Aikido of London
Blog
Relax!
If there was ever an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms and an often over used word, it is ‘Relax!” Its use has morphed into a parody of sorts when heard in class for the umpteenth time. It is also undeniably true. If you watch good martial art, good boxing or dance,...
Silence
A couple of years ago I was watching a fascinating film, Into great Silence filmed at La Grande Chartreuse, a Carthusian monastery in the French Alps. The most striking thing about the film was the absence of any music or narration. The viewer only sees and hears the...
Gradings and development
Why do we bother with them? Why does a non competitive martial art continue to use gradings and their reward, a promotion followed by a certificate as a measure of achievement? It doesn’t take much effort to realise that there is a massive disparity in quality between...
Where are you?
Where are you? Where are the young people in Aikido? I am talking about the 10 – 15 year olds but even more so the 16 – 25 year olds. The life of a dojo or anything for that matter is dependent on the youth in society to fill in the space behind the grown ups. Aikido...
South America
[ppp_non_patron_only]Travelling in South America was both a fascinating and disappointing trip. It came immediately after 2 years of life in San Diego. Whilst the countries visited, their cities and cultures, the people and the geography were extraordinary and...
Aikido all the time
I think it may have been the summer intensive that was the catalyst for change this year. During my summer break from teaching music, a group of 5 Aikido of London members had the opportunity to participate in a week-long Aikido intensive, much needed after a year or...