Atemi Article

Unless something changes, Black Belt Magazine has informed me that my article on Atemi will be published in the June issue. It has taken awhile but hopefully it will be there.

IT IS IN-I was contacted by a group called In the News who wants to laminate it for me and charge me $386. Anyway, it has been published so you should get a copy soon.

I hope I did this topic justice. Please provide me with constructive feedback since this is a definite topic of interest of mine. Be kind .

P.S. For anyone writing for these magazines expect a 2 year process. Gary and I have both been promoted to yondan since the article was submitted (I changed it but it did not get corrected).

Just checked with the local bookstore and the stands will not get the magazine until about May 3rd. I guess the subscribers get it first.

Congratulations.

Congrats, Sensei!

Can't wait to read it.

Thanks: Update-April 26 is when I'm told it will be on the news stand. It starts on page 118 and runs through page 126. Title: Aikido: striking and pressure points

Yes, congratulations. We have it as of today (I looked yesterday, too) on our local B & N magazine rack.

I especially liked the fact that you cited sources--the only article to do so in this issue. How was BB about that? (I don't get the impression that they put a lot of stock on rigor...)

They did not say anything. Other than adding some pictures of O'Sensei, the pretty much left the article alone. I could not detect any editing. I figured they would just leave the references off but they did not.

Let me know if you have any feedback on the topic. I hope I did it justice. I started the research on this over 5 years ago and submitted it to JAMA-they accepted it and then changed editors about 3 or 4 times and then after letting it sit a year told me I had to rewrite it. I did but not for them-I thought it was tacky to not let me know sooner. So I rewrote it for BB and it was accepted 2 years ago. A long time coming but I finally got it published.

Great... I guess i'll just have to wait 1 month or 2 before it hits our shores and pay some $40 local money for it.

Whatever happen to online journals, free dissemination of info, blah blah...?

Its too bad JAMA proved so difficult to deal with...I used to like them quite a bit. Doesn't speak well of thier process...

Ron (congrats on the publication!)

Congratulations on your article. I am always delighted to see anything available to help educate the general martial art community about Aikido. Domo.

Thanks Ron & Lynn.

I did not exactly care for their process. I originally submitted to them due to liking their focus on academic integrity. It made me search to verify my impressions and it was also at their suggestion that I perform the survey which was interesting.

What I found interesting in researching the article was the fact that my impression that little was mentioned of atemi in the aikido literature. To my surprise (you had to look carefully) and delight, it was mentioned quite regularly.

I was able to pick up a copy today at Barnes & Noble. Sorry about that last post-I was rushing between patients. I meant to say I originally had the impression that very little was mentioned in the aikido literature about atemi. To my surprise, I found quite a bit when researching the literature. I was also surprised about the number actually interested in the topic.

Sensei,
Got and read the article just now. Deepest compliments and appreciation. Very well written, insightful, and informative. Domo arigato.

Lynn:

Thank you for your comments. It's my favorite topic.

John

We got a little free publicity out of the article for Aikido. They interviewed me on one of the local news channels and did a 90 second bit on us doing aikido. It was fun.

Do your own local press release. It can help educate the cummunity and its a great way to market.

Sounds like a great article, ill have to try and find a copy over here. I always find it really bizaare that many people will state there is no atemi in aikido even when you show them otherwise. Its almost like they wont allow their initial preconceptions to be changed.

Recently myself and a couple of other students accompanied one of our instructors, Peter Seth to a karate class where he was teaching them some aikido. He got us to teach a technique each so I chose yokomen-uchi shihonage projection as I thought its dynamic nature and many openings for atemi would interest the karateka.

As I did the technique I stopped it at every point I thought atemi could be inserted and demonstrated each one: A strike to the face, kick in the groin, strike in the kidneys, strike to the underside of the elbow to break the arm and finally a strike to the neck/eye gouge.

At the end of the class the karate instructor highlighted the difference in styles being that there was no striking in aikido. What do you have to do?

Nick: maybe you should have struck the points to make your point. I constantly try to point out the atemi openings and points to my students. One can learn to hit the points while doing a nice flowing movement so it doesn't even look like atemi (but feels like it to the uke-numb fingers, etc.).

Thanks for the idea Lynn. I may just do a press release. Maybe it will be picked up by one of the other media. The news station did a good piece on us for 90 seconds.

Thanks John, I did actually strike most of the points, I even accidentally connected properly on the kick to the groin due to my over-zealousness (sorry Tim!). They just didnt seem to take it on board.

I know for a FACT that atemi IS in aikido... my arm is still sore from last night's class! Doing a kokyunage off of a two hand lapel grab, now my forearem feels like poo!

Thanks alot, Sensei! Sheesh! Though I guess I really should blame Mikey-san.

John Riggs wrote: Nick: maybe you should have struck the points to make your point.

Don't worry, he did.
ESPECIALLY the groin strike.

Ouch. Voice raises in pitch. Hope you are ok.

Yeah, but you got me back the other day Stop whinging about a kick to the nuts, sheesh...