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Old 05-11-2014, 07:52 AM   #14
Ethan Weisgard
Dojo: Copenhagen Aiki Shuren Dojo
Location: Copenhagen
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 178
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Re: Origins and inspirations of kumijo

Hello all,

Very interesting thread. I want to remind people of Ellis Amdur's book Hidden in Plain Sight. This brings many things to light that you are wondering about. As a long time direct student of Saito Sensei myself, I can see that Ellis has pretty much summed it up quite concisely. The history is out there regarding what O- Sensei trained terms of weapons - both in actual training as well as observation training (Kashima).
Saito Sensei was the person who formalized the forms into what we now have as the basic and advanced forms in the Iwama lineage of weapons training. It is worthy of notice that O Sensei was present while Saito Sensei's structuring and teaching of these forms was taking place.

I think that O Sensei was quite open in many ways to the different paths that his different top students were taking. I think this explains the quite different forms you see in his various top students throughout the years.

But he also could be quite strict about certain aspects: he would, according to the accounts, not be happy when the deshi were trying to practice fancy kokyu nage techniques. He would become pleased if they were seen to be doing suwari waza Ikkyo, shihonage or other core techniques. Likewise, there is the account of O Sensei being displeased when the students at the headquarters were found practicing the advanced weapons forms, before having done enough basic weapons practice. This is the same pattern: create a strong basic structure before moving on to the advanced forms.

But to reiterate: between Stanley Pranin's extensive historic coverage of this topic, together with Ellis Amdur's recent publication, it is basically all covered.

In Aiki,
Ethan
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