Hi Kokorokai I know we pushed the students hard in the "earlydays"..BUT joining the legion to get away..A bit extreme. I do recognise the boy. Is he still in? regards koyo
Koyo Just read in my dad's notes about a time (I do not know if your had a practise or were working at a community centre or even if my dad was there), when a known drug addict appeared and you refused him entry as he left he threated your mother and you went after him and had "words" with him :evil: he left white as a ghost.
I was to be disciplined for that one. I was to attend the following weak but the people of Possil heard and someone reported it to the papers and next thing I knew there was a write up in the Times telling how I single handedly turned a "drug infested" area into a safe haven for the kids. After that they started sending me to all the trouble spots. I could have done without THAT.My next posting was the Gorbals!! No good deed goes unpunished. regards koyo
Koyo do you remember an Aikido film you and my dad did for a TV program, not the one you mentioned above. It was only the 2 of you, my dad was uke and you put him through it.:evil: I think it was being shown abroad ??
It was Ara Waza severe techniques and it was decided that "It was not the image that those in power wished to project" so it sunk without trace. Even I never got to see it. regards koyo
I take it was mamby pamby techniques they wanted to show. All my dad has put down " Hard day today Bill was on top form...ouch"
Koyo I think you were involved with this ? My dad has written "We were working tonight....doormen, heard a ruckus inside went to investigate. 2 guys sitting and really causing trouble. I went over and said to them they have to keep the noise down.One stood up.... Jesus he was a giant and built like a bricks**t house.He shoued at me "Who said so" I pointed over and said.... Him :hat: He moved to hit "S" and I did ashi bari and "S" applied Irimi Nage he went flying over a few tables taking a few lads with him.We picked him up and got him out. We will clear this pub up." Koyo I take it the "S" is you ,when some called you Slim ? If not I appoligise for mistaken identity, but somehow I think not.:evil: Luv the bit about pointing to you:hat::evil: Working in this type of enviroment must have improved your Aikido technique and gave both of you confidence I would have thought ?
It did improve our confidence BUT in me it brought out an attitude of always being ready to kick off. Made it near impossible for someone to tap me on the shoulder to ask the time. Liked the challenge but not the feeling. regards koyo
This may come out wrong. Did it not help put to bed to some that Aikido does in deed work,(I know this was not the intention) because did some not think, in the "early" days, that Aikido was all mamby pamby.Surely the fact ,the both of you worked in this type of "hard" enviroment and did not get any physical injury prove to doubters that Aikido was a very effective martial art.Because at the time you both worked as bouncers Glasgow had a very bad reputation and many "hard men" or so they thought. I hope this is not sounding stupid.
In the early days no one thought aikido was namby pamby because we were training in the original manner and were quite ready to prove it did work. Not too many asked us. It was later when the "mystics" got involved that it began to lose it's effectiveness. For a time then I made it my business to show it DID work. Eventually it got so wattered down that I decided to hell with the politics,gradings and personalities, associations that don't associate with each other and "retired" into the Makotokai. Still find it amusing that those in aikido who say I have a "fighting mind" also say "If you don't believe it's effective..visit the makotokai." Incedently we were mostly hired as bouncers to control the bouncers who were rather enthusiastic in the application of their jobs. regards koyo
Koyo I am coming to Scotland on business If I can make it to Glasgow is it Ok to come along to a practise ?
More than welcome.You will have a place to stay a practice a great meal and a samurai movie of your choice. koyo
Can I ask did you have an understanding with each other if trouble broke out. I am thinking about the incident I spoke of earlier when you "sensed" trouble and my dad was further away from the incident, a guy was about to hit someone over the head from behind with a bottle and you took the bottle out of the guys hand as he raised it ,did Irimi around him and carried on leaving the guy totally bewildered and wondering where his so called weapon had gone. As I said my dad told me about this incident, then said "That is Aikido" I would have loved to see the expression on that guys face
Hello Bill Tommo here ( I am using Kris's user name for this post) Just a few words I am still not fully recovered from my recent relapse but through time I will get better. My son Kris has spoke to me every day about this site and the fact he is speaking to you through it, I decided to say a few words even though it is a certainty that I will "forget" that I put it down. I have read with interest most of your posts on various topics and told Kris to take in what you say, as a better teacher there is none (in my opinion) I know that sometimes I was a little hard to get on with:bang: but I thank you for all that you taught me, it will stay with me deep in the corridors of my brain.As you know due to my illness my memory is poor but now due to therapy I get flash backs. I remember some of the times training with Chiba and Sekiya Sensei and of our time in Glasgow.I know in my heart that the best times for me was training at the Habonim under your instruction. I have looked at the photos of me being Uke to you, that you have put on here but sad to say I have no memory of them, hopefully one day ?? Your true friend.....................and THANKS Tommo
Hello Tommo I have always thought of you as a true friend and part of the backbone of aikido when we were introducing it to Glasgow. I am off to a Western Eastern sword comparison seminar in about half an hour. As usual I get invited to all sorts of martial arts venues EXCEPT aikido. I hope you get well soon and who knows we might meet again. regards koyo
Hi Bill sorry it has taken a few days to reply but once again I am not at my best I was ill the last couple of days.I feel robbed that I cannot recall most of our time practising in Glasgow and various places throughout the UK, but I am thankful that I wrote down loads of material from our years together at the Habonim ,Uny and Bellahouston.I know Kris has put down some of our "work":hat: on threads here I have told him nothing to personal.One memory that sticks out was the time Chiba Shihan came to Bellahouston and you were uke for the whole weekend he used me once(thank God) but it was you he demonstrated techniques on, I cannot recall any other uke that took that amount of punishment he dished out to you over the weekend.To be honest Bill I was horrified ,I just couldn't believe what I was watching,I am right in saying that he knocked you out and continued the technique Irimi Nage on you even though you were out cold, I remember Jan being so up set that we stopped her going on the mat to face up to Chiba Shihan, Happy days eh.:hat:I also feel that no other person in the dojo that weekend could have taken half of what Chiba Shihan dished out that time,and to be honest I am sure most were thinking "I am glad it is not me" but it never put the true followers off Aikido, as yo have stated many left and NEVER came back. How did the sword seminar go ? You and I know the reason why most do not invite you to Aikido venues I will be back living in the UK soon when I do you must come down and visit Forever....Tommo
