“In this article and in others in the series, Roy Suenaka Sensei demonstrates an undiluted aikido. It is Suenaka Sensei’s earnest desire to show that aikido is more than and the esthetically pleasing, but martially ineffective, art that so many schools practice — that aikido is, by design and when properly practiced, a dynamic and effective method of self-defense.
During this series, the reader will note that counter-strikes (atemi) are often used. Morihei Ueshiba (affectionately referred to as O’Sensei by his students), the founder of aikido, often stressed the importance of distraction and counterstrikes to disorient and distract the attacker’s focus (leading his mind away from his attack).(1)”
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“Believed to be in need of constant attention due to his health, young Gichen was given to his maternal grandparents in whose care he soon flourished. This action set about a chain of events which forever altered his life and literally thousands whom he in turn affected both directly and indirectly. While living with his grandparents, Gichen began attending primary school and in doing so befriended the son of the legendary Anko Azato. Azato was a very selective Karate teacher, and Funakoshi recalls in his autobiographical work “Karatedo My Way Of Life,” that at first he was Azato’s only student.
“This article follows on from my earlier article titled “Widen the Gap”. I noticed in my classes that the junior students would place their emphasis on the ‘throw’ and display an eagerness to complete the technique and throw their partner. This is perfectly understandable, since that is how we can judge our progress in Aikido.
“Im not totally convinced one way or the other. I haven’t been sold on either side of the argument as of yet. Should you punch on the street or use the open hand or palm strikes in stead? There are a number of considerations.
“Hajime!” Sensei Gayle Fillman bellowed in Japanese, clapping two wooden blocks together. On cue, the knot of children crept forward on the mats hoping to outwit their teacher in a game of Aikido-style “greenlight-redlight.”
In contrast to most of those contributing to your website, I don’t have a high level in aikido. My experience is limited to a practice of Aikikai aikido for four years with Gilbert Maillot, a student of Christian Tissier. After that, I began Yoshinkan Aikido with Jacques Muguruza, technical director for Europe and a student for several years of Gozo Shioda, as you know.
“Senta Yamada was born in Fukuoka Japan in 1924, and he is the founder of Kikusui Kai. He studied Judo with its founder, Dr. Jigaro Kano, who sent him to study Aikido with its founder. In 1961, he first published his book, The Ancient Secrets Of Aikido, which was revised and reprinted in 2004. Recently he has been involved in humanitarian aid, helping the government of Sri Lanka feed its people and grow its economy by providing information on new farming techniques designed to increase crop yields. Everyone who meets him comes away feeling blessed to have met such a great yet peaceful and humble, “gentle” man.
I ran across this fascinating video clip on youtube while doing a bit of research on yoga. I have been dabbling in this discipline to strengthen my back. What do you think of this from the standpoint of the martial artist?
Many years ago, I read an essay written by an artist who had worked in the theater. In his writing he pictured a brief, dramatic moment: two generals, leaders of opposing forces yet magnetized by some deep mutual sympathy, are advancing toward each other along the edge of a sword. This vision of the meeting of opposites, the joining of the seemingly irreconcilable, stayed with me and may have been one of the many impressions that eventually led me to aikido.
Statistics reveal that in today’s world the practice of communal gathering is in decline more than ever before. This is cause for concern. Family gatherings are all but unknown and concomitantly psychiatric disease is on the rise with all manner of behavioural and substance abuses on the increase.
“On November 8, 2008, we lost yet another one of the legends of martial arts, Hidetaka Nishiyama. He was the most senior of all the JKA (Japan Karate Association) Masters and now he has passed.
“Well. When I was 1st Kyu (the level just below Black Belt) in Judo I entered a competition and happened to be drawn to fight against my senior from the dojo – a second Dan, I think. So I beat him and afterwards he came over to me and said: ‘You have taken anyway my Judo, but I still have Kendo.’ He issued me a challenge. So we went outside. He gave me a bokken (wooden sword) and took a Kendo shinai (bamboo practice sword)for himself. Once we started I was unable to touch him . . . not even once! He beat me soundly and I was black and blue with bruises. After this I thought deeply about the meaning of Budo.