David Renner

Currently training to become an Aikido instructor, 1st Dan in Aikido

In my youth, I was never much of a sportsman. The competitive aspect put me off team sports, even though I wouldn’t have been able to put it quite like that at the time. So, until then, I’d only done a bit of sabre fencing and a few taster sessions in judo. Only Aikido managed to fascinate me. However, there were too few opportunities for me to take it up consistently as a teenager. In 2004, my voluntary military service came to an end and I was fitter than I’d ever been in my life. I used that spark of self-confidence to try something new and get more deeply involved with Aikido. Even back then, I was training with Dirk Kropp. Unfortunately, I had to stop training after less than two years for personal reasons.

In 2022 – now in my forties and once again completely out of shape – there were further changes in my personal life. I plucked up the courage to overcome my introversion once more. The plan was to get a bit more exercise again, and my old fascination with Aikido was to provide the motivation for this. The harmonious and peaceful environment, the meditative style and the warm welcome from everyone soon led to me training 3–4 times a week. In my youth, I was fascinated by Aikido because of the prospect of being able to defend myself without having to become the aggressor. Through regular training, this fascination grew, fuelled by the healthy exercise and my first attempts at meditation.

In early 2024, Giuseppe Di Guardia completed his training as an Aikido instructor. I seized this opportunity to look more closely into this training programme. By then, I was training almost every day. After careful consideration of whether to embark on this training programme, which lasts at least five years, I agreed with Dirk Kropp to begin my training in January 2025. Through my training to become an Aikido instructor, I also wish to help preserve and uphold the safe space that has made my development to date possible in the first place.