“The history of aikido had not been systematically recorded. In 1977, the second Doshu, Kisshomaru Ueshiba Sensei, published the founder’s biography which is the first extensive biography of his father. But, certain very important areas were not really dealt with in-depth and certain people who had fallen out of favor with the Aikikai were neglected or not even mentioned. I don’t think it was something I could call a “balanced” biography although the book really is essential for anyone interested in the history of aikido.

I found the history for me to be a way of organizing a body of material and establishing its roots. It’s like an anchor-point for the activity, the discipline, the family, and so forth. It gives you a tie to some focal point that can help you guide and give you a sense of belonging or the desire to want to contribute to that extended family.”

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The caption for the photo states that Kano was highly impressed with O’Sensei’s budo. I’m wondering about the effect that Kano had on O’Sensei. The fact that Kano had ‘synthesized elements of old-style jujutsu schools with his own principles and philosophy of education to create modern judo’ sounds quite similar to what O’Sensei had done with Aikido. Knowing what Kano had done with Judo must have given O’Sensei some incentive to also create a ‘martial art’ that was ‘for the entire world’.

“This year again we asked the head of Tendokan, Shimizu Kenji, for an interview, that embroiders the begin of our 2001 New Year`s edition. Shimizu sensei will talk about ‘What is real strength’ and ‘Why polite manners are so important’. Issues, which reflect the ideas of Tendoryu aikido and which are being mentioned untiringly by Shimizu sensei during practice. Additionally, among others, we will learn further details about one of this year’s current issues, i.e. about the video project, that has been a popular request already for a long time and which finally will be taken up.”

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“Thirty-nine years ago, I was practicing in the Aikido club at the University of California at Berkeley. I was a new fourth kyu, and I remember looking at my partner and saying: “I know that I’m supposed to go along with you when you attack, but I don’t know what to go along with.” Since then, one element I have focused on in my AikidoÊ practice is sensing what uke is actually doing as she or he attacks.

The simple names of the various attacks don’t reflect the range of subtle differences in the actual ways that uke can move. We call one attack katatetori, but an actual, specific wrist grab may push forward or twist backward, or bear down or lift up, and so on and on. Katatetori is not just one attack. The label covers a wide range of similar attacks. One way of practicing is to see how a single defense technique might work against many different wrist grabs. Another way of practicing is to see how many defense techniques are required to actually go along with all the subtly unique attacks that are possible.”

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“Do you ever have doubts about continuing training? Maybe you show up at work one day with a spain, or a limp, or some injury due to training and your boss tells you to choose between your job and your hobby? It happens. What do you do when it does?

Everyone has a choice to make. What is best for your future, for your present, and what compromise can you make to get what you want verses what others around you want. It is the continuing struggle to please everyone around you and yourself too. Most people compromise, or they choose their job, and maybe that is why I have seen so many people come and go during my time with Aikido.

“I’m going to grab your wrist and not let you move. No matter what you try to do, I’m going to try to keep my feet anchored where I’m standing. Have you ever trained with someone like this? Sure, sometimes it’s appropriate to test your partner by “holding with ki” and making sure they move correctly. But what kind of an attack is this? Just to grab someone and hold them there? Aikido should be a dialogue. An exchange of energy. When you grab your partner and lower your weight with the intention of just stopping your partner’s movements then your attack has died.”

Brian Kagen is an avid web researcher with a particular interest in martial arts. His training background includes both judo and aikido. He has contributed hundreds of article links over the years for AJ readers.

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“Here is a topic that comes up alot in Threads on various martial arts Website Boards. “my (enter art) does not do well against (enter art). How do I use “My art” to defeat the other art?” Well I think there is a huge problem with this way of thinking as all “arts” are simply training methodologies defined by a set of training parameters that someone or some group established and identify with to teach us how to do the same thing “fight”. Why would you limit yourselff to the constraints of that methodology,? Lets hope you have a good match of methodology to the situation presented!”

“A Leon Cheval Production Old Man Sensei was made in 2006 and submitted to Tropfest in 2007. Actors are Nev Sagiba and Darryl Stebbing/Phillips (Manik Jones).”

Brian Kagen is an avid web researcher with a particular interest in martial arts. His training background includes both judo and aikido. He has contributed hundreds of article links over the years for AJ readers.

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“If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen, a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? What do you have then? A sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero’s path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.”

Brian Kagen is an avid web researcher with a particular interest in martial arts. His training background includes both judo and aikido. He has contributed hundreds of article links over the years for AJ readers.

“In Japanese use of the word, you cannot call yourself sensei. It’s used only by others when they address you or talk about you, if they feel that it is appropriate. That’s wonderful. You are only a teacher if somebody readily admits to being your student, i.e. turns to you in order to learn something. If you insist on teaching without being asked, you are something else.”

Brian Kagen is an avid web researcher with a particular interest in martial arts. His training background includes both judo and aikido. He has contributed hundreds of article links over the years for AJ readers.

“For more than thirty-nine years, Mary Heiny Sensei has followed a path of physical and spiritual inspiration as a student and teacher of Aikido. She started this journey in 1965 after watching Osensei teach a class at Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, Japan. The effect of this first encounter has inspired her through long hours of training and study”

Brian Kagen is an avid web researcher with a particular interest in martial arts. His training background includes both judo and aikido. He has contributed hundreds of article links over the years for AJ readers.

Click here to visit website.

“Whenever subjected to a force or applying a force ourselves, the first thing we notice is the impact that force has on our balance. We become exponentially weaker as our balance is taken, and our structure experiences catastrophic failure eventually leading us to fall or stagger. What is our usual reaction to an unexpected force and how does it lead to our loss of balance.”

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