Fees & Equipment
Low Fees
Flynn Sensei teaches for free.
The Club is run by Vassar students. We are a part of the Vassar
Students Association, which means they give us a budget and can cover many
of the expenses of the club. We try to keep costs down when we can.
You will not be charged for belt tests. If you pass—and we won’t test
you unless you will pass—we will need to register your new rank. It
costs $10 to register your rank officially with the JAA/USA. (Note:
they get the money; we don’t.) This will likely be your
responsibility. You do not have to test, but we recommend it.
There are no other fees.
We ask all members to help when they can with the fundraisers and
events that keep our club in the black.
Equipment
You will need to buy a dogi, also known as a judo uniform. Dogi are sized using a weird system that ranges from a Size 1 (very small) up to a Size 8 (really frigging huge). Most adults fit into either a Size 3, 4, or 5. In the chart that follows, rely on the height range more than the weight range.
| Dogi Size # | Approximate Height Range | Approximate Weight Range |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5′ 2″ to 5′ 7″ | 120 lbs to 160 lbs |
| 4 | 5′ 6″ to 5′ 11″ | 160 lbs to 190 lbs |
| 5 | 5′ 10″ to 6′ 3″ | 195 lbs to 220 lbs |
You can get dogi and other equipment on-line at martial arts supply stores, but we can get volume discounts if we order 5 or more at a time. The price is $35 for the bulk order or $50 one at a time. Please tell Flynn Sensei if you would like him to order you a uniform. The costs for dogi and other items are listed below. Try to organize group orders so as to save yourself some money. If you are going to order a dogi on your own, be sure to get a bleached uniform. Bleached uniforms are truly white. The unbleached uniforms are a sort of ugly tan color. (Please note that we recycle colored belts, so take good care of them!)
| Dogi uniform | $35 group order of 5 order; $50 single order |
|---|---|
| Bo staff | $12 group order of 5 or more; $18 single order |
| Bokken wooden sword | $7 group order of 5 or more; $10 single order |
| JAA/USA patch | $5 each |
Books
As your Aikido gets better, you should read some aikido books. The best book for beginners is Flynn Sensei’s book Understanding Shodokan Aikido: Basics through 7th Kyu. As your get further along, you should read Aikido: Tradition and the Competitive Edge by Fumiaki Shishida and Tetsuro Nariyama. Both are available on line from Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. In addition, you can order them directly from the publisher by clicking on the hyperlinks earlier in this paragraph.
