Category Archives: training
Aiki Demonstration
Thanks to the plague, it is rare we have the opportunity to do these anymore. My uke, O’Brien Sensei, and I, have been presenting these for so long they have become an entertainment piece we perform for young children. Nevertheless, … Continue reading
Progress, Perhaps
I remember in the olden days, as a low ranked yudansha, becoming quite excited every time we were shown a new weapons pair form. We videoed it, usually from multiple angles, for future reference, and practiced until it was duly … Continue reading
Back Yard Swing
We have been in home quarantine for the past week. During previous lockdowns, we have been able to send the kids out for a bike ride or a run to break up the monotony. This time, we were caught up … Continue reading
Again, No Walls
We have just been informed by the university where we have been training for the past decade or so that, as we no longer have any university students as members, we can no longer avail ourselves of their facilities. This … Continue reading
Spiritual Practices
Early this year, I introduced students to a way of practicing their suburi that incorporated kotodama and a specific controlled form of breathing. One of the senior students suggested the exercise become part of our everyday curriculum. It will not. … Continue reading
The Danger of Weapons Training
There is a danger that when students train regularly with weapons that they become blasé, when the danger should be the weapons training itself. There can be no lasting benefit, physically, mentally, or spiritually, in martial arts training, if it … Continue reading
Tactics
This piece has been prompted by some recent forays I have had students make into creative, semi-free form, Aiki Jo Jutsu practice. Arrian, Xenophon, Sun Tsu, Musashi, von Clausewitz, these and many, many other authors I have been reading since … Continue reading
A Proud Moment
Recently my youngest daughter was bullied at her high school. This included being restrained by one older, larger student while another stole her phone and art folder. Without panicking, my daughter went straight into one of the self defense escape … Continue reading
Power Struggle
Recently, we did suburi in class with a slight change and I was able to observe the power in our techniques from a different perspective. Ji Cho once challenged me after a class to think about the nature of power. … Continue reading