Master Koretoshi Maruyama

Reflections on the national seminar – Hobart 2014

This year’s Aikido Yuishinkai national seminar is now in the history books and will be remembered as one of our finest. It’s been 2 years since Master Koretoshi Maruyama, the Founder of our School, has visited Australia and it was great to have the opportunity to once again have the benefit of his direct teachings.

Our school is particularly fortunate to have Maruyama Sensei as our Founder. Sensei has been practising Aikido for close to 60 years and is one of the few direct students of O’Sensei still actively teaching. A brief summary of his remarkable life in Aikido can be found at this page on our site.

The seminar this year was held at Seishin no Shugyo Dojo in Tasmania. It’s hard to imagine a more perfect setting for Aikido training as there is an undeniable sense of martial arts tradition in the dojo. For those who haven’t had a chance to train there, the walls are filled with a wide array of Samurai and martial arts memorabilia that has to be seen to be believed.

Key themes of this year’s seminar included a focus on:

Natural posture;
Centreline;
Removing unnecessary muscle tension; and
The importance of using gravity to achieve effective technique.

Sensei demonstrated and taught these and other themes through an array of traditional Aikido kata ranging from the basic to the advanced. In addition, there were also some fun segues to explore such things as Bruce Lee’s one inch punch and relaxed palm defensive striking. One of the many highlights for me was the chance to learn the higher level version of Yokomenuchi shihonage which is something I have been keen to explore for some time.

Anyone who decides to host a national seminar in my view deserves a medal. An incredible amount of effort (and accompanying stress) is needed to host one of these events. A big thanks to Peter Kelly Sensei (and his Dojo students) for doing such an amazing job.

Have a great week

Ian

Ian Grant
Head Instructor
Aikido Warrior Dojo

Training Notes – Shomenuchi Ikkyo

In this video training note Peter Kelly Sensei, Chief Instructor, Aikido Yuishinkai Australia, provides instruction on how to correctly perform shomenuchi ikkyo from the Aikido Yuishinkai syllabus.

The instruction not only includes the shape or outer form of the technique but also covers the inner structural aspects that make it work in a martial context. Key Aikido Yuishinkai principles discussed and shown include “center pole”, sinking, “heaven-man-earth”, centre-line, controlling the space and the “horizontal-vertical plane”.

Ian Grant Sensei
Head Instructor
Aikido Warrior Dojo
Brisbane

Training Notes – Ukemi (Fundamental principles)

This video training note refers to the first in a new series of training videos prepared by Peter Kelly Sensei (7th Dan Aikido Yuishinkai) dealing with the topic of ukemi and uke arts in Aikido Yuishinkai practice.

The Founder of Aikido Yuishinkai, Master Koretoshi Maruyama, has asked that the development and advancement of high level ukemi skills be given a priority focus in our Aikido training in Australia this year. To this end Peter Kelly Sensei, Technical Director for Aikido Yuishinkai in Australia, has been travelling the country to give ukemi (and other Aikido) training to Aikido Yuishinkai members.

In support of this training, Peter Sensei has prepared a series of training videos to assist instructors and students in developing the requisite skills. The below video is Part 1 in the series. Topics covered include:

What is ukemi?;
Responsibility of the uke to give a tangible attack so that the nage has something to work with;
The folly and danger of acrobatic/circus rolling in Aikido practice;
The importance of rolling “like a cat”
Exercises to develop good ukemi skills;
Responsibility of the uke to not anticipate attacks, stay connected and remain centred for as long as possible;
Remaining relaxed when taking ukemi, including when breakfalling.

Ian Grant
Head Instructor
Aikido Warrior Dojo

Peter Kelly Sensei drops in for a visit

Aikido Warrior Dojo had the pleasure of having Peter Kelly Sensei as guest senior instructor for its Saturday class on 17 May 2014.

Peter Sensei has recently been appointed by the Founder of Aikido Yuishinkai, Master Koretoshi Maruyama, as the Technical Officer for the newly reformed Aikido Yuishinkai Australia. Peter Sensei has the daunting task of ensuring that Maruyama Sensei’s teachings are correctly followed and that appropriate standards are maintained in all Aikido Yushinkai dojos in Australia.

In addition to the new appointment, Peter Sensei continues to be the Head Dojo Instructor for the Aikido School of Excellence in Tasmania and the Chief Instructor for Aikido Yuishinkai Tasmania. In his spare time, he is organising and hosting this year’s National Seminar.

Given this backdrop, we were particularly appreciative that Peter Sensei somehow found the time to attend our dojo, as part of a fleeting weekend visit from Tasmania no less, to take a Saturday class. Not surprisingly, we had a big turnout at the dojo, not only from our own members, but instructors and members from a cross-section of Brisbane Aikido Yuishinkai dojos.

Themes explored in the class included developing correct footwork, entering, body posture, relaxed application, sinking and ukemi skills consistent with the focus of our School to discover and explore the Aikido of O’Sensei. These themes were examined through a wide array of techniques and attack responses, including koshinage, kokyunage and ikkyo applications.

A blog alone can not do justice to the critical lessons learned at the class. Fortunately, a video of the class was organised. Over the coming weeks, major aspects of the class will be examined on this site and supported by the class video as an instructional aid.

In the meantime, see below a collection of just some of the many photos taken of the class by our dojo photographer, Eden Grant. If those attending would like a copy of any photograph, please email the dojo and we can arrange for it to be electronically sent to you.

Thanks also to the Dojo admin team who keep that side of things humming so the rest of us can just focus on the Aikido.

Finally, big thanks to Peter Sensei for taking the time to travel down from Tasmania for the weekend to give such an excellent and inspiring class. I’ve already received emails asking if I know when you will be visiting Brisbane again.

Ian Grant
Head Instructor
Aikido Warrior Dojo

Visiting Guest Instructor – Peter Kelly Sensei – 17 May 14

Aikido Warrior Dojo will be hosting a special class on Saturday 17 May 2014 (2.30 pm – 5.00pm) by Peter Kelly Sensei.

Peter Sensei has recently been appointed by Master Koretoshi Maruyama as the technical advisor for Aikido Yuishinkai in Australia. Peter Sensei is also the Chief Instructor of The Aikido School of Excellence in Tasmania.

Peter Sensei will be covering a range of principles and techniques relevant to Aikido Yushinkai, with particular emphasis on those relevant to the new syllabus and our school’s revised direction.

The cost of the class is $10 and all Aikido Yuishinkai practitioners are welcome to attend. For persons who have not trained at Aikido Warrior Dojo previously, please arrive 30 minutes before the class commences for registration.

Address details for the dojo may be found on our home page (see here).

Ian Grant
Head Instructor
Aikido Warrior Dojo