About us

Welcome to the Shinsei Aiki Martial System

The word Shinsei means ‘new way’ in Japanese. This is not to discount the lessons of the old ways; it honours the lessons they teach but frames them in a new way more relevant to the modern age.

Aiki, is the core concept of Japanese martial arts such as Aikido and Aiki-jujutsu. It promotes blending with an attacker’s movement to redirect or neutralise their force, rather than meeting it with a counter force. It involves learning to coordinate the mind and body to generate internal power that can be applied effectively through the application of effective, dynamic and fluid movements. It also involves understanding the mental and emotional aspects of conflict and while the study is rooted in the practice of martial arts, the lessons learnt can be applied to everyday interactions. It should be noted that whilst the concept of Aiki is Japanese, it is not unique to Japan. The principles of blending, redirecting force, and harnessing internal energy resonate with similar concepts in various martial arts and cultural contexts found around the world.

A martial system is a specific, modern approach to studying martial arts which emphasises specific principles, concepts, strategies, and tactics. To this end our system provides a principles-based approach to training in the application of the concept of Aiki incorporating aspects of eastern and western martial art styles and methodologies.

The Chief Instructor, Don, has been studying martial arts in one form or another for most of his life and in 1992 he discovered Zanshin Ryu Aikido which is based on the teachings of Master Pat Stratford. Don has never looked back and still trains under his teachers, friends and mentors, Tariq and Furrkh, who created the Small Circle Aikido Club in Coventry when they inherited Master Stratford’s dojo.

The South Ruislip Club was created in 2000 when the club moved from its home in Perivale. A very capable student, Richard, agreed to take over the instructor role when Don moved to Dorset. Richard has done a great job running the club and has kept it under the umbrella of Shinsei.

The Broadstone Club was created in 2016 when Don moved to the area and started training with his Assistant Instructor, Matt. Matt brought with him many years of training in various martial arts including Aikido. Since 2016, Matt has gone from strength to strength and has become an excellent instructor and proponent of Shinsei.

The Coleford Club was created in 2025 by Brian who has been a student of Don since 2005, An experienced and certified instructor, Brian decided to open his own club in Coleford following his move to the area.

Together we have created clubs where we pride ourselves on being welcoming and we strive to create an environment where every club member, regardless of age, fitness level or capability, can study Aiki and apply the lessons learnt. Not only in conflict situations but also in daily life. There is no question that the strength of our clubs not only lies in the quality of the instructors but it is also, in large part, due to the quality and commitment of the club members.

Just 3 reasons to join us

WHY JOIN Shinsei Aiki Martial System?

DEFENCE

You will learn how to defend yourself if needed and to do this by causing the minimum damage to your attacker necessary to preserve yourself. We teach a self defence system which the instructors have developed through over 50yrs of martial arts training. As you progress you will develop skills in applying strikes, locks and throws that work for your age, capability and body type.

community

We’re a friendly and supportive group of people. What unites us is our shared passion for studying the system and our desire to grow together. We are drawn from all walks of life, both male and female and a wide range of ages. Know that when you come, you’ll be made welcome and there will be a smooth and gradual introduction to what we do.

Self-improvement

We offer a system everyone can benefit from through a blend of:

● Physical fitness
● Increased clarity around conflict
● Enhanced confidence
● A deeper understanding of your body’s capabilities.

You will also learn the philosophy and principles of our system. Primarily, this applied to your learning but it is also very relevant and useful in daily life.

ENJOYABLE

There is no question that studying a martial art can be frustrating at times and for most people it does not come easy. But if something isn’t challenging then perhaps it’s not worth studying. We firmly believe that the rewards from studying our Martial System are numerous and well worth the sacrifice in time and effort to train. A few rewards to consider are the joy of mastering new skills, the fun of training together with like-minded people, and the satisfaction gained from finding your way of doing the techniques taking into account your experience and capabilities.

Come AND train with us

You are never too old to start training in our system and because it does not rely on strength or speed it is an activity you can carry on for life. The first session is always free, so apart from your time, there is little to lose by coming along and giving it a try. If you don’t feel comfortable starting straight away, or just want to see what the system is all about, then you are welcome to come and watch. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us or ask us when you come. Any one of the instructors will be happy to answer any questions as best we can.