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David Orange wrote:
That's also what Dan says. And what Ueshiba said, what Mifune said, what Sanpo said. Sugino said it, too. (Did he ever.)
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Oh yes, Sugino (Yoshio) most certainly did.
BTW, my teacher tells a beautiful story about Minoru Mochizuki sensei and Yoshio Sugino sensei meeting up when they were both in their 80s. This was in Japan in the 1990s, if I recall the story correctly.
The two legends had been friends since before the war, as they were both students of O-Sensei Ueshiba and Jigoro Kano. They also did Katori Shinto Ryu together.
At this particular time, the two masters decided to do some kata from the omote dachi of the Katori Shinto Ryu. Mochizuki sensei had always been a sturdy guy and Sugino a small and slender type. Still so. They proceeded to do the kata, and you could see the masters challenging each other in a friendly manner.
At one point, they got into a position crossing swords, where Mochizuki was able to push his friend backwards forcefully. The smaller Sugino rushed backwards and fell. All of the onlookers (students of both teachers) looked on in horror. They thought Sugino sensei was surely going to be seriously hurt. As I mentioned, he was well into his eighties. The tiny old man surprised them all - did a beautiful ushiro ukemi and stood to his feet. Sword in hand. And with the biggest grin ever on his face, stroking his long beard, he said: "Let's do that again!"
You are never too old or too wise to accept a challenge - and these masters certainly did not shy away from one
