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Aikido Eastside in Bellevue, WA has a study group which is overseen by Howard Popkin Sensei. Popkin Sensei trained under Okamoto Seigo in the Daito Ryu Roppokai. He and Joe Brogna Sensei recently...

Let me say that this past weekend's seminar with Howard Popkin Sensei was absolutely one of the best weekend's of training I have ever had. The Daito Ryu techniques as taught by Okamoto Sensei,...

Whereas you are right in that, with different length tsukas, the hands can be farther apart than two fists, their placement of the tsuka is roughly the same. One hand will have the pinky touching,...

I just got back from Rocky Mountain Summer Camp and Jun was there. It was my understanding that Ushiro Sensei was going to spend a few more days with Ikeda Sensei at the Boulder dojo after camp so I...

There are several potential sources for information in this area ie. the internal practices pursued by Morihei Ueshiba. In a discussion with Stan Pranin and Saotome Sensei the names of several...

Since none of the senior Systema Instructors bother to get involved with discussions with people who have based their opinions solely on what they saw in some videos or at a demo, I'll put in my own...

The reason the most dojo management manuals tell you not to collect your own dues is specifically to remove you from the money transactions. Once they are signed up on the auto pay, and I get very...

I would point out that a dojo which uses EFT's and auto pay on a credit card does not necessarily mean that they use contracts. Our dojo uses the Affiliated Acceptance Corp (AAC) and for around 3% +...

Why is it that some people get such a bug up the arses at the idea that martial arts almost all have some spiritual component? We live in a society in which the majority of the population believes in...

James Williams had a chance to ask Michael Ryabko about this and even spar a bit with him usuing swords. The answer in question had to do with chain mail rather than plate which I guess was the...

I would absolutely oppose trying to centralize testing. One of the strengths in modern Aikido is that the various students of O-Sensei each had a different slant on what the Founder was doing. This...

I've received two unsolicited "spam" e-mails from the guy offering a sword for $400. Must be the same guy although I didn't pursue it.

As a martial artist you have trained to the point where actions take place automatically. You perceive an opening and attack, without first going through the process of thinking, "Oh, there's an...

Are you talkin' to me? Are you talkin' to me? Hey, I know where you live...

Hi Joe!

Listen, this whole controversy simply points out two things fairly clearly...
1) religious values have always been used to mask prejudice... it was only recently when I was younger, that the last...

I really liked your post, Ron! I'm definitely going to remember that one the next time I flub an entry... see everybody, how I tricked him into striking me? A valuable lesson for all of you! A good...

Ok, that's clear. Anyone tell me / us how The ROSS fellows and Scott Sonnon fit into this picture?

There was a demo years ago in Seattle in which Chiba Sensei and his uke had a miscommunication during his tachidori demo (the uke didn't cut straight on the line) and Chiba Sensei entered right into...

Hi James! Yes, I've trained with Vlad twice now. The Expo was fantastic but the seminar he did in Longmont was even more amazing. He's simply operating on another level.

It's my understanding that this is another branch of the tradition that Vladimir Vasiliev is doing. But while Vladimir's teacher is Ryabko, these guys have another approach. The Ryabko / Vasiliev...

My favorite part of the Dog Brothers )aside from their many videos which I have watched over and over) is their Motto, "Higher Consciousness through Harder Impact". I am very thankful that they have...

1) Aikido - student of Mitsugi Saotome Sensei
2) 6th Dan
3) 27 years
4) on the mat 5 - 7 days a week, mostly teaching but hit as many seminars as I can afford

I wondered about the claims of training with Hikistuchi Sensei extensively... I know many of the top Shingu trained instructors and had not heard him mentioned. I checked and was told that he...

Sure there's the element of the "Appeal to Authority" technique at work. We all try to bolster our aruguments as best we can. But for me, I very much appreciate it when someone puts in his...

This being a Japanese art the whole issue of relationships is important. If you go to Japan, no one asks you what your rank is... they'll ask your how long you have trained and who is your teacher?
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