Club finds meaning in aikido martial arts

For members of the IU Aikido Club, martial arts have a deeper meaning than Keanu Reeves dodging bullets.\n"It's like life," club instructor Agnieszka Drobniak said. "It's about balance, flexibility and control." \nIn more ways than one, aikido aims to teach those three difficult values, said Drobniak. \nThe object is not necessarily to harm or destroy your opponent, said 5th degree black belt and chief instructor Guy Haskell. Rather, it is to match the degree of retaliation to the amount of threat presented, therefore neutralizing an attacker without using an unwarranted amount of aggression. \nThe philosophy and spirituality of the art are rooted as firmly as the physical aspect, Haskell said. Those trained in aikido are taught the importance of nature and energy. \n"Nature abhors a straight line," Haskell said. "The structure of an atom, a hurricane, a tornado. Aikido attempts to use that power and apply it to everyday situations." \nTranslated from Japanese, the word "aikido" roughly means "the way of unity with the fundamental force of the universe," according to the United States Aikido Federation's Web site, http://www.usaikifed.com. This harmony plays an important role in the underlying values of the style. \n"The spirit of aikido is harmony with another's energy," instructor David Villanueva said.\nThe spiritual and intellectual tools learned in aikido training can be applied to daily problems, said Drobniak. \nVillanueva said the roots of aikido descend from Japanese samurai techniques. Developed over a span from the 1930s to the 1960s by Morihei Ueshiba, who is referred to as o-sensai, it is a martial art consisting of many locks and holds. A set of weapons including wooden swords and staffs is sometimes employed.\nDue to its use of natural body movements, Villanueva said aikido is accessible to people of all ages and genders. Also, martial arts are widely considered a great way to maintain health, and aikido is certainly no exception.\nHaskell said the training involved can satisfy many different interests, such as physicality, self-defense, and philosophy.\nAt IU, the Aikido Club has been in existence for at least a quarter of a century said Villenueva. Currently, there are about 20 active members, and the instructors welcome new-comers. The tradition in aikido is to have advanced students work with newer ones to encourage personal improvement. This gives everyone a sense of accomplishment and makes everyone feel like part of a community. \nThe Aikido Club meets in the Fort, a dojo or practice area, on the second story of the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation building on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The HPER also offers E100, an introductory aikido course.