RYOTEDORI – KIHON

At first glance ryotedori is an inane attack. Two hands on two hands: Who does that?[1] Contextually I have presented it as an means of controlling an opponent’s un-drawn sword. Uke approaches the pin nage’s hands to his hips to prevent deployment. Nage learns weapon-retention and countering. This post is a focused exploration but review the broaderContinue reading “RYOTEDORI – KIHON”

CLOSING SKILLS

The following is a re-post from the Art of Manliness: Oliver Wendell Holmes once wrote that a people “that shortens its weapons lengthens its boundaries.” By this he meant that men who were capable of fighting fiercely at close quarters also possessed the essential courage, the thumos, that ultimately won battles, turned the tide of war — protectedContinue reading “CLOSING SKILLS”

SOLO TRAINING

When I began training, I was told that the minimum time commitment to earn shodan in Aikido is to train three classes per week for a period of five years – and this presumes progress through time on the mat under competent instruction with honest training partners. If you do the math, however, the USAFContinue reading “SOLO TRAINING”