Welcome to the major information area of Aikido of Gainesville. From here you can learn about;
The Location of the Aikido of Gainesville Dojo
4424 SW 35th Terr.
Gainesville, FL. 32608
The Instructors at Aikido of Gainesville
What is Iaido, The Art of Drawing and Manipulating the Japanese Sword
and
The various masters who have influenced, or were primary developers of Aikido, Iaido and Battoh as practiced here at Aikido of Gainesville.
I have known for a long time that the main line of Aikido does not focus on truly effective techniques. I experienced this in various seminars that some Hombu students attended while I was in Japan and some other Hombu style seminars I have trained in. Their techniques look similar, but the results were not as consistent with lock-down efficiency. Recently I have discovered that the headquarters dojo, the Aikikai Hombu Dojo, deliberately changed how techniques were executed in order to spread Aikido around the world. It worked, Aikido is around the world but the changes frustrated the founder of Aikido, perhaps causing him to develop a cancer. One day a student asked O'Sensei about the effectiveness of the techniques. In a fit of frustration O'Sensei told him, "The Aikido being taught here in Tokyo is for exercise. My Aikido is for the battlefield. If you want to learn my Aikido go to Iwama and learn from Saito."
He was referring to Morihiro Saito Sensei. He was the teacher of three of the teachers I started Aikido under. I managed to get the Navy to send me to Japan so I could study with him as well. I also studied with his son Hitohiro Saito for three years on the south side of Tokyo. Then the second three years I would train with Sensei Ryuji Sawa (formerly Inagaki Sensei), when the USS Independence was in port. After three years at Atsugi Naval Air Station, I had to change duty stations, so I went to the USS Independence which was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, about 45 miles Southeast from Tokyo. The first year I was on it, the Independence went into dry dock for major repairs. So for practically the whole year the ship was in port. The next two years the Independence was away from Yokosuka for 9 months of the year. So my last two years around Japan, I became more of a visitor when the ship came back into home port.
Being stationed nearer to Yokohama, I also trained with Nishio Sensei on a number of nights. My advancements came from Nishio Sensei who also advocated battlefield strong, effective, fast techniques. I teach the Iwama Style as a basic foundation and the Nishio Style as advanced for flow and speed. Nishio Style is more complex, so an understanding of the Iwama style basics makes it easier to comprehend. I have been so fortunate to study the two styles of Aikido that maintain a sense of Budo (martial way) while the main line of Aikido has chosen to maintain an exercise way. The organization is much larger and the modified techniques that do not consistently work has given Aikido a poor reputation. Perhaps if stronger techniques get taught again, then Aikido could regain a better reputation and begin growing again.
He was referring to Morihiro Saito Sensei. He was the teacher of three of the teachers I started Aikido under. I managed to get the Navy to send me to Japan so I could study with him as well. I also studied with his son Hitohiro Saito for three years on the south side of Tokyo. Then the second three years I would train with Sensei Ryuji Sawa (formerly Inagaki Sensei), when the USS Independence was in port. After three years at Atsugi Naval Air Station, I had to change duty stations, so I went to the USS Independence which was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, about 45 miles Southeast from Tokyo. The first year I was on it, the Independence went into dry dock for major repairs. So for practically the whole year the ship was in port. The next two years the Independence was away from Yokosuka for 9 months of the year. So my last two years around Japan, I became more of a visitor when the ship came back into home port.
Being stationed nearer to Yokohama, I also trained with Nishio Sensei on a number of nights. My advancements came from Nishio Sensei who also advocated battlefield strong, effective, fast techniques. I teach the Iwama Style as a basic foundation and the Nishio Style as advanced for flow and speed. Nishio Style is more complex, so an understanding of the Iwama style basics makes it easier to comprehend. I have been so fortunate to study the two styles of Aikido that maintain a sense of Budo (martial way) while the main line of Aikido has chosen to maintain an exercise way. The organization is much larger and the modified techniques that do not consistently work has given Aikido a poor reputation. Perhaps if stronger techniques get taught again, then Aikido could regain a better reputation and begin growing again.
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