Aikido and Competition - Thoughts from Sensei Jon Cameron JAA

Sensei Bob King interviews Sensei Jon Cameron 5th Dan instructor from the Japan Aikido Association about his time training with Nariyama Shihan and about competition in Aikido. It's a fascinating interview with someone who has been training in Tomiki Aikido for 35 years.

This is an audio interview and can be heard directly from the site at:
http://www.usaikido.com or it can be downloaded there. You can also get it in a podcast format through Itunes. Just search for Aikido - the way of harmony podcast and you can subscribe.

I hope you all enjoy it. Comments are welcome.

Jeff D.

What a wonderful interview, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I got a good feeling from the man himself. All my experiences with the Tomiki people from England have been good. Here in Orlando Florida we get visitors quite often and one year I was teaching an evening class and a group of young men came into the dojo. They were all young men with close cropped hair and all were in extremely good physical condition. They came in took off there shoes and set in seiza before the mat, all quite respectful and proper. They did not make a sound. At an appropriate time I halted class and went over to them and ask if I could help them. They informed me they were from England and they were students of Tomiki Aikido and had heard of our dojo and came by to watch class if it was OK with me. I ask them if they had Gi with them and they did but were respectful enough to leave it in the bus and would not presume to bring it in until invited to do so. This impressed me so I invited them to participate if they wished to. They all went out to get their Gis. I selected my top students and told the rest to watch for a while not wanting to put them in harms way if this turned out bad. I need not have worried. These young men were gentlemen in every since of the word. They were in extremely good physical shape and full of energy. I soon invited everyone to get on the mat and we had a great day of sharing views and application of Aikido. .

What a great story! We had a similar experience with Sensei Paul Linden from Aikido of Columbus. He invited Sensei Bob King, myself, and a few others to come down after our interview and we had an awesome time playing and learning. I'm glad you enjoyed the interview and I appreciate you taking the time to comment!

Jeff D.