May Community Spotlight: Logan Square Aikido

Hey Five Point Community!

Last month we launched a new initiative called the Community Spotlight with the purpose of commending and promoting like-minded progressive businesses in our local community. We want to thank The Dill Pickle for being our first partner in this endeavor. It was a fun month, and we look forward to continuing to march together as the Chicago co-op movement grows.

For our second month we are highlighting a relatively new business to the area, one that bodes well for the health and wellness of our community: Logan Square Aikido.

Logan Square Aikido

Another obvious choice for our spotlight program, our newest neighborhood Dojo settled into its brick and mortar at 2845 N Kedzie within the past year.  Organized as a non-profit by instructors Enmei Hunter and Chris Wagner, their mission statement can be simply broken down to three words: Fitness, Focus, and Community. These values are three big reasons we chose them for our spotlight.

What is Aikido?

Aikido means “the way of harmony with the force and principle of nature.” Aikido is a non-competitive martial art that utilizes throws, joint locks, and pins to counter the force of aggressors. The techniques of Aikido seek to blend and harmonize with the force of an attack and use dynamic movements and positioning to establish control. Through partnered practice, students learn to both apply and receive techniques correctly. Over time, each student will develop the ability to respond more dynamically, deal with more forceful attacks, and develop better overall body and situational awareness.

Martial arts are built on the similar philosophical frameworks as Chinese Medicine and thus recognize the importance of balance between the mind and body.

Fitness & Focus

As mentioned earlier, the elements of fitness and focus are intertwined. At Five Point we believe that moderation and balance are the keys to long-term physical and mental health. From a fitness perspective, moderation has become more and more difficult due to a modern emphasis on high intensity forms of fitness. It is refreshing to see a balanced, holistic approach to physical and mental wellness available in our neighborhood. 

Logan Square Aikido offers a full schedule of Aikido along with Zazen meditation to offer a uniquely holistic approach to achieving a heightened physical and mental state of being. To quote them, “Aikido training can lead to personal transformations. Benefits include increased balance, flexibility and aerobic conditioning, greater self-confidence, and the ability to deal with stressful situations more effectively. Through our martial practice and strong sense of community, Logan Square Aikido seeks to foster the development of the whole person.”

Community

From the time we opened in the neighborhood, Chris and Enmei were supporters of our business. They are genuinely interested in building local community, making a point to be inclusive and welcoming, and working alongside other organizations for the benefit of the neighborhood.

The Deal

Logan Square Aikido is graciously offering a special promotion to Five Point patients during the month of May:

• 4 introductory classes for $50 OR

• Unlimited classes for 1 month for $80 (typically $100)

Discounts are also always available for patrons aged 16-21 and over 55.

Thank you Logan Square Aikido

Lastly, we want to simply say THANK YOU to Logan Square Aikido for being another seed in the movement for social justice and conscious business practices. Keep being awesome, and we look forward to working together for years to come!

Learn more about Logan Square Aikido’s history on their website. Also like them on Facebook to keep updated with current happenings.