Moving off the line (Sometimes the bear needs poking…)
Sensei Saw It… Sempai Heard It… Uke Wore It! Most times I fail to move off the line completely and then wonder why I have
Raising the Arm in Ikkyo
Ikkyo means first technique. So what is the meaning of performing Ikkyo? There are many answers to this. But the one that has become most
Using Hip and Hand
Use the hand to move the hip Use the hip to move the hand But don’t stand.
Three Kinds of Disciples
A story from Zen Flesh, Zen Bones (compiled by Paul Reps): When Zen master, Gasan was studying under Tekisui, his teacher was very severe. Sometimes
Ouch, Sensei that hurts!
Many people when starting Aikido, find the techniques extremely painful. Techniques like Nikkyo, Sankyo and Yonkyo apply pressure directly into the nervous system. They cause
Instructions on how to tie the Obi for children (and adults too)
People tie their obi (belt) in different ways depending the art they are practising and the school they are learning with. This is how we
How to tie a Reef (Square) knot
And avoid getting a Granny Knot (the information below is extracted from Wikipedia and other sources.) A Reef knot is formed by tying a left-handed
Saito Sensei Quotes
Stanley Pranin of Aikido Journal, has published a series of quotations by the late Saito Sensei about his teacher, the Founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba.
Thief at the Dojo
I had heard about this story before, but never from someone who was there. Stanley Pranin of Aikido Journal, recently re-published an interview with Shoji
Learning Aikido by “stealing the technique”
The following article is copied from Stanley Pranin’s Aikido Journal website. You can find the full article and accompaying slideshow here: http://blog.aikidojournal.com/2012/09/05/slideshow-great-stills-of-morihiro-saito-9th-dan-in-class-teaching/ One of the things
Use of Weapons in Aikido
There is a current “debate” as to the value/need for weapon training in Aikido and its importance. Our dojo follows the training curriculum from O’sensei’s
Sayonara Nikkyo
The departure of Frédéric and his family back to France occasioned the need for a party and a sayonara-nikkyo. David Alexander Sensei tells the story of this
Doing Ukemi
David Alexander Sensei was a foundation student at the Iwama Ibaraki Dojo and his stories are legendary. Here is one of my favourites from his
Levels of Training
David Alexander Sensei spent over 10 years training in Iwama under Saito Sensei, in the old days when understanding was obtained from vigorous and rigorous
Elegance in Aikido
David Alexander Sensei was my sempai when I trained at Iwama in 1980. He had the rare experience of spending over 10 years training under
Relax when you Throw
Some years ago, when struggling to gain insight into how to powerfully perform morote dori kokyu nage (the basic form practised at the start of every keiko)
Aikido – the struggle to Understand
Aikido is difficult to learn – the path is long and winding. As with many endeavours one constantly struggles with levels of understanding. Each achievement
Don’t be square, be hip!
When entering or turning which move first, the hips or the feet? O’Sensei’s Kuden (Saito, M., Traditional Aikido, Vol 1, p. 4) says: The rotation of
Why sweat the small stuff
Students often say, “why is it important to do the technique ‘precisely’ surely everyone is different – we can do it in our own way”,