“An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.” ― Robert A. Heinlein, Beyond This Horizon In the Aikido dojo the sword is the soul of the samurai and that spirit remains salient. Even a bokken (wooden sword) should be handled as the symbolic representationContinue reading “EDGED ETTIQUETTE”
Author Archives: protectivearts
SPOTTING
I am failing my new year’s resolution of teaching to the test. Concepts and connections are taking precedent over technique in my classes. This morning the only technique I taught was ai-hanmi-katate dori kokyuho (and its variant irimi nage). I have covered kokyuho previously but this morning I used it as an exemplar of precision positioning. ToContinue reading “SPOTTING”
ARMORY
There is no substitute for a live edge when it comes to understanding how a weapon will act in the hand and to learn how the hand should employ the blade. A serious martial artist will need to own and use the weapons he purports to train and teach. (And must know the proper etiquette forContinue reading “ARMORY”