Vote of thanks to Akayama Ryu and Aikiweb
 

This is a note to say thank you to Sensei Mark Barlow and the Yudansha of Akayama Ryu Jujutsu who visited Trinidad recently and treated our dojo to a fabulous seminar that featured a very interesting mix of Aikido and Jujutsu techniques and applications.

Being a system that owes part of its core techniques to Shodokan and other Tomiki inspired Aikido it was a pleasure to see the Aikido techniques applied in a no-nonsense manner, geared towards self defence. Also interesting was the similarities between some of the Jujutsu applications and typical Shodokan style technique.

Also I would like to thank Jun Akiyama and Aikiweb, without which the linkages and contacts would not have been made to make this seminar possible. Finally I met someone from Aikiweb in the real world :).

Hoping to meet again at the Winter Camp in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Arigato Gozaimashita
L.C.:ai::ki:

Hi Larry,

Great! Not that I actively helped out or anything, but I'm glad things worked out well for you. It sounds like you had an interesting seminar!

-- Jun

Larry,

The pleasure was all mine. You've got a great group of students with strong basics. Visiting your dojo was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Now if we can just get you that Grandmaster recognition....;)

Mark

Re: Vote of thanks to Akayama Ryu and Aikiweb
 

Hi Larry,

Keep your eyes open for me at Winter Camp this year and, hopefully, next year.

http://www.capitalcityaikido.com/ : I'm the guy on the left.

Best regards,

Lol, hey Mark, I think that Grandmaster thing has become a running gag now really:) Though I do think the grade that came my way has trickled back to the "giver of Grandmaster ranks" by now. Trinidad is a small country :)

Hoping to get the tape of the seminar soon so I can do some practicing.

Greg, I'll be sure to look out for you if and when I get there. It's always great to forge more links as we walk the path.

Interesting thing though Greg, the Aikikai group I trained with in Maryland was called Capital Aikikai. No link to Capital City Aikikai right?

Hope to se you guys in January.

L.C.:ai::ki:

That's good. If you come for Winter Camp 2005, it's possible that I'll be more obvious.

We're not associated with Capital Aikikai. Our instructor emeritus, Ron Myers, trained at Pearl City Aikikai in Hawaii. When he started his own dojo in a 'burb here, it was "Fountain City Aikikai". When we moved to Montgomery, the capital city of Alabama, we changed the name to "Capital City Aikikai".

For the past several years, I've been promoting the change from "Aikikai" to "Aikido" to fall more in line with the names of the dojo in my organization and, frankly, so that the martial arts illiterate can make the connection to what we do.

Best regards,

Speaking of seminars, everyone is more than welcome to join us on the Alabama Gulf Coast in January for a great workout in a relaxed atmosphere. Aikido, Jujitsu, Judo, Kuk Sool Won and Hapkido will be among the arts involved. For more info, please go to:

www.akayamaryu.com/wintercamp2004.htm

Thanks,

Mark

Greg Jennings will be joining us as a guest instructor at the Gulf Coast Martial Arts Camp next month in Orange Beach, Alabama. If anyone would like more information, please go to www.akayamaryu.com/wintercamp2004.htm

Thanks,

Mark Barlow

I'd like to thank Greg Jennings of Capital City Aikido and Van Bushnell of USA Martial Arts for their participation as guest instructors at the Gulf Coast Martial Arts Winter Camp this last weekend. We had over 70 students and instructors from 9 states attending and the feedback has been extremely positive.

Mark Barlow

Akayama Ryu Jujutsu

Congratulations on the success of your seminar Sensei Barlow. I regret not being able to attend.

Please do let me know if you release any videos on it though. This is something I would love to acquire for reference.

In the meantime, I am planning a major seminar during the summer period here. Please do e-mail or PM me if you are interested in attending.

L.C.:ai::ki:

Thank you, Barlow Sensei, for inviting me. I had a great time and picked up some things that I'll be able to introduce into my practice.

I look forward to the next camp.

Best regards,