I have just finished Victor Hanson’s The Western Way of War (1989). It provides a visceral depiction of what it was like to be a hoplite. It is a very unromantic portrayal that emphasizes the communal aspects of ancient warfare; the necessity of group action where doing your role in the phalanx was far moreContinue reading “HOPLITES and PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS”
Tag Archives: Illiad
KIHON – Hanmi Handachi Shiho Nage and Uchi Kaiten Nage
Kihon waza are the developmental base forms and they show the correct way to train in order to allow for proper developmental growth in the art. Normative words demand definition: what is a “correct” way to train and what is “proper” development? I recall hearing a shihan once quip, “Aikido works. Yours doesn’t.” A pithy summationContinue reading “KIHON – Hanmi Handachi Shiho Nage and Uchi Kaiten Nage”
KIAI
Kiai (気合) I have mused openly in the past about the disappearance of the kiai from Aikido. O’Sensei was reported to have a very powerful kiai that could be heard from miles away. Traditional arts continue to employ kiai, so why the downplay in Aikido? O Sensei kiai and kotodama video Kiai is ‘simply aContinue reading “KIAI”
Protective Arts 