“Aikido has a very powerful martial efficacy when trained properly. It’s simply been trained out by certain groups or teachers over the years as it was watered down.” The text below was submitted as a...
Archive - October 2013
Josh GoldWhat exactly is going on here? “Morihei meets Sokaku — The Untold Story” by Stanley Pranin
The story of the association between Morihei Ueshiba and Sokaku Takeda as retold by Kisshomaru Ueshiba in various of his publications is seriously deficient in terms of historical accuracy. Early on, Sokaku Takeda, the...
“How Aikido changed my life,” by Daniel Brasse
“Saito Sensei did not disappoint and I knew right away that I needed to experience life at the dojo in Iwama!” As I sat quietly in seiza next to Saito Sensei’s bed, with Rie-san translating his words, a...
*You can’t learn from a video… but I won’t let you film me because my techniques will be stolen!*
*You can’t learn from a video… but I won’t let you film me because my techniques will be stolen!* No kidding! I once heard a famous martial arts instructor voice these two viewpoints within a single...
The Iwama Aikido Curriculum from Morihiro Saito, 9th dan
There are literally hundreds of aikido techniques handed down from Morihei Ueshiba’s years in Iwama following World War II. They form the core techniques of modern aikido. The problem for aikido practitioners is...
“Sensen no Sen: Taking Performance to the Next Level,” by David Shaner
“Peak performance requires calmness under stress, which yields expanded awareness, which feeds the ability to clearly focus on the right ‘stuff.'” Suppose you are trying to take your performance to the...
“Bruce Lee on blending with one’s opponent,” by Stanley Pranin
“I believe Bruce Lee is talking about blending with the direction of movement of one’s opponent.” While on Facebook yesterday, a photo of Bruce Lee with his teacher Yip Man with the above transcription...
“Advantages of Seiza and Shikko in the Eyes of a Physiotherapist,” by Bartłomiej Gajowiec
Seiza, the basic sitting position in Far East culture, and shikko – simply speaking – knee walking, are two fundamentals of aikido. Many parents and dojo members ask me if these exercises are healthy and harmless to the...