Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > AikiWeb System

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 09-21-2009, 12:03 PM   #1
AikiWeb System
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,320
Offline
"Aikido master's prowess lives up to literature"

Posted 2009-09-21 12:02:35 by Jun Akiyama
News URL: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/A...793/story.html

This article called "Aikido master's prowess lives up to literature" highlights Robert Mustard sensei who was a featured character in Robert Twigger's book "Angry White Pyjamas."

From the article: "One day while working in the Burnaby dojo -- well after the book was published -- Mustard looked up; who should be standing there but a slightly nervous Twigger.

"I think he was really scared because he had called me crazy and unbalanced," Mustard said. [...] The two wound up eating pizza, drinking a bottle of whiskey and talking about Japan "and all the crap" until the wee hours of the morning."


___________________
~~~ To submit a news item to AikiWeb's front page, click here. ~~~
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2009, 12:42 PM   #2
Don_Modesto
Dojo: Messores Sensei (Largo, Fl.)
Location: Florida
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,267
Offline
Re: "Aikido master's prowess lives up to literature"

LOL.

I always wanted to know what would happen.

(I never believed Twigger was straight on those guys. He was selling books, not doing budo.)

Don J. Modesto
St. Petersburg, Florida
------------------------
http://www.theaikidodojo.com/
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2009, 01:00 PM   #3
kironin
 
kironin's Avatar
Dojo: Houston Ki Aikido
Location: Houston,TX
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,038
United_States
Offline
Re: "Aikido master's prowess lives up to literature"

thanks for the article, interesting.

the book was kind of fun even though you knew it was very much from the writer's perspective of reality.

  Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2009, 01:41 PM   #4
crbateman
 
crbateman's Avatar
Location: Orlando, FL
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,502
Offline
Re: "Aikido master's prowess lives up to literature"

Quote:
Craig Hocker wrote: View Post
the book was kind of fun even though you knew it was very much from the writer's perspective of reality.
But most of them are, wouldn't you say?
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2009, 09:19 AM   #5
Karo
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 62
United_States
Offline
Re: "Aikido master's prowess lives up to literature"

When I read "Angry White Pyjamas", I liked the way Twigger described his experience in the yoshinkan dojo; I liked that he wasn't afraid to write about the hate and doubt as well as love. And he was honest in presenting his changing perspective on people, this is what resonated with me most.

But I always wondered how Mustard reacted to the publication of the book! I suspected, if he really was like Twigger described him, that he wouldn't mind so much

Although he seems to have mellowed out over the years. Getting older and becoming a parent can do this to you...

Karo
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-24-2009, 11:17 AM   #6
Toby Threadgill
Location: Evergreen, Colorado
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 166
United_States
Offline
Re: "Aikido master's prowess lives up to literature"

Hi,

I had the pleasure of teaching a seminar at Robert Mustards dojo last year that coincided with us both doing demonstrations at the Wadokai Karate World Cup in Vancouver, BC. I had heard all these crazy stories about Robert over the years and was curious what the man was really like. Ellis Amdur told me I HAD to meet him!

Well.....

I had a blast with the guy. A new great friend. Robert has a very funny and robust personality. Within minutes I was laughing heartily with the guy over sake in a local Japanese restaurant. He is also a very talented and adept aikidoka. As advertised, no one will ever accuse him being an aiki bunny. His technique is direct, very powerful and uncompromising in its execution. Frankly I'm surprised I don't see him teaching more seminars as there is real depth to his technical and teaching abilities.

One thing that might make people wince around Robert is that he will not pull punches. If you ask him a question, you will get the truth handed right back to you without any sugar coating or concern for political correctness, and perhaps that what I liked most about him. We were both immediately comfortable with one another because we recognized our mutual aversion to double talk. I have always said, "Don't ask a question unless you want an answer. Robert lives by dictum.

And, I did not have trouble reconciling the real man with the picture painted in Angry White Pajamas. Like most budoka of his caliber, Robert is a complex man whose mission in teaching is likewise complex. Such complexity can create a rather schizophrenic impression to someone like Mr Twigger, who was previously uninitiated to serious budo training. Watching the interaction in Roberts dojo, it was obvious he cared deeply for his students, and they cared deeply for him, but his dojo is certainly not prone to group hugs and flowery talk. His dojo is first and foremost a training hall run by a martial artist, for serious martial artists. Individuals looking for new age empowerment or philosophical pontification need not apply.

Watching the spectators of Roberts demo at the Wadokai World cup was amusing. All these world class karate competitors eyes literally bugged out while Robert hammered his uke into the mat, and I mean HAMMERED! One observer, A damn tough karateka from Scotland, leaned over to me and said "How does that guy get back up from that?" I responded "Well, he's tough and very well trained" That pretty much summs up Robert Mustard and his dojo. Tough and well trained. I love it!

You know... I think I'll call him up to say hello. We keep talking about teaching a seminar together. A koryu barbarian and the beast of the Tokyo Police aikido dojo. Do you think anyone will come?

LOL....

Toby Threadgill
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-24-2009, 12:51 PM   #7
Ron Tisdale
Dojo: Doshinkan dojo in Roxborough, Pa
Location: Phila. Pa
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,615
United_States
Offline
Re: "Aikido master's prowess lives up to literature"

Sign me up! And for the hospital stay afterward...

I really enjoyed the few times training with and getting thrown by him. I found him extremely well humoured, very nice, and fun to be around. I too would like to see him do more seminars.

Best,
Ron (and he has a really good memory, and knows that pay back is a ... )

Ron Tisdale
-----------------------
"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind."
St. Bonaventure (ca. 1221-1274)
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-24-2009, 07:28 PM   #8
George S. Ledyard
 
George S. Ledyard's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido Eastside
Location: Bellevue, WA
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,670
Offline
Re: "Aikido master's prowess lives up to literature"

I caught Mustard Sensei at a demo at our local Community College last year. We had met at the Aiki Expos but this time we had a chance to chat a bit. Super nice guy, very open and approachable. And most Aikido folks would trade their first-borns to be that good. I thought he was better than some seniors i saw at the Expos. Anyway, he should be out there. Folks should be clamoring to train with someone of that caliber.

But folks don't invite you if they don't know who you are... There are many highly skilled folks who train and teach in relative obscurity while some mediocrity markets himself to the hilt, like "this doesn't work on you because you curled your toes and touched the tip of your tongue to your pallet"; oh, never mind... don't get me started.

Anyway, Mustard Sensei seems to be one of those fellows who isn't terribly inclined to put himself forward so I would recommend folks make the effort to reach out to him. He's definitely the real deal.

George S. Ledyard
Aikido Eastside
Bellevue, WA
Aikido Eastside
AikidoDvds.Com
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Omoto-kyo Theology senshincenter Spiritual 80 06-10-2022 08:32 AM
My Experiences in Cross Training MMA with Aikido Reuben General 126 02-17-2015 09:56 PM
I'm Leaving Aikido Daniel Ranger-Holt General 122 10-07-2010 08:01 PM
Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation 12 Peter Goldsbury Columns 32 05-16-2009 06:05 PM
For Ted Ehara - Boundary of your aikido? billybob General 123 12-18-2006 04:52 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:39 PM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate