Iwae Dojo

09/01/2020

Good training is defined by many things. This article by my friend Peter Boylan is one of them that many beginners and even more than a few experienced people get wrong for a long time, sometimes never recovering.🖖

Blog about Japanese martial arts, gendai and koryu budo, koryu bugei

10/28/2019

Blog about Japanese martial arts, gendai and koryu budo, koryu bugei

09/10/2018

This (and related videos) is something I have been working on with my children in approaching their schooling.

I am also sharing this with my students in the dojo and they are identifying clear cases where their mindset is getting in their way.

The way we understand our intelligence and abilities deeply impacts our success. Based on social science research and real life examples, Eduardo Briceño art...

08/29/2018

Training well gives one power and if you allow it, that can change your character. For some though, it reveals their character, instead.

Blog about Japanese martial arts, gendai and koryu budo, koryu bugei

08/15/2018

This has a feeling that reminds me of my relationship with my own teacher and his son. It’s all about the training and letting it change you. I would enjoy meeting these people on the mat and sharing some lifespan.

Our tribute to Hayawo Kiyama Shihan, from Roy Shingen Goldberg Sensei and his students. For more information about the Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Kodokai including places to train in the United States, please visit: http://www.kiyamakan.com

07/27/2018

I have not read this yet, but I suspect it’s worthwhile reading.

Words of Power: A Guide for Ordinary People to Calm and De-Escalate Aggressive Individuals Aggression touches all of our lives. Whether it is a customer or angry coworker, an upset family member, a fellow student at school or college, or a stranger we bump into on the street, all of us, at times, mu...

07/06/2018

This kind of stuff applies in the dojo as well as in the rest of life.

Through engagements with many people in the martial arts world I’ve encountered many people who’ve literally changed how I have to look at my training and rebuild my foundational knowledge.

I’ve also encountered many people who discard knowledge that does not conform to their worldview (of what aikido is).

Looking for confirmation is important, but not discarding disconfirming evidence is even more important.

This is the mental equivalent of eating McDonald’s every day.

06/23/2018

    Winning and Losing In the movies martial artists win their battles. Early losses, inserted into a script for the purposes of “character development,” are redeemed in a climatic final…

05/17/2018

A phenomenal letter from Tomiki in his youth that explores many of the same debates people have today about budo vs. sport vs. self defense, and deeper. Some really good observations, including many parallels to today’s arguments and discussions.

Well worth reading!

“In the ideal budo, as one progresses along the path their technical side progresses in parallel. This varies from what occurs in sports. In comparison to sports, in which records are maintained for the few years of one’s youth in the sport, in budo there comes a gradual increase in skill that accompanies mental conditioning continuing to old age.“

The translation of a letter from Kenji Tomiki to Isamu Takesh*ta in 1928, talking about his experiences with Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba and his thoughts about Kodokan Judo. Published with the cooperation of Josh Gold and Aikido Journal.

05/16/2018

A picture from the April Koshukai in Tempe, AZ.

Two new rokudan, one new yondan, several more promotions I am remiss to describe because I’m out and about while posting this instead.

Good sessions putting more meat on the bone of frameworks of our training, how to use the tools we’ve learned so far, and pushing ourselves to grow.