SHUDOKAN MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATION

When you practice a kata, are you going through the motions, or are you putting your spirit into it? What can you learn from watching your martial arts teacher? There is a land of the living and a land of the dead, and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning. - Thornton Wilder I've written many times of my obsessive approach to learning from my iaido teacher, Yamaguchi Katsuo ...

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What is jujutsu? What are common misconceptions about this martial art? To understand the origins of jujutsu it is necessary to grasp its roots in Nippon, the island nation of Japan. While many Westerners have heard of jujutsu, it is often misunderstood. Among these misunderstandings are the actual roots of Nippon or Nihon jujutsu, and the idea that jujutsu in its original form is a wholly unarme...

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What do you think of the phrase “practice makes perfect?” How confident are you in your martial arts skills? In all traditional Asian combative arts, there is a strong emphasis on reaching a particular expertise in the repetition of proper form, none, perhaps, more so than in iai. Since iai proper does not have competitive matches (although lately they have instituted a kind of forms ...

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Do you find yourself falling into a routine with no meaning? How does focusing on the small steps make a difference? In the Hagakure, by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, there is a passage that reads: "Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige’s wall there was this one: 'Matters of great concern should be treated lightly.' Master Ittei commented, 'Matters of small concern should be treated...

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Are you new to the concept of budo? Have you thought about your training technique as its own art?  There are three aspects to physical training in budo, whether you train for self-defense, physical fitness, or character development. These are as follows: (1) learning new techniques; (2) mastering the techniques you know; and (3) applying the techniques in action. All three aspects are criti...

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Are you ready to start learning a new martial art? Why is it important to approach martial arts with a beginner’s mind? "Empty Your Cup" is a martial arts aphorism that virtually every student has heard. It refers to the idea that students should put aside their own thoughts and opinions and diligently try to do exactly as their instructor asks them to do. Whether one studies aiki...

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Why do you want to practice martial arts? How does your personality impact your practice? There are usually a couple of questions I ask potential students within the first month of training, or even before they begin training. I usually don’t ask it in so blunt a manner, but they are usually some form of “Who are you, what do you do, and why do you want to train with us?” There ...

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Have you been looking for an enjoyable way to get in shape? How about a sport that focuses on both the body and mind? What if I told you that there was a way to achieve the following characteristics? Become happy and relieve stress Lose weight Gain fast twitch muscles, flexibility, and strength Slow the aging process Join a community of healthy, well-balanced people Become more intelligent You pr...

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Have you ever heard the term “ai-uchi” used in your martial art? What does “mutual destruction” have to do with modern martial arts? It is often used in kendo; fencing with bamboo staves, but you may hear it in old-fashioned karate schools and the like. Ai-uchi, to most practitioners, simply means the two sides strike each other at the same time, so their points cancel out...

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How much do you know about iaido? Have you ever heard of a paired kata? While modern iaido consists principally of solo practice, there are a number of paired kata in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu iaido (founded in the late Muromachi period, circa 1590). These kata take the form of ordered sets of waza (“techniques”) in which the practitioners act out martial scenarios. First among these is...

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Are you interested in the history of Japanese martial arts? What do you know about the history of Judo? Kano Jigoro Sensei was the founder of Kodokan judo. While he’s mainly known for his contributions to the world of martial arts and physical education, his abilities and his influence extended far beyond sports and the dojo. He was not just a visionary in the martial arts world, he was als...

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Do you have an interest in Japanese swordsmanship? Is the katana the only Japanese sword you’ve heard of? Sensei Paul Martin gave us a detailed history of Japanese swords in volume 20, issue 3 of the “SMAA Journal.” Here’s a brief overview from that article: Jokoto are ancient straight blades with no curvature. They are usually constructed in the hira-zukuri and kiriha-zuk...

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Are you curious about the dynamic between a martial arts instructor and student? Maybe you’re unsure what’s expected of you as a martial arts student? Between the martial arts teachers at the Japanese Martial Arts Center  in Ann Arbor and their students, there exists a social contract. The contract—mostly implied, sometimes written down—goes something like this: ...

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“Every truth has four corners. As a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.” – Confucius  Are you familiar with Confucius’s idea of four corners? Have you thought about how ancient principles apply to our everyday lives? Confucius has been influential in the premodern educational system of many East Asian countries. This is true too o...

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Struggling to make time for martial arts? Wondering how master martial artists balance their art with their daily lives? A friend recently asked me to comment on how one finds the time to train. We live in a day and age, he noted, that puts a stress on how many waking hours we have to devote to training in budo. How did the great masters of the past manage to train so much? How can we devote all ...

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Looking for ways to declutter your mind and body? Have you ever thought of martial arts as purifying? An important concept in budo is that of self-purification through training. Budo practice is thought by some to be a means of approaching the presence of the sacred. In some ways similar to the ritual of washing the hands and mouth before entering a temple, training is a way of cleansing the body...

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Are you an experienced student of martial arts? Do you enjoy helping your juniors? As a student of budo, what should you know about teaching martial arts? Even if you haven't been officially designated as an instructor, you may occasionally be called upon to help another student. Even in the course of normal training, you may find yourself assisting your training partner by commenting on his ...

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Have you always wanted to try martial arts? Do you avoid starting because you’re worried you won’t be good at them? What a lot of people don’t know is that being a beginner in martial arts is a good thing! Japanese Martial Arts Center says, “there is no such thing as a martial arts master. Martial artists are forever students. The attitude of a beginner may seem like somet...

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Are you looking for ways to improve yourself as a person? Have you thought about how martial arts are linked to character development? In the area of character development, we strive to become deeper and more in tune with our art, with our opponent, and with the principles of right action. We do this by training with energy and commitment, by reminding ourselves to pay careful attention to the fe...

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Did you know that martial arts aren’t just for sport? Have you been looking for a way to connect with your spiritual self? Japanese martial and cultural arts have been growing in popularity around the world for decades. In the West, many people practice flower arrangement, bonsai, tea ceremony, shiatsu, and budo. Despite their wide popularity, however, Japanese arts are often misunderstood ...

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Are you trying to master a form? How do you approach learning a new move? A great way to approach each day in the dojo is to decide to "get one thing right today." Isolate one aspect of your art—a foot position you struggle with in iaido, the rhythm of a form in karate-do, or the hand position leading up to a throw in judo—and concentrate on doing it right. Pick Your One Thi...

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Did you know there’s a martial art centered around swimming?  Have you ever wondered what it would be like to swim in armor? The Japanese bushi studied suijutsu (水術) or suieijutsu (suiei-jutsu) as one of their martial arts. It’s essentially combative swimming. These antique and sophisticated forms of martial swimming are presently undergoing a resurgence in Japan and videos c...

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Do you struggle to express yourself? Have you ever felt an authentic connection between your mind and body?  Martial arts is a collection of postural forms designed to express physical energy in an intelligent way. This expression of energy can be utilized for many practical purposes, such as striking a target, throwing an opponent, or evading an attack.  The Forms in Martial Arts The m...

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Do you feel like you’re connected to the art you create? Are you in control of your body? Japanese arts share certain aesthetics; they demand the acquisition of related positive character traits for their successful performance. Notice that many of the names for these arts end in the Japanese word Do. Do means “the Way,” and its use in these names indicates that activity has sur...

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Are you curious about the history of Jujutsu? When you think of Jujutsu, do you think about action movies?  Although historical accounts of jujutsu it can be hard to differentiate between fact and fiction. Since few leading jujutsu specialists (recognized by any martial arts association in Japan) have written English language books, it comes as no shock that many Westerners have misconceptio...

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Do you want to strengthen your mind? In many ways, the positive and dynamic use of the mind is the most important point in learning budo, for without it, we rarely have the follow-through to effectively master any other aspects of training. Beginners should also consider as well the ways in which a negative attitude can affect them physically. And while all of this is important, the bottom-line i...

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Do you find yourself panicking during falls, joint locks, choke holds, testing, or randori? Is your movement so tense and rigid that it is difficult to execute techniques? Do you ever feel so stressed that your breathing gets shallow, your heart rate increases rapidly, and you get light-headed? The good news is that your body has developed useful mechanisms to keep you safe. However, the same fig...

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Is a new rank your biggest motivating factor in martial arts? Are you fully committed to your martial arts training? In nearly 50 years of martial arts training, competing, deep study, and teaching, we’ve seen it over and over. There is a real difference between the exceptional martial artist and the average student. The exceptional martial artist keeps rank in its proper perspective. They ...

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Are you looking to get better at budo? Do you want to strengthen your mind? There is no way to attain mastery of any martial art without using the mind. Mind and body are inseparable, and even if the conscious mind is doing nothing other than thinking, "I really hate doing all these front kicks," the unconscious mind is moving the body through the motions and adjusting fit the circumsta...

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Do you practice iaido? Do you know about the spiritual significance of the sword? One of the things that we in the West tend to neglect in our study of the Japanese sword is the spiritual aspect. We tend to forget the fact that in Japan the sword is considered a sacred object. We become too involved with questions and kantei (“appraisal”). There are many questions about swords that wi...

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What expectations exist in the dojo? Between martial arts teachers and their students, a social contract exists. The contract—mostly implied, sometimes written down—goes something like this:  As the teacher, I agree to give you, the student, the absolute best training opportunity I can give you, be it in judo, jujutsu, or iaido. I promise to offer the complete martial art I know,...

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Do you want to be a relentless martial artist?  Let’s explore the intricate mysteries of fudoshin , the mysteries of the very elusive “immovable mind.” Fudo in fudoshin correlates to F udo Myo-o , who is one of the often referred to “deities” in Japanese Buddhism. Fudo Myo-o symbolically embodies the immovable mind. His sword is righteous, his faith unwavering.&...

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Have you heard of ai-uchi? It’s often used in kendo ; fencing with bamboo staves, but you may hear it in old-fashioned karate schools. Ai-uchi, to most practitioners, simply means two sides strike each other at the same time, so their points cancel each other out in a contest. Sasama Yoshihiko, in Zusetsu Nihon Budo Jiten , offers a more in-depth definition. One old meaning of the term is a...

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Are you an experienced martial artist? What can you learn from beginners? “Empty Your Cup" is a martial arts aphorism that virtually every student has heard. It refers to the idea that students should put aside their own thoughts and opinions and diligently try to do exactly as their instructor asks them to do. Whether one studies aikido, karate-do, jujutsu, or kendo, the requirement i...

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Are you a newer martial artist? What can you expect while training? There are three aspects to physical training in budo, whether you train for self-defense, physical fitness, or character development. These are as follows: (1) learning new techniques; (2) mastering the techniques you know; and (3) applying the techniques in action. All three aspects are critical if you want to become a really go...

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What is randori ? How can it be used? Randori means "chaos taking" in Japanese, and may refer to any martial instance that involves two or more parties vying for a specific goal. A common practice in Kodokan judo, the purpose of randori is to perpetuate chaos upon the opposition in order to perplex, deceive, overcome, or overwhelm, so that victory may be taken decisively. Randori itself...

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Are you a student of martial arts? What should you know about teaching martial arts? Even if you haven't been officially designated as an instructor, you may occasionally be called upon to help another student. Even in the course of normal training, you may find yourself assisting your training partner by commenting on his or her technique. There are three things you ought to know: (1) be pos...

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What is an uke ? Why is being an uke a privilege? You’re training in class when your sensei wants to demonstrate a leg sweep defense against jodan mawashi geri (“high roundhouse kick”), and he chooses you to be his uke. You have to attack with jodan mawashi geri, and you know when you make this kick, he’s going to sweep your supporting leg out from under you, and you&rsquo...

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Are you a new martial artist? Want to learn the meaning of kata geiko and seishin tanren ? Kata is one of the most common words that you’ll hear in association with both the ancient martial arts (koryu bujutsu) and their modern offshoots (gendai budo or shin budo). Kata means “form,” as in the formal practice of prearranged techniques. It is universally used in traditional Japan...

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Have you been studying budo for years? Do you still work on implementing the basics? Studying the Japanese martial arts is both a physical and mental endeavor. We sometimes get so wrapped up in training in the dojo that we ignore deep basics such as anatomy, physiology, relaxation and physics, each of which is essential to the development of high-level skills. Learning a Japanese martial art requ...

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Want to practice martial arts? Don’t know how to balance it with your other responsibilities? Surveys show that we Americans, at least, are working more hours and getting paid overall less (figuring in inflation) than a decade or two ago, and stereotypes notwithstanding, we work more productive hours than almost any other country, including the vaunted Japanese worker. All that work and the...

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Are you too hard on yourself? Want to succeed in martial arts? In our martial arts training lives, whether we study aikido, karate, kendo, or some other martial art, we must learn to use the power of the positive. This means that whenever there is a choice about how to act, we should choose the positive action: when teaching, when preparing to demonstrate or compete, and when communicating with o...

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Do you want to belong to a prestigious group of top martial artists? Do you want to earn reputable certificates of rank? Are you having trouble finding a reliable source of information and resources for legitimate historical Japanese martial arts? You’re not alone in wishing you could find a source for legitimate, historical martial arts. Many of our members tell us they’ve been searc...

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My teacher Nakamura Tempu Sensei was the founder of the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga and meditation. One of his central teachings was the use of autosuggestion to alter the subconscious mind and thus change negative habits. I learned various forms of autosuggestion directly from Nakamura Sensei, and I’d like to explain how they can help you to become more effective and cheerf...

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In the Takeuchi Ryu, the term "jujutsu" is used generically to define any methods that involve unarmed grappling methods. In actuality, various types of methods were meant for different situations, and they were often given different names based on their techniques, end goals, and applications. Jujutsu is more properly used than the Westernized word "jujitsu," which in Japanes...

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in fiery core to bellows gust and beat of steel soft binds to hard Any arduous progressive training may be termed tanren, but tan and ren, the Chinese characters that make up this word, refer originally to the processes involved in forging metal. In the context of learning a physical art, tanren refers not so much to the acquisition of skills as the transformation of structure. Both kanji refer t...

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As with previous SMAA Seminars, I enjoyed the training at the 2007 SMAA Seminar & Conference in Nebraska very much. It was unfortunate that I could bring only one student, but I intend to make this an annual event with whoever can come along. I find the level, depth, and comprehensiveness of the training at these seminars incredibly inspiring and instructive. It is also helpful for me to rece...

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Few arts present as many challenges of detail as does Japanese swordsmanship.  One of the most misunderstood aspects of Eishin Ryu iaido is the proper grip on the handle of the iaito (iaido practice sword), called “te-no-uchi.”  The grip is crucial because it is the final lynchpin in the transmission of power from the body, through the arms, and into the cutting edge of the ...

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Out in the "real" world, we take great pains to express ourselves. We choose certain clothes, drive a certain make of car, and wear our hair just so. We choose who to spend time with and which shows to watch, and measure ourselves against the social group to which we aspire. In the dojo, however, the opposite is true. While practicing judo, karate-do, jujutsu, iaido, or kendo, we all we...

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Everyone has a story about how they got started in budo. For me, it was because I had the classic 98-pound weakling syndrome. If you were to try to find my original dojo, you’d end up in a dead end road facing a field of six-foot tall scrub grass and weeds. The dojo where I first started my budo journey is no longer to be found. But almost a half-century ago, there used to be a derelict cas...

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The SMAA battodo seminar in London was eclectic, educational, and, in a pleasant way, intense. And this article’s title notwithstanding, I did no damage to anyone, including me, when I handled a real sword (sharp!) at the SMAA Europe Seminar, which took from Monday, August 24 to Saturday, August 29, 2009. (More about the article’s title later.)     &...

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Chapter Eleven: The Mythic Origins of the Ninja Trains in Japan are nicely suited to long, leisurely stretches of reading. The passenger is interrupted only by the girls who come by periodically to sell box lunches and other snacks, and by, if he chooses to take it in, the vista passing by outside. Otherwise, it is quiet.   The seats are comfortable, and travelling otherwise a...

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Around 2700 BC, according to age-old Chinese tradition, an enigmatic man with four eyes called Tsangh-hsieh created the first Chinese characters. Captivated by the footprints of beasts and birds, he gave birth to the earliest system of writing in Asia. The God of Heaven was believed to have been so moved by Tsangh-hsieh's ingenious bird-based characters that he made grain drop from the clouds...

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My recent retirement from the Army precipitated an unexpected existential crisis. It caused me to review my life and ask myself certain fundamental questions. Have I served well? Have I upheld and personified the principles that I hold most dear? Was I a good man? A good soldier? As the object of judo training is to achieve balance, growth, and harmony in life, and becaus...

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 Yasuhiro Yamashita Sensei has been bounced from the Board of Directors of the International Judo Federation (IJF), leaving Japan devoid of a voice on the world scene. Days after Yamashita Sensei’s ouster, Japan’s great hopes in the men’s heavyweight divisions were both eliminated from the World Championships on what many here in Japan believe to be questionable judging. Wh...

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Have you noticed the dignified grace with which all great budo practitioners carry themselves? Not only do they display flawless movement when applying technique but also dignified balance in such a mundane activity as sitting in a chair. Their balance and poise are something one should strive to emulate. What you are witnessing is an individual who has found and developed his center of being bot...

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One samurai fought another, won, and emerged from the encounter having learned something about it that gave him a combative advantage. Next fight, using that, he again prevailed, and learned a little more. His skill increasing, he continued to be successful, expanding his combative repertoire until others noticed and sought him out as a teacher. And that’s how a martial ryu is “founde...

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Modern karate-do has its beginnings so far in the past that its earliest history is lost. What we do know is that the roots of Wado Ryu come from the martial arts traditions of China, Okinawa, and Japan. Those elements came together in the last century due to the efforts of a most amazing Japanese martial artist named Ohtsuka Hironori Sensei, or as Westerners would say it, Hironori Ohtsuka. Karat...

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The durability of budo has been made possible, in part, by its ability to evolve with the times. In fact, there are precious few absolutes that have survived the test of the past hundreds of years as they relate to budo today. Traditions and mores have twisted and turned before arcing exponentially in the years following the end of World War II; even the most fundamental tenets, such as yielding ...

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Kata If the Ways can be considered philosophies, then they are “philosophies” with a physical expression, or philosophies discov­ered through their physical expression. Chado (tea ceremony), shodo (calligraphy), kado (flower arrangement), and others can be thought of as Ways of art and life whose physical expression is keiko, or “practice.” But what constitutes keiko a...

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When I was young I studied koshiki suiei-jutsu, which means "ancient swimming art." The dojo, or training hall, was a small lake surrounded by lavish green trees and a golf course. The American Occupation Army made it in the 1940s in a northern suburb of Kyoto. Although suiei-jutsu was developed by the bushi ("warriors") of my country in feudal times, and while it is a form of...

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by Nakamura Taizaburo Translated by Guy Power Iai to wa, hito ni kirarezu, hito kirazu. Jiko no renma ni, shugi no michi. "Iai: not killing others; not being killed by others. Self training and polishing, the road to discipline and cultivation." I had received training in kendo before joining the Japanese army in 1932. In fact, at twenty years old, I was already a third-degree black bel...

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The Heigakko (Officer Academy) was established in 1868 at Kyoto to graduate leaders for the new Meiji Restoration army; it later became the parent school of the Rikugun Toyama Gakko, or "Toyama Military Academy," which was established in 1873. The Toyama Military Academy trained the officers and noncommissioned officers of Japan's modern, western-styled army and was located in the T...

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How can you measure the value of tradition? In the case of the Takeuchi (or Takenouchi) Ryu, it is the value of over 450 years of accumulated wisdom and experience, handed down from master to disciple in an unbroken line. Takeuchi Hisamori is considered one of--if not the first--primary martial arts masters who devised and compiled various grappling techniques into what we now generically describ...

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Unlocking the Secrets of Aiki-Jujutsu by H. E. Davey.  Masters Press (Howard W. Sams & Co.), 1997. Aiki-jujutsu is a traditional Japanese combative discipline that has the potential to vitally transform the lives of its participants. This transformation takes place of course in the realm of one's newly developed skills of self-protection, but due to the nature of the art, it is also ...

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"Onegai shimasu . . . Arigato gozaimashita." With these formal expressions of courteous request and gratitude, students of Hontai Yoshin Ryu jujutsu begin and end, respectively, their paired training in jujutsu kata. The words accompany humble bows made from the traditional seiza, a kneeling position in which one's buttocks are settled onto the heels of upturned feet. This exchange ...

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Sparkling crystal clinked with seasonal good cheer as the revelers toasted each other. Garbed in gowns, suits, and other formal evening wear, the foreign ministers, diplomats, and general VIPs and their spouses basked in the light and warmth of fellowship and bounty at the gala event. Suddenly an explosion shook the assemblage, bursting the dreamlike party image and replacing it with a nightmare,...

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I started reading a martial arts book the other day titled Pressure Point Fighting , by Rick Clark. After reading the introduction, and then the first chapter, I marked my page and closed the book. In doing that I took a moment and looked over the cover--then it hit me-- Pressure Point FIGHTING . Are most martial artists engaged in fighting? According to Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, fight...

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Judo is at a crossroads today. One path leads to growth and enrichment. The other leads to decline, decay, and demise. The choice is clear; renaissance or regression. What is the cause of this sad state of affairs? It is the conflict between the views of judo as a sport or as budo. Is judo a sport or budo? The late Mr. Donn Draeger said, "Modern judo is commonly described as a sport, a fight...

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Hunter B. Armstrong Sensei is one of a small number of non-Japanese to have legitimately studied the koryu, or ancient Japanese martial arts, in detail. He lived in Japan for quite a few years practicing directly under the soke, or headmasters, of more than one koryu. (Armstrong Sensei personally believes that koryu bujutsu can be defined as "traditions of fighting arts originating no later ...

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Having lived in Utah, I know that it never rains there well, almost never. Nonetheless, several of us stood on Max Roach Sensei's front porch watching the sudden late July downpour and wondering just how wet we were going to get in the first swordsmanship class of the SMAA National Seminar & Conference, sponsored by Roach Sensei and his Yama Oroshi Iaido Dojo. This first iaido class was t...

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Many students of traditional Budo have read that the education of the bushi consisted of a dual emphasis on bun and bu. Bu refers to the study of martial strategy and combat, while bun indicates the literary and fine arts of Japan. Some scholars of Budo have even declared that bun and bu must be considered as one. For example, Nakajima Masayoshi Sensei, fifth headmaster of Takenouchi-Hangan-Ryu, ...

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Aiki-jujutsu is a traditional Japanese combative discipline that has the potential to vitally transform the lives of its participants. This transformation takes place of course in the realm of one's newly developed skills of self-protection, but due to the nature of the art, it is also equally possible to experience profound spiritual realizations. I was once asked by a skilled jujutsu instru...

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What is Real Victory? Victory, to many martial arts students, means physical triumph over another person: a full-point throw in judo, an uncontested strike with a shinai to a vital area in kendo, or a karate punch that finds its target without being blocked.  While these feats do represent a certain kind of victory, one that gives us a short-term sense of superiority over another person, rea...

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