Aikido Shudokan

Two amazing instructors. One mat. A weekend that will develop your practice and get you thinking.

This November, Aikido Shudokan Coburg opens its doors to the wider Yoshinkan community for a seminar you won’t want to miss.

Ramlan Sensei, 7th Dan and Chief Instructor of Aikido Shudokan Malaysia, brings decades of refined technique straight from the source. Joining him is Enrica Cheung Sensei, 6th Dan, whose sharp, precise teaching has shaped students across the country.

Two days of intensive training. A chance to test your fundamentals, sharpen your technique, and train alongside practitioners from dojos across Australia.

Saturday 7th November, 1pm–5pm
Sunday 8th November, 10am–2pm
Aikido Shudokan Coburg, 1 Woolacott St

Early bird pricing of $150 ends October 7th. After that, it’s $175.

Whether you train with us or at another dojo, you’re part of this community — and this is your invitation. Come push yourself, meet new training partners, and be reminded of why you started.

Spaces are limited. Secure yours before the early bird cutoff.

[To register email [email protected]]

Discipline, weapon in hand”

Adding a weapon to a technique doesn’t make Aikido more aggressive — if anything, it demands more control, not less. Grip, distance, timing all become less forgiving with a tanto in hand. Watching students work through these drills is a good reminder that discipline isn’t about restraint from the outside; it’s something built from the inside out.

Aikido Shudokan.

One of the first things kids learn in Aikido isn't a throw — it's how to not fight force with force. Instead of squaring up, they learn to step off the line, redirect, and use an opponent's own momentum against them. It sounds abstract, but on the mat it's very physical: footwork, timing, staying loose instead of tensing up. Off the mat, it's the same skill in a different outfit — de-escalating instead of escalating, staying calm when someone's pushing your buttons. That's a genuinely useful thing to hand a kid.

Aikido Shudokan — Traditional Aikido, Melbourne.

The Uchideshi Gasshuku 2026 has officially come to an end!

After 12 days of intense training, learning and pushing each other further, the Gasshuku has shown that it’s not only about how you perform at your strongest. When you’re at your most tired, your weakest and have nothing left to give, that’s when you really see what someone is made of.

Congratulations to all the Uchideshi Gasshuku students for completing the 12 days and giving everything on the mat. The intensity of the training pushed everyone beyond their comfort zone, testing their technique, discipline and determination every step of the way.

The Gasshuku may be over, but the intensity and spirit of the training will carry forward into every dojo.

OSU!

Ask any of our black belts what changed for them and almost none of them will start with technique. They'll talk about patience they didn't used to have, or how they handle pressure differently now, or how training taught them to sit with frustration instead of quitting when things don't click straight away. The belt is really just a marker. The actual mastery is quieter than that — it's in how you show up, on and off the mat.

Aikido Shudokan.

The history of Aikido Shudokan begins with Thamby Rajah Sensei, the Father of Malaysian Aikido, who established the original Shudokan dojo in Seremban after returning from Japan and training under Soke Gozo Shioda. From those beginnings, Shudokan grew through generations of dedicated students and instructors, carrying the teachings and spirit of Yoshinkan Aikido across Asia, Australasia, Europe and the Americas.

Continuing this lineage is Joe Thambu Shihan, who began training under his uncle, Thamby Rajah Sensei, at just 11 years old before going on to establish Aikido Shudokan Australia and become Chief Instructor of Aikido Shudokan International.

The Uchideshi Gasshuku in Malaysia has given participating students the chance to experience this history firsthand. Alongside the demanding training, they have had the privilege of hearing Joe Thambu Shihan share memories and stories from growing up here in Malaysia, training with Thamby Rajah Sensei and witnessing the early development of Shudokan. These stories have brought the history of the organisation to life for the next generation.

OSU!

An important part of the Uchideshi Gasshuku is bringing students from all over the world together on the same mat. Aikido Shudokan has dojos across Australia, Europe, Asia and America, creating a truly international community connected through Aikido. Students from different countries, dojos and backgrounds come together to train side by side, sharing the same foundations and spirit.

During the Gasshuku, the Uchideshi students had the honour of visiting and training at Ramlan Sensei’s dojo. Training alongside his students brought a great atmosphere to the mat, with new training partners, new challenges and plenty of opportunities to test themselves. It was a fantastic session filled with energy, strong training and the chance to connect with fellow students through Aikido.

OSU!

The Uchideshi Gasshuku has brought teachers from Australia and the UK into the kids’ classes in Malaysia, giving them the opportunity to share their own teaching styles while learning from each other. It’s been a great exchange of knowledge and experience, with the students getting to train under a variety of instructors and approaches.

While each instructor brings their own personality and methods to the mat, the foundations and spirit of Aikido remain the same. The kids get to experience different ways of learning while developing the same core values of discipline, respect, awareness and teamwork.

With fast-paced training, focus and plenty of energy on the mat, the students have been challenging themselves and pushing each other further every session. 🥋🇲🇾