“Both of these guys are very dedicated and are already getting frustrated at missing regular training.” These first 5 steps are taken from a neat little site “EHow” which seems to have advice on...
Archive - February 2016
Josh GoldHow I saved my back for Aikido… You can too! by Stanley Pranin
“Put together a routine that meets your needs, and you’ll enjoy a greatly improved quality of life” Today I’d like to show you some of the yoga and stretching exercises that I’ve...
Disappear in your opponent’s blind spot!
“Create a strong base while making yourself invisible” “Daily practice begins with tai no henko. First open your fingers. The basis of ura movements is footwork. Bring the toes of your left foot to...
When Koichi Tohei and Morihiro Saito Met For the Last Time: October 29, 2001 by Stanley Pranin
During my many years in Japan, one of the highlights I especially remember took place on October 29, 2001 when Morihiro Saito Sensei visited the home of Koichi Tohei Sensei after a hiatus of nearly 30 years. This...
Stanley Pranin: Frustrating your opponent’s ability to grab and moving to the blind spot
“Setting the stage for a successful execution of techniques” Aikido training in virtually all styles follows a series of rituals. Students seldom question the techniques and assumptions that underlie what...
“Look… O-Sensei had no wrists!” by Stanley Pranin
“Morihei Ueshiba’s remarkable physical development” This is quite an interesting photo taken in the early 1960s at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo which would put the Founder in his late 70s. O-Sensei’s...
Self-Defense in Daily Life: Risk Takers vs. Risk Mitigators by Stanley Pranin
People of all walks of life begin to learn self-defense for a variety of reasons. Usually they choose to study a martial art. These arts — the majority of which are of Asian origin — offer courses in which...
“One change you can make to dramatically improve your aikido!” by Stanley Pranin
“If aikidoka continue to practice this way over the course of their careers, never noticing this failure to unbalance their partner, their technique will remain ineffective.” Editor’s Note: This short...
The Body is the Temple of the Spirit by Stanley Pranin
“We may all have to age, but our expectations as to how fast and to what degree this process will occur are conditioned by what we see in society around us.” From Aikido Journal #112 (1997) I’ve been holding...
“Go no Sen” — The Path to Defeat by Stanley Pranin
The term “Go no Sen” is frequently used in Japanese martial arts as part of a theoretical framework to describe a particular circumstance where an attacker initiates a martial encounter. One definition of...