Previously published in USAF Aikido News on August 28, 2015 Whenever we experience a particularly effective technique we notice nage’s presence immediately. Like a tidal wave that suddenly appears out of nowhere, it can sweep us off our feet while we look on in awe. Presence can be powerful yet subtle, and become the center of attention … [Read more…]
There’s a classic Bill Cosby sketch with Noah and the ark. God: Noah, I want you to build an ark. Noah: Right. What’s an ark? This skit captures something about my first year training in aikido. Within the dojo there exists a specialized lexicon; some terms are Japanese and some are English. At the time, … [Read more…]
(All photographs Copyright © Javier Domínguez, 2017)
Previously published in USAF Aikido News on August 10, 2015 The meaning of Aikido varies among the unique and different people who practice it. The meaning changes even for the same person. The reason we start something is often different from the reason we maintain it years later. Our initial purpose evolves and adapts to … [Read more…]
Previously published in USAF Aikido News on May 31, 2015 Ukemi can be many things. It is a way to train and fall safely. It is a sincere and committed attack. And for some people it is even a sub-art within Aikido. Some people like to take high-flying and super soft falls, while others stick … [Read more…]
At the beginning, I didn’t get him. His aikido was different, so different from what I had seen in those early years practicing aikido. And I had barely heard of him. When I took my first class with him, I was there, at the New York Aikikai, to train as an uchi-deshi under Yamada Sensei. Oh, how things … [Read more…]
(All photographs Copyright © Javier Domínguez, 2016)
Getting your Shodan is like being a recent graduate. It is the culmination of a long process of dedicated study. Hours of practice, and lessons learned from your teachers. No wonder we feel so accomplished. The graduate gets a diploma, and a degree. We get a black belt, and a most precious hakama. And, for … [Read more…]
This is not your basic level etiquette in Aikido article. There are already many such articles devoted to its basics. I want to go a step deeper, if you will. Consequently, ‘201’. Etiquette is no other thing than manners. Each society has its own rules of propriety. Burping during dinner could be seen as disgusting or … [Read more…]
(All photographs Copyright © Javier Domínguez, 2014)