Reflections on 18 years in Aikido.
Reflections on 18 years in Aikido. As I approach completing my 18th year of training in Aikido next month, there are some memories I wanted to reflect on: -Attending my First Winter Camp 9 week after starting. -Attending my First Summer Camp at Colgate University and attending every class for the full week. -Yamada…
Reflecting on the start – Our kohai, ourselves.
Reflecting on the start – Our kohai, ourselves. In the days around my 5th kyu test, which was exactly 1 year and 1 day after I signed up for my first 6 months at the dojo, I went through a lot of self-reflection. The night before, I searched my email for my student handbook. One…
Today, I’m speaking with Dan Shook, 7th Kyu
Today, I’m speaking with Dan Shook, 7th Kyu. Weiner Sensei: What led you to Aikido? Dan-san: I was first introduced to Aikido during my time in college. The school had a diverse selection of athletic clubs and the Aikido Club was the one that resonated with me. When I found out recently that I lived…
Today, I’m speaking with Joshua Baulch, 7th Kyu
Today, I’m speaking with Joshua Baulch, 7th Kyu. Weiner Sensei: What led you to Aikido? Josh-san: I participated in martial arts before, the primary one being brazilian ju jitsu. I was tired of the culture in ju jitsu, which primarily focused on MMA and beating the other person into submission. I wanted culture to be…
Shodan Promotion
Shodan Promotion “Brent, Congratulations on a very strong performance.” -Sensei Dennis Main, 6th Dan, Shidoin, Chief Instructor “Proud Teacher and even more proud best friend! A cultivation of many years of hard work, dedication and commitment. Shodan translates as ‘Serious Student’, welcome to this new level of training Brent-san, you earned it!” -Sensei Jonathan Weiner,…
2018 Karl Kuehne Budo Distinction
2018 Karl Kuehne Budo Distinction The Karl Kuehne Budo Distinction is a yearly honor bestowed upon the student who truly embraces the Budo philosphy. This honor was named after Karl-san, a serious student who passed away unexpectedly last year. Karl-san exemplified a philosophy of caring for the dojo, its instructors, as well as being a…
Weapons practice is an integral part of Aikido
Weapons practice is an integral part of Aikido. Jim Hyde, 2nd Dan. Weapons practice is an integral part of Aikido – most of the movements we make in class have parallels to weapons (bokken and jo) techniques and practicing the kata improves alignment, coordination, and movement. Our testing requirements at Aikido of Charlotte include 4…
Randori versus Jiyu Waza
Randori versus Jiyu Waza. Jiyu Waza Let me first define what Jiyu Waza is in Aikido. Predetermined attack (specific grab, strike, etc.) and any technique nage (defender) chooses. Not predetermined for example, like Shomenuchi Ikkyo Omote. So big picture, this is an advanced practice. You need to have a few years under belt of understanding…
Today, I’m speaking with Reuven Lirov, 3rd Dan
Today, I’m speaking with Reuven Lirov, 3rd Dan. Weiner Sensei: What led you to Aikido? Reuven-san: A seminar and a black eye. You know it’s funny, I’ve thought about this a lot since opening my dojo and reflecting in conversation with other senseis. I began training at four years old in Judo and Jujitsu under…
What to read…
What to read… Aikido has and always be about training first: actual physical training in the dojo and at seminars. As we try and learn about this art, off the mat, sure – some videos and books along with blogs can be good resources to supplement your training and understanding of Aikido. But take caution…
