Categoria: ENGLISH ARTICLES

The Wrestler – Interview with Rionne McAvoy

The Ran Network

by SIMONE CHIERCHINI - From Taekwondo wonder kid to Karate State Champion, from H. Tada Sensei’s Gessoji Dojo to the Aikikai Hombu Dojo and Y. Yokota sensei, Rionne “Fujiwara” McAvoy, a former Pacific Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion, has never been one for finding the easy way out. As part of “The Aiki Healings”, the online encounters hosted by Aikido Italia Network, let’s hear him tell his story in martial arts and his strong views on Aikido, physical training, cross-training and where he wants to go with his Aikido

Senta Yamada: the “Father” of UK Tomiki Aikido

Aikido Italia Network

by PAUL WILDISH - Senta Yamada was the first exponent of Tomiki Aikido to come to the UK, to teach professionally. Yamada, a 6th Dan in both judo and aikido, arrived in London with a training pedigree second to none. Not only was he one of Kenji Tomiki’s original students in the formative days of Tomiki Aikido’s genesis but he had also spent nine months as an uchideshi (a live in student) of Morihei Ueshiba. As with Kenji Tomiki and Hideo Ohba them-selves he had had the inestima-ble experience of learning direct-ly from the ‘Founder’ of aikido without mediation or re-interpretation by others

Aikido: For an Undeferrable Spiritual Awakening

André Cognard1 commento

by ANDRÉ COGNARD - In a time full of questions regarding separatism and radicalisation, and with the rise of religious fundamentalism or secular tensions, the Way (Do) of Aiki could provide adequate answers if it were to be explained and not just confined to the dojo

Age of Heroes 1: The “First” European Aikido Dojo

Paolo Bottoni

by PAOLO BOTTONI - I was still wearing shorts when, in 1965, I made my acquaintance with Aikido. This is also when I first met Hiroshi Tada sensei, who, in my eyes, continued to impersonate and embody it for many years to come

The “Greats” of Aikido and the “Padre Pio Syndrome”

The Ran Network

by SIMONE CHIERCHINI - I already know that I am going to make a lot of people mad at me, nevertheless today we are going to talk about the "Great" personalities of Aikido and the neverending merry-go-round around their name. We are going to reflect on that sort of possessed and blind love that many show for their holy-sensei and their blessed teachings. We are also going to try to understand what is behind the relative almost religious fury that blinds many when discussing, examining, interpreting and sometimes criticizing the work of the aforementioned Aikido sacred monsters

The Innovator – Interview with John Bailey

The Ran Network1 commento

by SIMONE CHIERCHINI - John Bailey studied Aikido under Tony Graziano and Tom Walker. He is a graduate of Executive Security International and has an extensive background in security and investigations, having worked as a bouncer, security officer, bodyguard, undercover operative and tactical instructor. He is a practical firearms competitor and instructor and has provided tactical training for law enforcement and private security agencies in Florida, Colorado, California and Oregon. John has studied Aikido for four decades, the past two of which have been dedicated to exploring better ways to train and to teach the art in a quickly changing world

The Politician – Interview with Karl Leisinger

The Ran Network

by SIMONE CHIERCHINI - This interview with Dr Karl Friedrich Leisinger, then president of the European Aikido Federation, was realised by Simone Chierchini in 1989. Leisinger's words capture in a precise and almost prophetic way causes and effects of the imminent collapse of the system based on large national Aikikai organisations and the Aikikai Hombu Dojo support to resident Shihans

The Place of Aikido in the Age of Zumba and MMA

The Ran Network

by SIMONE CHIERCHINI - The fathers of Aikido are almost all gone. It is now up to their children to take the responsibility of placing our art in a profoundly changed world. Where is Aikido going in the 21st century? What is our place in the age of Zumba and MMA? What are we to do with the wonderful legacy that our tatami foster fathers left us? It is about time that the new generation of senior Aikido teachers begins to wonder, because the future is now

The Feeling of Aikido – Interview with Seijuro Masuda

The Ran Network

by SIMONE CHIERCHINI - Aikido Italia Network is glad to present the English version of this interview with Masuda Seijuro Shihan, 8th Dan Aikikai Hombu Dojo. The interview was realised by Simone Chierchini and published for the first time in 1989 by “Aikido”, the official magazine of the Italian Aikikai

Between the Way of the Dream and the Dream of the Way

Carlo Caprino1 commento

by CARLO CAPRINO - In an excellent article published by Aikido Italia Network, Ellis Amdur Sensei tells how, after a particularly demanding "fight" with a fellow practitioner who had put some of his martial certainties in crisis, thanks to a dream he found a way to integrate the information acquired in that exchange into his skills. The dream allowed him to increase his practical knowledge in a way more directly based on experience than theoretically elaborated