In the martial arts the direct transmission from teacher to student is high valued, so too in the west we find this as well. The video below shows the transmission of a western ‘battle field’ practice to a direct student. Note the challenges of cross cultural communication are at work here. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=txfHVG3ioAs] Some other opinions on teaching, learning etc… here… Read more →
Internal Strength: How we got started
Its about a decade ago since Andrew Sunter and I dropped by the Aikido Yuishinkai headquarters for Kansai (See Budo Bums in Japan). While we were there Okajima Sensei showed us some ‘other budo’ that in time was revealed to us through Aikido Yuishinkai. Dial forward a few years and the material was presented in Australia, fortunately Catherine Schnell captured… Read more →
Hawaiki – Mike gets some hands on IP training!
by Michael Nash When you first set eyes on Hawaii you feel a sense of welcome, the embrace is in the land and the people. Time slows; the spirit of Aloha overtakes you, better to let it take hold. If you have a need for rapid response times and carefully planned agenda’s you will be endlessly frustrated in Hawaii. Drinking… Read more →
Dusting off the Dogi
Yep its time to dust off the Dogi , starch up the hakama and get out the deodorant for a new year of training. Our first official class is this Thursday night so look forward to seeing you there. Over the break some of us have been busy including Mike who managed to attend an internal strength seminar in Hawaii… Read more →
AIki as an energy minimisation problem
Just back from a weekend in Sydney, where Andrew Sunter Sensei’s dojo held some inspirational gradings (see Sydney Aikido facebook group for more info). Congratulations to one and all, and Brett from Grafton dojo who also graded. The day before there was some opportunity to share a little something we have been working on up here in Brisbane. I’ve been… Read more →
Maruyama Sensei Recommends “Soul of the Samurai”
Recently Will Reed Sensei recommended the following on his facebook page Recommended by Maruyama Sensei to understand the core of Aikido Yuishinkai as Budo. “Soul of the Samurai” Modern Translations of Three Classic Works of Zen and Bushido written by Yagyu Munenori and Zen Master Takuan. Translated by Thomas Cleary http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Samurai-Tuttle-Martial-Arts/dp/0804836906 Kindle Edition also available. I also found it on… Read more →
Osaka Adventures With Okajima sensei
Osaka Adventures With Okajima sensei by Grant Periott Sensei, Shibucho Gold Coast Daitoryu Takumakai I regularly travel to Osaka to practice Daito-ryu with my sensei in Takumakai. This trip (May 2013), I thought I would follow up on a recommendation to meet Yushinkai’s Okajima sensei as well. Thanks to Dan James who arranged for my introduction. Arriving at Okajima sensei’s… Read more →
REED13: Day two!
Day 2 of Will Reed Sensei, by Craig Boyd First session was a master class in basics, Sensei covered off the the warm ups and basic wazza lots of gems for everyone regarding center and it’s importance in centering and defining sides and how These feelings can be used to generate internal power. Timing was a big feature along with… Read more →
Toppling Aiki
Chris Li’s Part 3 of Analysing Aiki is a terrific read on unbalancing and the mental/physical connection between uke and nage. I think there might even be seeing some support for the humble Aikiphysics Base of Support and Topple theory, but this time from a credible source Mr. Yoshimaru’s heels are floating, the center of gravity of the triangular body… Read more →
What is Aiki?
Chris Li of Sangenkai, Hawaii provides a multipart brilliant translation of a Japanese work analysing Aiki, by a prominent student of the Daito Ryu’s Sagawa Sensei. Read on for more http://www.aikidosangenkai.org/blog/ Its terrific food for thought with our own humble efforts to date looking decidedly shabby. Read more →
REED13 registrations are open!
Hi Everyone, REED13 registrations are open for our August seminar with William Reed Sensei on reed13.aikidorepublic.com/registration Thankyou for the very strong support and intrest we have received in the past few weeks, locally with offers of mats and help on the weekend and incredible intrest from interstate colleagues. We have finalised a very exciting programme with Reed Sensei starting on… Read more →
Internal Strength, but wait theres more…
A real pleasure to have Andrew Sunter sensei visit our dojo again. We have been exploring internal strength and its ‘Ura’? existence in our school for some time now, and so the opportunity to practice with him after he had a chance to work with Gleason Shihan in Sydney was a terrific opportunity and quite a few more concepts to… Read more →
Andrew Sunter Sensei, Guest classes Thursday April 25th (ANZAC Day)
UPDATE: We will be at the Mt. Gravatt Showgrounds for this event – from 6:30pm. See http://www.aikidorepublic.com/dojo-alternate-location On ANZAC day, Thursday April 25th we will have good friend and senior aikido instructor Andrew Sunter Sensei as guest of the dojo (see brief bio ) to teach two classes. Sunter sensei is one of Aikido Yuishinkai’s most senior instructors and a… Read more →
Solo training in Aikido
Solo training is not a new idea in aikido, when you think of all the taiso at the start of class and the weapons kata there is plenty of it. But what is relatively new (well what’s old is new anyway) is the idea of purpose behind solo training. “Your aikido will only improve when your concept of aikido improves”… Read more →
Everything is Soutai
“Everything is Soutai” There were the confusing and somewhat troubling words that Okajima sensei left me with on my last visit to Japan. Confusing mentally as well as troubling that this might be the direction that the successor of Aikido Yuishinkai is headed and what might become of Aikido arts?. With the fullness of time, and insights from around the… Read more →