In the Aikido world, many people look backwards to find authority for the method they are teaching, the style they are practising and the customs they follow. Some parts of the Aikido community worldwide are very focused on this and are looking to maintain a particular tradition without much adaptation. Others are looking to evolve … Continue reading Aikido Keeps On Evolving
I have just published a review of the book "British Aikido History" written by Sensei Henry Ellis, a pioneer of Aikido in the UK with Abdul Rashid and Sensei Derek Eastman. I thorougly enjoyed the book and learned a lot about the early beginnings of Aikido in the UK. Ellis' respect for his teachers and … Continue reading “British Aikido History” by Sensei Henry Ellis | Book Review
Some videos of my Aikido training have went viral over the years. The reason for this has mainly been stoked by negative comments about Aikido. People seem to line up to talk badly about Aikido and can’t help but want to comment. It’s as if they have created a whole story in their head about … Continue reading Will I Accept The Challenge?
What state is Aikido in today? Some people in the world of Aikido seem to think that the art has went downhill from some bygone golden age. It’s common for people to view the past with “rose tinted glasses”. People seem to view all sorts of things as having got worse in general. But there … Continue reading Has Aikido Gone Downhill?
When I started practising Aikido there was another student who started around the same time. I remember he asked the Sensei how long it would take to get to black belt level At the time, I didn't even think this was something worth focusing on. As long as you just focus on your training each … Continue reading Training In The Moment
Would you like to know what type of people train in Aikido? The funny thing I find in life is that the same type of people that engage in education and personal development activities try many different things. Many people that practise martial arts are the same type of people that will be already doing … Continue reading What Type Of People Train Aikido?
Now that more and more people are living alone and working from home there is a greater desire to seek connection and community in other places. We are a social species and social life and community are essential for good health. People are at greater risk of low mood, depression and anxiety when living along … Continue reading Aikido And Community
Today my neighbour told me that his wife had a serious fall recently. She had tripped over some bags in a pub and this led to her breaking her shoulder. This will likely take a long time to heal and will put a dampener on an upcoming holiday. Hopefully she has got away lightly but … Continue reading The Risk Of Falling
If you have ever seen footage of Aikido, you may have seen people dressed in quite unique clothing. You may be curious as to the style of dress and why it is worn. Generally, when people start off training in Aikido they wear a uniform similar to other Japanese martial arts. This is the suit … Continue reading Why Do They Wear In Aikido?
I've been sharing a little about my Aikido class with friends since I started the club in 2022. Recently, I had this message from a friend of mine from Japan who has started at an Aikido class since hearing me talk about it. She said: "I never imagined I would be interested in Aikido. I still … Continue reading Inspiring My Japanese Friend To Train Aikido
Aikido For Glasgow 