Aunkai Seminar in Washington DC May 16-17

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[HL1978]

I am excited to announce that Akuzawa Sensei, founder of the Aunkai, will be visiting the Washington DC area on May 16-17 to teach a two-day intensive seminar. Spots are limited, so reserve your space soon!

Akuzawa Sensei has developed a unique approach to training from his extensive background in Chinese and Japanese martial arts. Rather than focusing on specific techniques, he and his students work to develop the martial body itself, thus forming a core set of body skills that the practitioner can apply to whatever form of martial art they choose. This seminar is open to all interested students regardless of what art they currently study. Below is a detailed summary of the material that will be covered over the two days of the seminar.

For more information about Akuzawa Sensei and the Aunkai, please see their website at http://www.aunkai.net/eng. Additional information on the Aunkai is available on this thread on AikiWeb: http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12119.

The seminar location is to be determined.

Dates:
Saturday May 16, from 10-5pm, and Sunday May 17, 10-5pm

Costs:
$180 dollars includes both days, with substantial discounts available for full-time students.
Contact:
Hunter Lonsberry at hlonsberry (at) gmail.com to reserve your spot.

*** Main Topics of the Seminar:
- Understanding body principles at a physical level.
- Understanding the importance of working out to "correct the body".
- Explaining the Aun method of "framework of power" .

[Kevin Leavitt]

Thanks Hunter! I am going to try and make this again this year now that I am not going anywhere for a while!

[HL1978]

Its too late for me to edit the original post, but if you are interested in scheduling private time with Akuzawa sensei, please email me as well.

[HL1978]

Space for the seminar has been confirmed.

It will be taking place at the Annandale Sport and Health.
4317 Ravensworth Rd
Annandale, VA 22003

There is a bus route that stops about 1/4 mile away, and the location is a few miles away from the metro.

[MM]

With some luck and effort, I am trying to make this seminar.

[HL1978]

There are still spots left for the seminar. Please email me if you are interested.

Also, I wanted to mention there will be a new Aunkai DVD available, which covers the partner exercises and provides plenty of opportunities to study Akuzawa Sensei's movement with in depth explanations.

Just like this first DVD this will complement the exercises that Akuzawa Sensei will cover in the seminar, and make it easier to remember the finer points when you return home to practice.

[Tom H.]

With some luck and effort, I am trying to make this seminar.

I'm in the same boat. Would be great to see you there.

[Budd]

I am planning to be there.

[Upyu]

Bump. New quick n' dirty vid of Ark:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJcq-8cvCpc&feature=channel

[Fred Little]

If I didn't have to put on the robes and work as a Marshall at NJIT's Commencement that weekend, I'd be headed that way.

FL

[Kevin Leavitt]

I am sorry that I will not be able to make it this year. I will be out in Coronado/San Diego California for a while then!

[HL1978]

There are still spots available, please email me if you would like to attend.

[HL1978]

The seminar is only one week away. Plenty of space available. Expect some very personal attention in this seminar.

[Kevin Leavitt]

Hunter, tell Ark and Rob Hi for me. I wish I could be there! Having a good time out in California though!

[Tom H.]

The seminar is only one week away. Plenty of space available. Expect some very personal attention in this seminar.

For anyone on the fence, hands on attention from someone who knows what he is going is valuable in this kind of training--esp. during the first few years of body development, when you're figuring out what's disconnected that out not be, what's connected that needs to be separated, and how to identify the feeling of efficient movement.

I'm really looking forward to this to get a better feel for Ark's approach, check my progress from last year, and see what Rob is working on now. I've even stopped the olympic lifting for a few weeks to soften up :-)

[JangChoe]

DC still has space left for the seminar. The Atlanta seminar was a success. And a lot of people gave me very positive feedback on the Atlanta seminar, even people who have never heard of Aunkai came away very pleased and enlightened.

Hopefully the reviews for the Atlanta reviews will come in. But in the meantime, DC still has spaces left. It's a great opportunity to sign up and see what the hype is about.

[David Orange]

It's a great opportunity to sign up and see what the hype is about.

The Atlanta seminar had more pure information than any seminar I've ever attended. It's tough stuff, but well worth it.

If you've never felt someone with INCREDIBLE power, Ark's seminar is a great chance to experience that power directly without being harmed. It's SCARY, no mistake, but Ark is a really great teacher and he has very important material that he's dedicated to imparting to all who want to learn it.

At one point, he had me grab the other end of a 6-foot bo and try to resist his push. Not only could I not resist, but the surge of power shoved me back several steps before I couldn't keep up with myself and flew backward several feet more before hitting the floor with a good thud. And that was just one little moment. Ark gives lots of direct instruction and he's unbelievably kind-hearted for someone with that much power.

You owe it to yourself to meet Ark and feel this power if you consider yourself to know anything at all about martial arts.

Thanks to Jang and the Roswell Budokan for the great opportunity.

Don't miss Ark in Washington if you have a hit of a chance of going. It's worth it.

David

[John Brockington]

I attended the Atlanta seminar too, and could not agree more with David's post. And I saw Akuzawa do that bo push against David, who outweighs him by maybe 50-70 pounds (hope that is right David:)) but was "displaced" a good 15 to 20 feet before landing. Sweet fall, too!

Akuzawa did a sort of kotegaeshi on me, not really torquing or rotating my wrist in any way, just basically flexing my wrist/arm together while walking towards me. It somehow felt like iriminage, no wrist pain or tension or anything at all, just a huge, unstoppable force projecting through me. I never felt anything like it before at all. He also did a sort of sokumen thing against me while I resisted, and again, it felt like suddenly every limb in my body had to support a massive weight and just collapsed. Again, no pain, just power felt.

He emphasizes repeatedly that he is not truly generating power, just using his body with efficiency. And he says, and shows, that this can be done by pretty much anyone with the proper training. Yes, it is hard. And I can see where some people just don't have the desire to train this way. In a way, it's a little like distance running. A lot of people would like to run like the Kenyans, but not many people want to train like them. And by the way, 45 minutes of running/cardio a day does NOT prepare you for Ark's training.

There were no waza, no angles, no leverage, no atemi, and no mystic language or ideology emphasized during the training. There was extensive explanation, demonstration, hands-on correction, generous teaching, genuine good nature and sincerity. I whole-heartedly agree that ANYONE who is at all serious about martial arts training, but does not just want simple endorsement of their prior experience, go to these seminars. If you want to be told that everything you are doing is just fine, look elsewhere.

John

[DH]

Very Good points to emphasize, John. Particualrly for those who are going to hold on and insist how unique their "secret power" is.
I think the idea of pure information, on the spot, is as refreshing as feeling someone do it then explain it, isn't it?

I had someone once denigrate the training as "instant aiki." To which I replied "Instant? Most will not / cannot do the work that takes years to develope this kind of body." And that comment comes after teaching some 300 people. I have maybe a dozen who are any good.
Hard work *does-in* most wanna-bes.
Cheers
Dan

[SeiserL]

Attended Atlanta.
Highly recommend.
Great stuff.
Be there, or miss out.

[David Orange]

I saw Akuzawa do that bo push against David, who outweighs him by maybe 50-70 pounds (hope that is right David:)) but was "displaced" a good 15 to 20 feet before landing. Sweet fall, too!

Thanks, John. I have about 60 to 65 pounds on Ark, I'd say. Once I grabbed the end of that bo, I was trying so hard to keep him from pushing me back that I didn't even see what he did. It felt like being hit by a wall of compressed air. I was backpedalling, trying to get my feet back under by body, but I couldn't keep up with myself and finally fell. It was really a blast.

...just a huge, unstoppable force projecting through me. I never felt anything like it before at all. He also did a sort of sokumen thing against me while I resisted, and again, it felt like suddenly every limb in my body had to support a massive weight and just collapsed.

That says it very well.

He emphasizes repeatedly that he is not truly generating power, just using his body with efficiency. And he says, and shows, that this can be done by pretty much anyone with the proper training. Yes, it is hard. And I can see where some people just don't have the desire to train this way.

He said that he just absorbs and manages incoming force and returns where it came from. He said if I hadn't been pushing back against him with the bo, he couldn't have thrown me like that. It was my own power that did that. Which validates, for me, what I intuited about this method a long time ago. Mochizuki Sensei describe aiki as "the ura of kiai". I had always interpreted that as avoiding the kiai (or strength)--going around it to its "ura" but after reading a lot of Rob John's comments, I told him it seemed like they were accessing the ura of the attacker's strength directly through his own strength. And I think that does explain what they're doing, so that it fits Mochizuki Sensei's definition of aiki.

There were no waza, no angles, no leverage, no atemi, and no mystic language or ideology emphasized during the training. There was extensive explanation, demonstration, hands-on correction, generous teaching, genuine good nature and sincerity.

Pure information, very well organized and built up step by step to bigger lessons. Very enthusiastically presented and plenty of hard work to go around. He showed very clearly why so few will go very deep with this method but he could pretty solidly guarantee that if you do the work (so much of which is sweat-popping mental) you will get the skill.

I whole-heartedly agree that ANYONE who is at all serious about martial arts training, but does not just want simple endorsement of their prior experience, go to these seminars. If you want to be told that everything you are doing is just fine, look elsewhere.

Exactly.

David

[David Orange]

I think the idea of pure information, on the spot, is as refreshing as feeling someone do it then explain it, isn't it?


Sure is. I'm looking forward to getting together with you, too. Please let me know whether I should aim at one of your seminars or if there's a good time for me to come to your place. Thanks very much.

David

[David Orange]

Attended Atlanta.
Highly recommend.
Great stuff.
Be there, or miss out.

It was nice to meet you there, Lynn. I enjoyed training with you though my wrists are still bruised from your gorilla grip!:D

Thanks again and hope to see you next time.

David

[HL1978]

This weekend should provide a great opportunity for everyone to learn more about the Aunkai and applications of body skill.

I also wanted to mention that the venue has changed to the Audrey Moore rec center. We will meet outside there at 10am.

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/maps/parkmaps_moore.htm

From 495, take exit 54B-A to merge onto Braddock Rd west toward
VA-620. The park entrance is on the right side. From there go straight past the baseball fields and make a left into the parking lot.

[Ron Tisdale]

Wish I could be there. Life does not allow...oh well...

Best,
Ron

[MM]

Sorry, Hunter, I can't make it. I'll be out of state with work training. Say hi to Rob for me will you? My regrets that I will miss meeting Akuzawa and training with him.

[TorDutcher]

I am very disappointed that I couldn't attend. I attended last year in Virginia and I was impressed not only with Akuzawa's ability (and that of his students), but also with his lack of pretension and obfuscation.

The exercises that I learned have become integral to my training.

Tor Dutcher

[Tom H.]

I just got back to Providence, and have to rush off to meet family, but that was a terrific seminar. Thanks to Hunter, Alex, the Aunkai crew, and Ark. Their approach works (do the exercises diligently and they will change your body).

I'll try to make time for more comments later, but I was glad I went, both to measure my progress, as well as to get a better understanding of the Aunkai methods.