British Aikido Board

The National Governing Body for Aikido in the United Kingdom.
Aikido is a martial art founded by Morihei Ueshiba, that focuses on harmonising with your opponent, it can be practised as a sport, self defence and an art using hand to hand and japanese weapons.

Welcome to the British Aikido Board

The British Aikido Board seeks to:-

  • Represent the majority of bona fide organisations practicing aikido in the United Kingdom.
  • Support, encourage and promote the highest standards of aikido within an environment of mutual respect for offering styles practiced.
  • Raise awareness of the value of aikido not only as a contributor towards healthy living, but also in the development of adults, young people and children, without regard to race, gender or creed.

The British Aikido Board operates primarily through its member Associations. There are 53 currently Full Member Associations with 0 Associate and Probationary Member Associations of regional and national status, who each retain their independence, both technically and financially, with a combined membership of some 5,000 , which includes 1236 instructors holding current Coaching Awards.

The Board is recognised by Sport England , as the only governing body for aikido in the United Kingdom and is a member of the Sport and Recreation Alliance.

 

The Board seeks to further the advancement of all styles of aikido and to establish and monitor standards of safety and behaviour for practitioners of aikido.

The Board advises member Associations on all relevant UK and European legislation and procedures and develops appropriate policies and codes of practice.

Other services provided include:-
•  Insurance cover, for members, instructors and Associations.
•  Promotion of a Nationally recognised Coaching Scheme in conjunction with UK Coaching / Sport England.
•  Organising a National Courses.
•  Supporting initiatives to encourage the teaching of Aikido in schools.
•  Publishing Newsletters and specialist information bulletins eg. Safeguarding and Coaching.

The Board has completed a number of initiatives, arising from the work of their major Governance Audit and through the adoption of a wide range of recommendations, contained in their Aikido Development Plan will support their key objective of encouraging all Aikido groups to join together under this “Aikido umbrella”.

  • Entering Amazon from here before you purchase ensures the BAB is supported by Amazon.

  • Entering Amazon from here before you purchase ensures the BAB is supported by Amazon.

  • Entering Amazon from here before you purchase ensures the BAB is supported by Amazon.

  • Entering Amazon from here before you purchase ensures the BAB is supported by Amazon.

  • Entering Amazon from here before you purchase ensures the BAB is supported by Amazon.

Entering Amazon from here before you purchase ensures the BAB is supported by Amazon.

British Aikido Board

BAB Chairman – Piers Cooke

Piers started training in 1981/2 and for 17 years or so practiced under Sensei Ken Williams of The Ki Federation of GB, attaining the rank of 5th Dan.

As is often the way in aikido there came a parting of the ways and he teamed up with his brother Quentin Cooke and they formed a new Association, Aikido for Daily Life.  ADL promptly joined the BAB and also subsequently aligned with Koretoshi Maruyama Sensei. Maruyama Sensei was the ex President & chief instructor of the Ki No Kenyukai, which was the organisation Tohei Sensei formed. Maruyama sensei was also one of O Sensei’s uchi dechi. Maruyama Sensei graded Piers to 7th Dan.

Piers teaches at the Surrey Hills Aikido club based on top of Leith Hill near Dorking and has done since 1986. Although he had a solid grounding in Ki Aikido he would now say that he is a student of all aikido.

Piers joined the BAB in 2000 quickly became the finance officer and has served on the Executive for the last 20 years. He was elected to be the new Chairman of the BAB in November 2020. He would love to see the aikido community come together in order to see aikido become more practised and relevant to today’s hectic and troubled society.

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