YouTube: Mori Shihan

I just discovered this guy on youtube, and I became an instant fan.
I would like to have some informations about Mori Shihan.
How does he call his foot pinning technique? It's my favorite.

http://youtu.be/ugsS2_Z0wpA

http://www.yoshinkan.info/index.php?pageID=Sensei
http://www.yoshinkan.info/index.php?pageID=History

Ah, thank you, Seven, I had lost hope. I will share this with the other members of my dojo, this video made quite an impression.

"Takeno Sensei's technique felt very strong and sharp, but Master Shioda Sensei executed his technique so swiftly I hardly felt anything but one movement, then all the muscles in my body were locked instantly. It felt like a vibration went through the whole body, which was being controlled by this little old man, though I didn't feel any pain. The weight he applied before he threw was so intense it felt like I had weights dropped on me a second before my whole body collapsed"

That's Aiki!

Alex

Alex Megann wrote: "Takeno Sensei's technique felt very strong and sharp, but Master Shioda Sensei executed his technique so swiftly I hardly felt anything but one movement, then all the muscles in my body were locked instantly. It felt like a vibration went through the whole body, which was being controlled by this little old man, though I didn't feel any pain. The weight he applied before he threw was so intense it felt like I had weights dropped on me a second before my whole body collapsed" That's Aiki! Alex

Indeed. Also, while I knew that the uchi deshi life was not easy, I never imaginded that it was so taxing both physically and mentally. I would not survive something like that, and I know very few people who would accept it, and yet, this constant and exhausting state of awareness paid off beautifully on the mat.

I shall ask Sensei for you what he calls his toe pinning. He hasn't tried it on me yet, luckily.

Michelle

Michelle Braddon wrote: I shall ask Sensei for you what he calls his toe pinning. He hasn't tried it on me yet, luckily. Michelle

What is it like, training with him? Is he as hard on his students as Master Shioda was with him?

He's really awesome! Sort of strict about the etiquette, being Japanese and all, but he's very patient with beginners like myself and doesn't mind if we make etiquette mistakes. I've learned so far, if he's staring at you, you've probably got the wrong foot in front. Although he always looks really strict and mean in the demonstrations, he's not. And he never uses women as his uke. Which is a tad disappointing. I think he believes it's not proper 'Budo'. He's altered his lessons a lot for us poor Aussies, who, according to Sensei have weak knees, so we don't do much of the knee walking,(shikko? i'm still learning the language. Still can't remember left and right) and more weapons stuff, so he doesn't seem really hung up on tradition either. I've only been training at his dojo for two weeks. So I shall tell you more the moment I've found out. And apparently he's scared of Christmas beetles...

He doesn't use women as uke?

I'd be far more than a tad disappointed.

Michelle Braddon wrote: He's really awesome! Sort of strict about the etiquette, being Japanese and all, but he's very patient with beginners like myself and doesn't mind if we make etiquette mistakes. I've learned so far, if he's staring at you, you've probably got the wrong foot in front. Although he always looks really strict and mean in the demonstrations, he's not. And he never uses women as his uke. Which is a tad disappointing. I think he believes it's not proper 'Budo'. He's altered his lessons a lot for us poor Aussies, who, according to Sensei have weak knees, so we don't do much of the knee walking,(shikko? i'm still learning the language. Still can't remember left and right) and more weapons stuff, so he doesn't seem really hung up on tradition either. I've only been training at his dojo for two weeks. So I shall tell you more the moment I've found out. And apparently he's scared of Christmas beetles...

Krystal Locke wrote: He doesn't use women as uke? I'd be far more than a tad disappointed.

This is, unfortunately, something else my own teacher has in common with Mori Sensei, in addition to the Shioda "toe pin"...

Alex

Alex Megann wrote: This is, unfortunately, something else my own teacher has in common with Mori Sensei, in addition to the Shioda "toe pin"... Alex

Is it a yosh thing? I cant think of any aikikai folks who have not used women as uke. I dont get out of te house much, though.

Krystal Locke wrote: Is it a yosh thing?

No. It's his preference. Women in my dojo ukemi for me. Takeno Sensei's, 9th Dan, top student is female and takes a lot of ukemi for him.

Krystal Locke wrote: Is it a yosh thing? I cant think of any aikikai folks who have not used women as uke. I dont get out of te house much, though.

Sensei has been in the Aikikai for nearly forty years! His pickiness about his ukes started about fifteen years ago, and it's definitely nothing to do with his Yoshinkan origins.

The only Aikikai teacher I have heard of who has an actual policy of not practising with women (actually I gather he doesn't even allow women as members in his dojo) is in Florida. He is quite clear about his reasons - whether anyone else agrees or disagrees with them is apparently not something that bothers him.

Alex

Just because people are good at (masters of) aikido does not necessarily make them well rounded human beings, paragons of virtue, able to get on with people, politically correct or gender neutral. We are all responsible for choosing our teachers and for deciding what it is we want to learn from said teachers!

My main teacher (Inaba sensei), is very encouraging (particularly for a Japanese man - perhaps this is me showing my biases!) to female practitioners and teachers. However, his preference for embu (demonstrations) is NOT that a (typically larger) male practitioner throws around a (typically smaller) female practitioner. The other way around is fine by him! That said, I have seen him take ukemi in kenjutsu from female practitioners for an embu, particularly with an iaito or shinken - the use of weapons evens things up - sharpness, speed and focus are the key elements.

Robert Cowham wrote: Just because people are good at (masters of) aikido does not necessarily make them well rounded human beings, paragons of virtue, able to get on with people, politically correct or gender neutral. We are all responsible for choosing our teachers and for deciding what it is we want to learn from said teachers!

Very well put.