Skip to content


British Aikido Board


The National Governing Body for Aikido in the United Kingdom.
Aikido is a martial art founded by Morihei Ueshiba, that focuses on harmonising with your opponent, it can be practiced as a sport, self defence and an art using hand to hand and japanese weapons.

Welcome to the British Aikido Board

The British Aikido Board seeks to:-

  • Represent the majority of bona fide organisations practicing aikido in the United Kingdom.
  • Support, encourage and promote the highest standards of aikido within an environment of mutual respect for offering styles practiced.
  • Raise awareness of the value of aikido not only as a contributor towards healthy living, but also in the development of adults, young people and children, without regard to race, gender or creed.

The British Aikido Board operates primarily through its member Associations. There are 42 currently Full Member Associations with 5 Associate and Probationary Member Associations of regional and national status, who each retain their independence, both technically and financially, with a combined membership of some 5,000 , which includes 1233 instructors holding current Coaching Awards.

The Board is recognised by Sport England , as the only governing body for aikido in the United Kingdom and is a member of the Sport and Recreation Alliance.

 

The Board seeks to further the advancement of all styles of aikido and to establish and monitor standards of safety and behaviour for practitioners of aikido.

The Board advises member Associations on all relevant UK and European legislation and procedures and develops appropriate policies and codes of practice.

Other services provided include:-
•  Insurance cover, for members, instructors and Associations.
•  Promotion of a Nationally recognised Coaching Scheme in conjunction with UK Coaching / Sport England.
•  Organising a National Courses.
•  Supporting initiatives to encourage the teaching of Aikido in schools.
•  Publishing Newsletters and specialist information bulletins eg. Safeguarding and Coaching.

The Board has completed a number of initiatives, arising from the work of their major Governance Audit and through the adoption of a wide range of recommendations, contained in their Aikido Development Plan will support their key objective of encouraging all Aikido groups to join together under this “Aikido umbrella”.

  • Entering Amazon from here before you purchase ensures the BAB is supported by Amazon.

  • Entering Amazon from here before you purchase ensures the BAB is supported by Amazon.

  • Entering Amazon from here before you purchase ensures the BAB is supported by Amazon.

  • Entering Amazon from here before you purchase ensures the BAB is supported by Amazon.

  • Entering Amazon from here before you purchase ensures the BAB is supported by Amazon.

Entering Amazon from here supports the BAB.

Return to the Dojo Status

Return to the Dojo Status

We have received confirmation from the DCMS that our combat sport framework action plan for British Aikido Board Members (Return to the dojo) has been approved and has been placed on the government website
Contact combat sports including Members of the British Aikido Board should only allow activities within the relevant phase to take place.

Approved contact combat sports can resume the following activity at these stages of the roadmap:

Please note that this advice is for the British Aikido Board and affiliates in England only. Non-affiliated organisations cannot practice under these rules. Please refer to our Return to the Dojo Action Plan detail page for full documentation

Step 3: 

·        Combat sports: the government have confirmed that at Step 3 combat sports will stay at phase 1 for adults indoor and outdoor, and phase 2 for children indoor and outdoor.

·        Indoor activity: can take place informally in groups of up to 6 / 2 households. Indoor organised activity can take place in larger numbers. This means that both adult and children classes can take place without number restrictions, as long as it is undertaken in line with Covid-secure guidance and adheres to the capacity restrictions for indoor sports facilities (100sqft per person).

·        Outdoor activity: can take place informally in groups of up to 30 people. Organised outdoor sport can take place with unlimited numbers.

·        Car sharing can now take place

·        Spectating can now take place indoor and outdoor. Spectators need to adhere to social gathering limits (maximum groups of 30 outdoors and maximum groups of six/two households indoors).  The rule for indoors is that the total number of participants, coaches, officials and spectators must be in line with the facility guidance on ventilation rates, the maximum occupancy of each indoor facility should be limited by providing 100sq ft per person.

National governing bodies are responsible for ensuring the phases are moved through gradually to ensure a duty of care for participants during their return to play.
This should be reflected in the approved guidance document, refer to the BAB Return to the Dojo Action Plan .

Steve Billett
webmaster@bab.org.uk
BAB Overall COVID Officer

Back To Top