atemi-waza (striking techniques) through to the full Randori-no-kata and free-form competitive randori — combining the precision of kata with the responsiveness of live practice.
| Grade | Focus |
|---|---|
| 6th Kyu | Ukemi (breakfalls) and basic Atemi-waza (striking techniques) |
| 5th Kyu | Basic Hiji-waza (elbow techniques) |
| 4th Kyu | Basic Tekubi-waza (wrist techniques) |
| 3rd Kyu | Renraku-waza (combination techniques) and an introduction to randori |
| 2nd Kyu | Oyo-waza (applied techniques) and ukemi within randori |
| 1st Kyu | The full Randori-no-kata and competitive randori |
| Dan grades | Kata precision, teaching practice, refereeing, and ongoing study |
The 17 Kata (Junanahon)
The technical backbone of Shodokan Aikido is a set of seventeen kata, grouped into three families: Atemi-waza (striking techniques), Hiji-waza (elbow techniques), and Tekubi-waza (wrist techniques). These form the core of what’s tested at grading.
Randori — the Competitive Element
Shodokan Aikido is distinctive as the only branch of Aikido where competition is practised alongside traditional technique. In tanto randori, one player defends empty-handed against an attacker holding a soft (safety) knife, with points awarded for clean technique. It’s a way to test timing and technique under live, resisting pressure — not a replacement for kata, but a complement to it.