Kami-no-Kanazuchikai (God's Hammer) Jujitsu / Sido-ryu AJJ, Pat Merriman

[Mr. Matt]

I've heard that there's a aikijutsu group training at the college in Springfield, MO. Does anyone train with them or know about them?

[cguzik]

Hey Matt!

It's not this guy, is it?

http://www.godshammer.com/info.html

[Chuck.Gordon]

Umm, Norse budo? No ... wait.

OMG. That's ... um ... interesting.

I stompled around SW Mo. for several years, but I don't know these guys.

I'm always leery of those who want to mishmash Christianity and budo and ... um ... well. Yes. Exactly.

Chuck

[R Erman]

The godshammer.com guy is a lawyer so I do not want to give specifics, but I have a student who lives in Springfield and observed a class. From his description of the teacher's attitude and...er, politics I would not recommend this school to anyone--Christian or no. I also know some people who met him and his group at an Obata seminar in Arkansas--Chuck you should ask John about him...

That is the only so-called aiki-jujutsu group in Springfield that I know of, so if this is the school buyer beware(they are actually more hapkido that anything). There is an aikido group at SMSU--I've no idea what caliber they are.

To the original poster, are you relocating to SW Missouri? Springfield is quite a ways from OKC...

[Mr. Matt]

Thanks for the info... I was kinda suspicious about the hapkido thing anyway.

After all this, turns out that I had the wrong place to look for. Ooops...

I was supposed to be looking around Joplin.

[Mr. Matt]

Oh, and to answer your question, I've got a friend in Joplin that said he ran into a guy who was training in aikijutsu at the college there in Joplin (I didn't know there was one in Joplin, so I thought he was talking about Springfield).
My friend didn't get any specific info on the group (he's got no previous martial arts training, so didn't know what questions to ask), but he wanted me to go with him to check them out and see what I thought, so I was trying to get some basic info on them and maybe a contact number to introduce myself before just showing up to watch their practice.

[R Erman]

That would be John Karriman. He is now teaching at the State University here in Joplin--he recently shut down his dojo and is using the university facilities for the time being. He's a former teacher of mine and an incredible technician. He teaches what I would call an aiki-based jujutsu, but it isn't Daito Ryu.

Anyway, you ought to check him out with your friend and let us all know what you think. If you want to pm me I can give you his phone number for the introduction.

[Chuck.Gordon]

Heya all,

Yes, John's my old dojomate from, damn, has it been 30 years? Yeah ...

Erman's spot on, in his descrip of John's system. He's studied with Dick Gordon in Joplin for many years, and also spent quite a bit of time with Saotome Mitsugi (ASU -- I _think_ he got a sandan from Saotome).

Good folks. We've diverged a bit over the years, and my jujutsu is less aiki and more heavily into sword and stick than his, but he's developed a very interesting system.

My wife (who also holds a shodan in aikido) says training with John's crew is intense, challenging and good. He's got some very talented and skillful long-time students, and they had maintained for several years, a good, if informal, relationship with many of Saotome's folks.

John's been good friends with Dennis Hooker (nanadan in the ASU) for many years as well as others in the organization.

No, it's not Daito Ryu, but if you're looking for good training, he's got lots to offer.

Chuck

[Mr. Matt]

Thanks guys! That's awesome. Hopefully I'll be able to check them out.

[BC]

From the godshammer website:

http://www.usmartialartshalloffame.homestead.com/

Darn! I just missed the opportunity to go the annual meeting here in Chicago. Just as well, as I probably would have gotten my can kicked while I was falling down laughing.

[Mr. Matt]

I didn't make it to Kerriman's class. *sigh* We didn't roll into Joplin until 8 o'clock.

But I did talk to Kerriman-sensei on the phone. Seemed very nice, very open. He told me he would not be in town on Friday, but I was welcome to come watch his students. That impressed me. He's got the confidence in his students to not worry about a visitor watching them (there's a lot of people out there that won't do that).

Hopefully, I'll have another chance to come watch his class.

Thanks for everybody's help!

[Nathan Scott]

I changed the name of this thread to reflect the content.

For those who did not go to the webpage, apparently Pat Merriman is one of several "Soke's" teaching what they call "Kami-no-Kanazuchi" kai Jujitsu, which they translate as "God's Hammer" jujitsu. They are heavy into Christian martial arts, and have varied backgrounds that include something called "Sido-ryu" Aiki jujutsu. I don't think Sido is a Japanese word (Spanish?), and have never heard of it.

That's basically it.

[Chuck.Gordon]

Hopefully, I'll have another chance to come watch his class.

Thanks for everybody's help!

I just noticed (duh) that you're one of Chuck Clark's guys. You'll find John's training very different if you get over there, but I think you'll enjoy those guys.

Next time you see Chuck tell him the other Chuck said 'Howdy!'

cg

[am_pcguy]

Springfield Aikido School
2914 S Roth Oaks Avenue
Springfield, MO 65809
417-881-2135
Instructor: Chuck Renner

I've worked out with them, had to stop due to job change. They work out Wednesday and Friday at 6PM at the McDonald Hall on the SMS (now MSU) campus. It is a small but great Aikido Club. I'm going back first chance I get.

As far as the other school, it was Yu's Academy of Hapkido . Pat Merriman was a student of Master Yu in St. Joseph MO and promoted to 4th Dan under Master Yu. Pat Merriman then founded his own school.

[Kokoro Seeker]

I have been looking for the Kokoro Ryu Dojo that was formerly located on North Main, in Joplin, MO, taught by Mr Gordon, or Mr Kerriman. I am looking for Mr Kerriman, and would like to catch up with him, now I have returned from Iraq. I am now living in Springfield, MO, and would like to either train in Joplin, or Springfield. I can be reached here, or at the following email address: dano2171@yahoo.com. It would be good to hear from other students of Kokoro Ryu, too.

D Gulley