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Old 06-22-2003, 09:53 PM   #1
Charles Hill
Dojo: Numazu Aikikai/Aikikai Honbu Dojo
Location: Three Lakes WI/ Mishima Japan
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Intriguing Teachers

I'd like to ask what teachers you have found really interesting, and why?

Not teachers that you think are really good or teach well (although they could be that too) but teachers that you have found intriguing and different from the norm.

Charles
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Old 06-22-2003, 11:33 PM   #2
Conrad Gus
 
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Koichi Barrish Sensei at the Tsubaki Grand Shrine ([url=http://www.tsubakishrine.org]) is totally fascinating to me. He is the only teacher I have met that integrates Shinto teachingg fully with Aikido. He also does ki waza without worrying about getting labelled by the Aikido community. Way outside the mainstream, but I think he has a great deal to teach.
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Old 06-23-2003, 04:45 AM   #3
justinm
Location: Maidenhead
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I found Robert Nadeau Shihan fascinating when I visited his dojo last week. Probably because he teaches in a totally different way to my usual teachers.

I thought him very inspirational.

Justin McCarthy
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Old 06-23-2003, 07:19 AM   #4
batemanb
 
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Endo Sensei, I like the way he plays around, and I like the way that he spends most of his time teaching, actually practicing, giving any one who wants it the chance to uke.

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
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Old 06-23-2003, 07:38 AM   #5
DavidEllard
Dojo: Dunstable/Dinton
Location: Milton Keynes, Uk
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I'd second what Bryan* said there. Endo Shihan is amazing in the way he "plays" with people.

Other than that Sensei Jorma Lyle from Sweden constently amazes me with what he can make happen, doing almost unreal things, like making you fall over before getting within a couple of feet of him. Very different to the "norm".

*BTW - Hi Bryan - we appear to live in the same town, sunny Milton Keynes! Hope to see you on the mat sometime - we can swop impressions of Endo Sense!
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Old 06-23-2003, 08:41 AM   #6
batemanb
 
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Quote:
David Ellard (DavidEllard) wrote:
I'd second what Bryan* said there. Endo Shihan is amazing in the way he "plays" with people.

Other than that Sensei Jorma Lyle from Sweden constently amazes me with what he can make happen, doing almost unreal things, like making you fall over before getting within a couple of feet of him. Very different to the "norm".

*BTW - Hi Bryan - we appear to live in the same town, sunny Milton Keynes! Hope to see you on the mat sometime - we can swop impressions of Endo Sense!
Hi David,

Yes we do! You're more than welcome to come along to the Seishin dojo at Eaglestone sometime (Monday & Wednesday evenings).

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
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Old 06-23-2003, 08:54 AM   #7
DavidEllard
Dojo: Dunstable/Dinton
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I've been there a couple of times, and enjoyed myself, met Sensei Ray Munn(?) once. But it's a fourth night a week training and I can rarely make it.

The offer is open the other way, your welcome to join us in Dunstable or Dinton, outside Aylesbury. Both of the Sensei's (Antony Pinchbeck and Jeremy Osbourne) travel overseas a couple of times a year to train with Endo Sensei, and many more times to train with his students. (We were in Norway last week with three teachers from Norway, Sweden and Germany!)

So if you enjoy the style of Aikido Endo Sensei teaches please come and see us.

(Email me if you want further details or directions)
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Old 06-23-2003, 09:12 AM   #8
batemanb
 
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David,

I took Ray up to Birmingham when Endo Sensei was over in February. I met Tony there briefly, he and Ray are old chums. You must know Mark too then, he knows me quite well from the old days.

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
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Old 06-23-2003, 09:57 AM   #9
Greg Jennings
Dojo: S&G BJJ
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Of those that I've personally trained with, Hans Goto of Bay Marin Aikido and Donald Moriyama of Pearl City Aikido Dojo fit the bill as the most intriguing, if in very different ways.

Regards,

Greg Jennings
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Old 06-23-2003, 11:19 AM   #10
tedehara
 
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I'd have to include my own instructor, Jon Eley Sensei. Even though he is a 6th dan and has been doing Aikido since it started in Chicago (40+ years), most people in Chicago and the Ki Society don't know of him. However, when he teaches, I always see and learn something new. This has been going on for 14+ years.

Another interesting teacher is Mikoto Masahilo Nakazono (1918 - 1994). Sensei Nakazono studied Aikido directly under O Sensei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, for many years in Japan. He left behind his thoughts on Kototama. Although he is not as well known as Stevens, Gleason or Barrish, he is one of the few direct links to understanding O Sensei's spirituality.

One of his former students is selling reprints of his essays at

http://www.kototamabooks.com/

Last edited by tedehara : 06-23-2003 at 11:22 AM.

It is not practice that makes perfect, it is correct practice that makes perfect.
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Old 06-23-2003, 12:13 PM   #11
BC
Location: Chicago, IL
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Two particular instructors that I find intriguing:

- Funakoshi Sensei from Yamagata-ken in Yamagata City, Japan. Studied under Rinjiro Shirata Sensei, and his style reflects it.

-Hayato Osawa Sensei from Aikikai Hombu dojo.

Robert Cronin
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Old 06-23-2003, 12:42 PM   #12
Charles Hill
Dojo: Numazu Aikikai/Aikikai Honbu Dojo
Location: Three Lakes WI/ Mishima Japan
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The names aren't enough! Please tell why you find these people intriguing. I trained with Endo Shihan for over four years at the Aikikai Honbu, but I don't know much about the other teachers other than their names. I'm sure there are many people who might read these posts and not know any of the names.

Charles
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Old 06-23-2003, 02:27 PM   #13
Kyri Honigh
Dojo: Aikido Curacao
Location: Curacao
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My own Sensei, cause he gives you proper guidance and yet gives you some freedom to try things out, approving anything different if it coincides with the basics.And he's a real nice guy! (Frank Wong Loi Sing Sensei)

And Yamada Shihan, he has the most solid Basics is aikido.He is powerful and really respected by many, but always has time for everyone.At seminars for example you can just walk up to him and say hello and talk about aikido or whatever.
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Old 06-23-2003, 06:50 PM   #14
Aikiscott
Dojo: Central Coast Aikikai
Location: Gosford
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Australia
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I recently trained with Kubota Sensei & was realy impressed with his Techniques. His excelent body movement was awesome & I really did like his Use of Kicks & other forms of Atemi in his techniques.

The other Sensei that I found Intriguing was Tanaka sensei. He is the first sensei I had trained under who taught me that you can be soft/Gentle and still convincing/Martial in your technique.

so I guess that is the Ying and Yang of my experiances.

Last edited by Aikiscott : 06-23-2003 at 06:52 PM.
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Old 06-23-2003, 09:46 PM   #15
Scott Sweetland
 
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I found Gaku Homma sensei a very interesting man.

Firstly, his dojo in Denver is an almost magical place to me. A little slice of Japan in a real bad neighborhood. I remember staying there during seminars and I would get up in the middle of the night and go down and sit on the mat and stare at the kamiza. The place had this feel to it that I can only describe as "spiritual air conditioning" hehe. I remember Homma sensei inviting us into the kitchen area to sit and drink sake with him and I remember when he told us the story of how Steven Segal got his Godan rank lol. He always compared Aikido to fried rice; everyone makes theirs with a little different ingredients.
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Old 06-24-2003, 06:03 PM   #16
A.w.H
Dojo: Seikokan
Location: Ont
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Personly, I like any teacher that has a sence humor. As long as they stay on the topic and don't get to caried away with their humor.

When somone makes the situation more enjoyable i find it is easier to understand the point they are trying to get across. Throw in somthing funny once in a while and see how it turns out
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Old 06-25-2003, 02:06 AM   #17
adrian
Location: MOldova
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Quote:
Scott Sweetland wrote:
I found Gaku Homma sensei a very interesting man.

...with him and I remember when he told us the story of how Steven Segal got his Godan rank lol. He always compared Aikido to fried rice; everyone makes theirs with a little different ingredients.
I really really want to hear that story

pleeeasee.
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Old 06-25-2003, 03:56 PM   #18
DGLinden
Dojo: Shoshin Aikido Dojos
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Steve McPeck Sensei in Sarasota Florida

He is subtle, strong and amazingly centered though he can't weigh any more than my left leg. He does a kind of Aikido that is really for people of small stature, and it is amazingly effective with large people - as uke. Large people have a hard time with his technique... see, he likes to disappear!

Very interesting stuff. He is also quiet, self effacing and a remarkable artist. A great teacher who is overlooked.

Daniel G. Linden
Author of ON MASTERING AIKIDO (c) 2004
Founder Shoshin Aikido Dojos
www.shoshindojo.com
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Old 06-26-2003, 01:16 PM   #19
Jesse Lee
Dojo: Tenzan Aikido, formerly named Seattle Aikikai
Location: Seattle, WA
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Isn't *somebody* going to bust out some Chiba stories in this thread? We all know he is one intriguing fellow....

, can't find m s
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Old 06-26-2003, 01:55 PM   #20
Eric Joyce
Dojo: Budoshingikan
Location: Gilbert, AZ
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I would say one of the most interesting teachers I have met would be the late Akira Tohei, Midwest Regional Head of the USAF in Chicago. He was one of O'Sensei's students. Very short, but had very effective techniques. He had an intensity about him I had never seen before. He would look at you and it felt like you were shrinking sometimes. As time went on, I got to know more about him and he was an excellent teacher. He is truly missed.

Eric Joyce
Otake Han Doshin Ryu Jujutsu
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Old 06-26-2003, 02:20 PM   #21
paw
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Tetsutaka Sugawara Sensei.... for his unique blend of aikido, chinese martial arts and Katori Shinto Ryu.

Not to mention his books.....
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Old 06-26-2003, 05:02 PM   #22
Aikiscott
Dojo: Central Coast Aikikai
Location: Gosford
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Australia
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Quote:
Jesse Lee wrote:
Isn't *somebody* going to bust out some Chiba stories in this thread? We all know he is one intriguing fellow....
I get chiba stories all the time as my Sensei trained under Chiba in England. Have seen lots of footage of Chiba Breaking peoples Jaws with Kokyu & dislocating Shoulders & snapping the tops off Jo sticks.

Yes he is a quite the intriguing man.
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Old 06-26-2003, 05:33 PM   #23
Don_Modesto
Dojo: Messores Sensei (Largo, Fl.)
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Quote:
Daniel Linden (DGLinden) wrote:
Steve McPeck Sensei in Sarasota Florida
Good call, Dan. I thoroughly agree. What a blast it is to train with him.

I'd add George Ledyard. His classes move along building on what went before (unlike some which just pile one technique on another). I've found myself "getting into zones" in his classes more quickly and deeply than anyone I've trained with for years.

Based on his Expo demo, I'd like to train with Rick Stickles sometime. I thought that was a really interesting demo.

I'd like to take the trip up to Wash. for Toby Threadgill's seminar, too. He looks very good.

Don J. Modesto
St. Petersburg, Florida
------------------------
http://www.theaikidodojo.com/
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Old 07-02-2003, 01:36 PM   #24
aikidodragongio
 
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Alright, if you guys are in the mood for an interesting sensei you have to include Sensei Tracy Legodais. He's not a large man being slightly under 5'5" average build for his height and has part of 1 functioning lung (Gulf war vet). Despite this little set back he was able to knock me on my butt when I first met him and has such power within him that you'd never know it. Along with his extremely jovial disposition I must say that he's an exceptional individual and teacher. If you're ever in Rotterdam look him up, it's an experience you'll never forget. P.S. - he's currently NiDan and is working on SanDan and is also ranked in DaitoRyu

That which does not kill us can only make us stronger
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Old 07-04-2003, 07:56 PM   #25
George S. Ledyard
 
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Really Interesting

The man who immediately comes to mind in this respect is Tom Read sensei in Arcada, CA. I have been training for almost thirty years and he does techniques in w ay I have never seen any else do it. He has a way of talking about what he is doing that is unique, very mathematical.

Unlike some "radical" types who can do all sorts of cool looking stuff as long as they are using their own ukes, Tom likes nothing better than to have some 4th or 5th Dan from any Aikido tradition whatever drop in and train. I have seen him toy with some very excellent folks who had every intention of bopping him him if they could.

His bojutsu work is extraordinary but you have to hear his explanation to realize what he is doing.

George S. Ledyard
Aikido Eastside
Bellevue, WA
Aikido Eastside
AikidoDvds.Com
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