The club in action

Classes are carefully structured depending on your experience/grade, along with any other individual requirements. Iaido students normally start off with a plastic or wooden sword and as you gain in confidence and skill, you move on to training with an Iaito - a blunt but otherwise highly realistic Japanese sword. Sharp swords, or Shinken, are only used under very careful supervision on special 'test cutting' days, where we practice our cutting skills on rolled-up bamboo mats. Comfortable sports clothes can be worn at the beginning, but you will then need to get a special Iaido training tunic and trousers, and Hakama - pleated trousers worn in traditional Japanese martial arts. Full advice can be given on buying clothing and equipment. See the gallery opposite for a taste of how we train....