Home · The Dojo
Your first visit, without the guesswork.
Walking into any new place is the hardest part. This page removes every unknown we can think of — and if we've missed one, just ask.
The essentials
- Where: Wyken Community Centre Hall, Westmorland Rd, Wyken, Coventry CV2 5PY
- When: Saturdays only, 12:15 – 2:00 pm
- Parking: free, on site, right by the entrance
- Changing rooms: on site, with space to leave your things
- Cost: your first class is completely free
- Booking: helpful but not required — you can simply turn up
The first hour, minute by minute
- 12:05 — arrive, park, and come to the hall. Introduce yourself to Aziz Sensei (he will be expecting you if you booked)
- 12:10 — change into loose clothing. Bare feet on the mat; shoes stay at the edge
- 12:15 — class bows in. Sit or stand at the side, or join the warm-up — your choice
- 12:30 — your first real lesson: how to fall safely. Everything in Aikido starts here
- 1:00 — simple techniques with a patient partner, at your pace
- 2:00 — class bows out. Stay for questions, or slip away — both are fine
Everything people worry about (and shouldn't)
Is it safe? What about injuries?
Aikido is cooperative — your partner is helping you learn, not trying to beat you. The first skill everyone learns is falling safely, and techniques are only ever practised at the speed you can handle. Classes are supervised throughout.
What’s the etiquette? I don’t want to get it wrong.
You can’t get it wrong on day one. We bow when stepping on and off the mat, we treat every partner with care, and we keep fingernails short. Everything else you’ll absorb naturally — nobody is graded on manners.
Do parents stay while their child trains?
Yes. Children are not dropped off at Hizashikan — a parent or guardian stays for the whole session. There are seats at the side of the mat. With one instructor, a parent in the room is the most direct safeguard there is, which is why this is an arrangement rather than a preference. Our safeguarding page sets out why.
Do I need to bring anything?
A bottle of water. That’s genuinely it.
More questions? See our FAQ →