Developing the Koshi: A report on Aiki Gasshuku Ireland 2022
Interview with Oisin Bourke, 4th dan, jun Kyoju Dairi – Instructor Muden Juku Europe
Encounters with Aiki: Kodo Horikawa and Kenji Tomiki
Click Here to Read the Article
Developing The Grip
Here is a translation of a column written by Iida sensei about the importance of the grip and the forearm. The link to the original article is provided at the bottom of the post:
What I Have Learned From Practice
Here is an article written by one or our practicioners on the value of long-term training.
Over and Over, Singlemindedly, Without Doubt.
“In the Muden Juku, we have a practice technique in which we repeatedly practice the correct form in which we do not have to rely upon the muse of brute strength or power. By taking strength out of the technique in this manner, you realise that you become better when you don’t rely on brute force. This is “Muden aiki” which can be phrased as the admonishment: “don’t exert strength, don’t use strength, don’t ‘do’ anything.”
Here is a link to the translation of an article written by Iida Hiroo on the importance of correct training. Required reading! :
How Does Aiki Feel ?
Below is a description of receiving techniques from Horikawa Kodo. If your instructor claims to be teaching aiki techniques, do they feel like this?
“It was really hard to take when he (Horikawa) applied techniques on you… During practice, he would apply aiki and keep it applied for minutes so it was pretty rough on his partner!… you weren’t able to move at all. And gradually it would become difficult to breathe. It was as if you were being pressed with cotton so you couldn’t move.
It wasn’t that it was painful, so much as that you simply couldn’t move at all…It was as if your body was being pressed deep inside, so it was very tiring. To people looking at a distance, it must have seemed fake… Horikawa sensei… would [say to his uke] “Try to escape.” He would pin with only one finger, but uke would absolutely not be able to budge… His techniques worked with even the slightest touch… you couldn’t escape his aiki, so you’d be immobilised the entire time he was touching you.”
Quoted from the book “Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu: Conversations with Masters.” By Stanley Pranin.