Hi Koyo What a week, just browsed through this thread, interesting so much there is with aikido, the more you open yourself to it the more there is. Must be where of the flood. To think I all those years ago as a child I would fall in love with aikido. I am never happier than when i practice / learn aikido. I notice by your D.O.B that you are of simular age to my sensei Colin Pike, could Iask do you know of him? Have you read many of O sensei,s books. Most of his saying are quite abstract, whats your thought on these? Great thread keep it up. Aikipad
Sensei Pike's name sounds so familiar I am sure our paths must have crossed particularly if he trained under Chiba shihan.Please pass on my best wishes anyway.(I was known as "slim" Coyle in those days) As for O Sensei's words, a number of the early shihan said that THEY found difficulty understanding him!!!! The one "Welcome your attacker like a long lost friend." was explained as "Be aware and do not hesitate for an instant when confronted, be absolutely aware BUT "unconcerned". I had this demonstrated by Sekiya shihan (Chiba shihan's father in law) when, no matter how hard or fast I attacked, I was controlled (welcomed?) and there was great power in the technique but no malice. regards koyo
That's an interesting post, Koyo. Also a very interesting thread. My club is officially aikikai aikido, but we are known to train in all different styles we come across. This thread actually cleared up a few things what one of my teachers says all the time, just like your last post: The one "Welcome your attacker like a long lost friend." was explained as "Be aware and do not hesitate for an instant when confronted, be absolutely aware BUT "unconcerned". Well, that sure helps, I would never be able to make sense out of the first sentence. Though, I don't know much about the different styles, I just took what was available to me. Great posts, keep it up
Hi Billy you certainly have been studying aikido a long time.I'm recently new to the site and like it a lot especially the aikido.I actually study hapkido at the moment under one of your old students Master Mark Gaitens,anyway just thought i'd say hello.
Welcome to MAP bacurrie45 please feel free to post on the aikido forums. All input from any martial artist is welcome. master Gaitens name is vaguely familiar )I have had so many students over the years) Please pass on my regards. regards koyo
Thank you very much Koyo on your post. I met TK Chiba shihan in 1986 at the old dojo on University Ave. in San Diego. That was my first step in the world of Aikido and it became a part of my life to me. Domo Arigato Gozaimashita
You could not have found a better introduction to aikido. Although Chiba shihan certainly stressed the martial effectiveness of the art,, he also said that we must transcend violence and allow the art to impact on all areas of our life. Of course to transcend violence you must go through it, hence the VERY demanding training.One seminar was an absolute nitemare for me.I was kcocked around and left lying at the side of the mat until ready to go for it again and again.Afterwards it was pointed out that I had shown the effectiveness of aikido not by the number of people I could knock down but by the number of times I could get back up.He really builds spirit in his students. A true master of budo. regards koyo
I just saw that in my mind right now... With a big smile. I understand why you remember the details vividly... Memorable scene!
I took a class under Ikeda Shihan in September. He said in broken English, "Big dog: quiet, not bark so much. Little dog: bark, bark, bark, bark, bark." He went on to explain that power is quiet, and the more power we have, the less need we feel to show it. It was a wonderfully simple lesson in humility and restraint from the shihan.
Last October, Training with Takeno Sensei in Japan Practicing the Ikkajo pin, I'm face down on the mat and just before he applies the osie he whispers in my ear "a little present for you". Then BANG and i'm tapping like crazy!
What about Dr. Chenique? http://www.chendokanaikido.com/pages/creator.html Chendokan Aikido is a lot newer than the other systems of Aikido but I thought that it could maybe be included too.
I become concerned with folk who become 'Dr', 'Professor' in MA. Sensei, Shihan for JMA; Sifu for CMA; Tuhon for FMA are ok. Prof. Embra.
Yeah just been reading through Kate's link. Didn't get too far when I read this and got shivers up my spine. "... in 1994, he was induceted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame. ...". As I understand it the Martial Arts Hall of Fame is littered with self appointed 10th dans. All of whom founded their own systems. How can you hold a grade in something you created? That's just stupid. I'm sorry Kate. I know you're just at the beginning of your training. But your teachers associations give me cause for concern.
Oh oh, Google and Aikiweb seem to link the guy with this and a lot of other signs of bad practice. Wolfie's spider-sense is right.
It's okay. As of what he's the doctor of, I couldn't tell you. I probably should have asked him that yesterday, although I could text my GM and ask him. I also probably should have called him Sensei Dr. Chenique, which they called him at the dojo once in the three days he was there. There's only one other Aikido dojo here and, for the life of me, I can't even find out its name. Not that it matters; I'll stay at my dojo til I go off to college next year and, if I can't find Aikido around where I'll end up for a few years (if I can, it'll be at my cousin's dojo in Nashville), I'll do either Jujitsu or Arnis til I can find a dojo that has Aikido.
Everything hinges on the credibility of who your teacher learned from and the associated lineage in the art. In the case of Aikido, connection somewhere up the lineage chart should be Ueshiba. Jujitsu is a much more generic term, but again it boils down to the credibility of tuition to some established Ryu (school) in Japan - a few fakes have been known to be around.
There are so many fakes in martial arts now. Particularly in the west it seems. Guys like your Sensi Dr. (which is a weird title) just fire off alarm bells. Especially when they're involved with groups like The Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Anyway I hope you learn something useful. Good luck
