Is it acurate in how it depicts events/training at the Yoshinkan HQ? I thought that some of the events that happened outside of the dojo but with staff from the dojo seemed a bit exagerated, or maybe my impression of Japanese people as being conservative and reserved isn't true of all Japanese.
Oh dear am I biting my lip. Not daring to talk about budo shihans fighting for seats to watch Batman TV series. Or of the one who told me he had left a gift behinf the door only to have me dtride into the ladies changing room.
Yep, its pretty accurate. Of course, outside of the dojo everyone has their own stories to tell, but anyone who has been in Japan for anytime at all will have some experiences that are simply in the 'You had to be there to believe it' folder. There are plenty of message-boards that discuss AWB in detail, its worth checking them out if you are interested in that side of things.
Well, I've joined a Yoshinkan Aikido club yesterday! I have decided to take a break from my BJJ club, but am studying BJJ once a week under a black belt for private lessons (it's free, so, hell...). Wow. This is going to be a challenge! I am very excited. I joined because of the crispness and centered balance displayed by the blackbelts of this Yoshinkan club. It is SO different than BJJ. I finished and almost felt like I had been doing math problems! The sensei is very young, but the only westerner to be given a teaching liscence from some big wig, I don't know- he seems pretty damn good. He took me down and it felt very powerful; quite a different type of power than BJJ - I can't explain it though in words. A lot of boken, and then transferring that to some empty hand techniques. It is very precise. If your foot is off the mat line by an inch, he notices and you have to correct yourself. The stance is unique, it's a training stance meant to focus your center better. Anyway, really enjoying it, and am very sore. This is some good stuff-- not flowery BS.
Thanks, Koyo! Now I hope you can understand why I attacked / criticized you so much. The whole time I was considering taking up the art, wanted to see how you answered my intentionally hyper-aggressive quesitons (verbal ukemi)! Hope you understand. Obviously, you easily passed, and were at the same time very informative. Sincere thanks, you did influence my decision.
This is something I've heard a couple of times too. But it's hard to know how long Shioda-sensei spent with Horikawa-sensei, and the extent of the training. I wonder if there's any way to know for sure.
