Why Anyone Can Practice Iaido

Are you interested in iaido?

Don’t think you have the skills?

From an outsider’s perspective, iaido might seem scary. People wielding deadly sharp swords all together in one room? Sounds like one accident away from disaster, right?

In actuality, iaido is quite safe. You aren’t handed a katana on your first day. You start with a bokken – a wooden sword – to practice the basic movements. You’ll use this bokken until you and your sensei are confident that you’re ready to use a dull metal sword called an iaito. After doing well with the iaito, you can move up to a real sword. Every martial artist moves at their own pace, and there’s no shame in using the bokken or iaito longer than some of your dojo mates. Iaido is about personal growth and development rather than competition.

While iaido is safe, it’s always important to remember no physical activity is completely free of risk. At JMAC, we train in a safe and systematic way to help reduce risk, and we can proudly say our dojo has never seen a serious injury! 

Iaido might also seem like it’s for young, fit, skilled individuals, but that’s not the truth. Just like with any new activity, when you begin iaido, you aren’t immediately going to be good at it. Don’t let that discourage you. Even your skilled dojo mates and sensei had to start from square one! If you feel like you’re too clumsy to practice iaido, just give it some time. You won’t hurt anyone or yourself with a bokken and iaido’s precise movements will teach you focus and control. Iaido is also great for older people and non-athletes because it involves relatively slow movements that don’t challenge the cardiovascular system as much as other martial arts.

You, Yes YOU, Can Start Iaido in Ann Arbor

What will you learn when you start iaido in Ann Arbor?

Iaido will teach you precision, efficiency, attention to detail, focus, and confidence. Still unsure about iaido? JMAC holds iaido classes on Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday. See our full schedule. Drop by a class and observe to see if it meets your expectations. 

Don’t be intimidated! You won’t be locked into a contract immediately. You can take two free private lessons to try iaido out, and if you like it, you can sign up for a 2-month trial membership. You can opt out anytime within those 2 months. 

Iaido is for everyone! Contact us today to begin iaido in Ann Arbor.