Ki Aikido Scotland

The club has had a long and rich history. Consistently teaching to a high standard, many students have attained the rank of black belt, and gone on to teach Aikido themselves. Sensei Matt Tennant has studied aikido for over 50 years and continues to develop his art and his students. His aikido journey started in 1958 when aikido was still relatively new to the UK and he was one of the early students in Scotland, initially studying under Tom Weir. His main teacher for many years was Ken Williams during his years with the Aikikai and later with the Ki Federation. Sensei Tennant started the East Kilbride Aikido Club in 1967. In addition to training under Sensei Ken Williams, he attended regular courses from Sensei Noro and Sensei Chiba. When the Ki No Kenyukai was formed by Sensei Koichi Tohei, the club joined through the Ki Federation of Great Britain led by Sensei Ken Williams. Originally organised in 1967 as extra training time for the Hamilton Hill Aikido Club, the first Aikido dojo in Scotland, the East Kilbride club quickly grew in numbers and established an identity of its own. The club has had a number of influences throughout it’s development. Having been affiliated with the Aikikai of Great Britain, under Sensei Kazuo Chiba, and Ki No Kenyukai, under Koichi Tohei Sensei (through the Ki Federation of Great Britain), the instruction at the club represents a deep and wide understanding of the principles of Aikido and mind/body unification. In 1984 the club left the Ki Federation and therefore the Ki No Kenyukai. Since that time the club has remained unaffiliated with any governing Aikido organisation and continues to teach to a high standard the principles of SHIN SHIN TOITSU DO(unification of mind and body) and SHIN SHIN TOITSU AIKIDO (Aikido with mind and body unified) as taught by Sensei Koichi Tohei.