Your friendly neighborhood ninjas! Traditional, Iwama-style Aikido and self-defense for children, adults, and seniors.
Martial arts classes in Sarasota and North Port. Traditional Aikido of Sarasota is committed to the vision that anyone can train and develop their own self-mastery through Aikido, The Way of Harmony. Aikido trains you to access a calmer, more centered, and responsive version of yourself. The more you practice being that person, the easier it becomes to access skills like assertiveness, compassion,
02/08/2026
These kids grow up fast and now they’re all much too big for Kids Aikido 1!
If you’d like to give your kids a great start to develop self-discipline, coordination, and how to work through problems constructively, Aikido Sarasota is now enrolling ages 4 and up.
We are now partnered with Step Up for Students to provide sports lessons, simplifying enrollment for those families using the scholarship.
Aikido helps children build self-control, confidence, and skill through training with mentors.
This little one has a good nikkyo, but the hidden talent is the safe and respectful practice environment where she’s learning to develop these skills.
01/22/2026
The best defense is a friend who’s got your back.
Mark Larson Shihan will be teaching in Sarasota Feb 13-15!
https://aikidosarasota.com/event/spring-seminar-with-mark-larson-shihan/
01/16/2026
7pm tonight! Tom Walker from our partner school Sarasota Jujitsu Academy is teaching Self-Defense Basics in the dojo.
Ages 12+ welcome. Aikido students attend free!
11/08/2025
Aikido is an advanced study in body mechanics: body in space, body in relation to others, body in relation to tools. The study of these principles finally tune your body for efficient action. That’s how we achieve effortless power! 
08/03/2025
“Being martially functional is nice. But we are living in an age of social isolation, of declining living standards, of lowering social trust, and a mental health pandemic. You can’t punch these problems into submission.
I imagine a community of fit, studied, thoughtful people. If they happen to be able to fight, that’s great, but it’s not high on my list of priorities.”
Post from Tengu The contradiction at the heart of most martial arts discourse is that what makes a martial art “effective” and what keeps that martial art alive—I.e. financi...
07/17/2025
Advanced class tomorrow evening!
Sensei Jan and I have been discussing the importance of ukemi, and then Facebook decided to remind me of this article by Sensei John Sing!
https://www.aikido-ukemi.com/?p=5&fbclid=IwQ0xDSwLlMZtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHgM9KQUGkXMhaM4IButW7CBeKRhFiWQdzEKu-I7aseeHXWZJwqc698HVRX8K_aem_dZwL2cR_9Fb0JlG0aeL4Xw
Advanced Ukemi with Rhythm and Timing | Aikido-Ukemi.com Advanced Ukemi with Rhythm and Timing Posted on April 5, 2015January 16, 2016 by [email protected] The purpose of this blog is to be resource for the study of Aikido Ukemi (i.e. the Japanese Art of Falling safely) for Aikidoka everywhere. My Aikido Ukemi philosophy was taught to me by Ken Ota Sensei,...
07/16/2025
Our summer camp theme is The Book of Five Rings. Tuesday was 火 Fire Day. So we made S’mores!
06/03/2025
We came *this close* to having our own dojo cat when this little fella ran up to me from under my car.
Owners found us after about 5 minutes.
06/03/2025
We came *this close* to having our own dojo cat when this little fella ran up to me from under my car.
Owners found us after about 5 minutes.
05/17/2025
Something to listen to this weekend: Hear Mark Larson Shihan of Minnesota Aiki Shuren Dojo talk about Aikido and his training in Iwama on the Everyday Martial Artist podcast! https://everydaymartialartist.com/mark-larson-ep216/
| Monday | 5pm - 8pm |
| Tuesday | 4pm - 8pm |
| Wednesday | 5pm - 8pm |
| Thursday | 5pm - 8pm |
| Saturday | 9am - 12pm |