Quote:
Jon Marshall wrote:
Hi All,
I enjoyed the book too, especially the historical aspects.
Allow me to put the cat among the pigeons, or the softie among the rough necks... Sensei Ken Williams is mentioned (very respectfully) in a few of the anecdotes, as Abe Sensei's most senior student.
After Abe Sensei left the UK, Sensei Williams spent a period without a teacher then went off to train with Tohei. He later set up the Ki Federation of GB which his wife now runs, with Sensei Williams still teaching (late 70's now). He teaches the whole ki and mind-body coordination stuff, emphasing softness and relaxation. He does not emphasise martial applicability, but teaches that if you have the ki, then the martial stuff is there.
I don't really have a question as such, but I do find it curious that I have never heard/seen this defection to the soft side of Kenshiro Abe's top student mentioned by the old-schoolers. I'd certainly be curious to hear a response.
Regards,
(and respect for the hard and the soft approaches)
Jon.
P.S. I'm off-line for a week or so, so won't be able to respond immediately.
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Jon
I am pleased that you enjoyed the book `` Positive Aikido ``.
I hope you will be encouraged to order book 2 " Positive Aikido - Hidden Knowledge " ??
Ken Williams Sensei is now 80 years of age and still teaching.
He was, as you say, the first student of Aikido with K Abbe Sensei.
I was discussing Sensei Williams with the last pioneers Derek Eastman and Haydn Foster Sensei just a few months before Foster Sensei died.
We were all agreed that Williams Sensei was a rather special man at a very special time, we were also agreed that none of us would have been as able, as he became, to take Aikido from a total nothing to a nationally accepted martial art.
The object of " Positive Aikido " was to historically record the facts.
I was Williams Sensei's personal assistant, believe me Williams Sensei was a hard man, he had to be, we fought for real many times as we tested each other all the way....no ribbons, just snot and blood.
Jiro Nakazono said to me recently, as a schoolboy in Paris France, his father the great Masahilo Nakazono would go to teach in Britain, he would wait for his father to return to relate the wonderful stories of the brave Budo warriors of Britain. ( his words not mine )
From 1955 until 1967 I was with Williams Sensei until he moved from the `Hut` to Wales and at a later date he began his journey into ` Ki Aikido `... In 1967 I also left the `Hut` and Williams Sensei and joined Chiba Sensei.. I could never have gone the Ki road, not for me..
Unlike so many coming into Ki Aikido - Sensei Williams had, and still has, a very strong
BASIC background in strong traditional Aikido...Sensei Williams was by far the best of Abbe Sensei's Aikido students and the man most suited for the position of natioanal coach.
Henry Ellis
Positive Aikido
http://aikido-books.blogspot.com/