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

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!

  Home · Search · Member List · Register  

Home » Books and Publications » Techniques and Training « Previous Product  · Next Product »
1yamada_-_the_new_aikido_complete.jpg
<<
1yamada_-_aikido_complete.jpg
<
1yamada_-_ultimate_aikido.jpg
·
1westbrook_-_dynamic_sphere.jpg
>
1walker_-_first_steps_in_aikido.jpg
>>
1varjan_-_the_nishio_sensei_notebook.jpg
1ueshiba_-_the_art_of_peace.jpg

Westbrooke, Adele; Ratti, Oscar -- Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere
Reviews Views Date of last review
9 171368
spacer
Recommended By Average Price Average Rating
100% of reviewers $25.00 8.7
1westbrook_-_dynamic_sphere.jpg


supersize

supersize

Description: Publisher Comments:

Aikido neutralizes aggression and renders attackers harmless. By controlling body position and harmonizing their vital physical and mental powers, anyone -- regardless of size, strength or weight -- can fend off attacks using this sophisticated martial art. This classic text reveals the secrets which enable the stunning control practiced in Aikido.
Keywords: westbrooke ratti dynamic sphere
ISBN: 0804832846


Author
Post A Reply 
AikiWeb System


Registered: April 2001
Posts: 1320
Review Date: Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 0 

 
Pros:
Cons:

Author: Mike Lee
E-Mail: Send E-mail to Mike Lee

The authors of this book studied aikido in the U.S. and Europe. Although they were only shodan when they wrote the book, the authors consulted with many of the top teachers in the states at that time, including Yoshimitsu Yamada sensei, head of New York Aikikai.

Written when Koichi Tohei sensei was chief instructor at Hombu Dojo in Japan, the book is clearly influenced by his philosophy and teaching methods, especially with regards to "ki"--that mystical, little-understood force in the center of the word aikido. The result is an impressively concise, extremely well illustrated piece of work. An excellent source for serious beginning and intermediate students if they are willing to pay the rather high price tag. But fear not--this book can also be found in many public and university libraries around the U.S., although your overdue charges may eventually equal the book's cost!

The detail and explanations clearly reflect the writers' scientific approach to their discussion about aikido. If there's something about aikido that the kyu-level student is not sure about, he or she can most likely find the answer in "Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere."
This user is offline
Click here to see this users profile Click here to Send this user a Private Message Visit AikiWeb System's homepage! Find more posts by this user  
AikiWeb System


Registered: April 2001
Posts: 1320
Review Date: Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 0 

 
Pros:
Cons:

Author: Michael Furtak
E-Mail: Send E-mail to Michael Furtak

This 375 page hardbound book is an amazing resource for anyone interested in aikido. For those who are merely curious, the book begins with an exploration of the foundation of the art, including its history, and a discussion on the ethics of self-defense. The further into the book you read, the more the technical aspects of the art are examined and explained. The topics gradually progress from the Posture and Motion of Defense, to Basic Techniques of Neutralization, to Advanced Practice. The book is wonderfully hand illustrated throughout, (which you will find is more descriptive than any similar series of photographs) and every technique is recited in language which is easy enough for a beginner to follow.

The only complaint I've heard about this book is that some feel that too much print is spent analyzing the basic practice as compared with advanced techniques. I did not feel that this was the case, as I think even an advanced practitioner could find a legion of things to learn from the book.

Enjoy,
-Mike Furtak
This user is offline
Click here to see this users profile Click here to Send this user a Private Message Visit AikiWeb System's homepage! Find more posts by this user  
AikiWeb System


Registered: April 2001
Posts: 1320
Review Date: Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8 

 
Pros:
Cons:

Author: Keith Villamor
E-Mail: Send E-mail to Keith Villamor
Date: 2001-07-25

I've read various martial arts manuals on Aikido and I find this one a very good one for any Martial artisit to have in his or her, library. The authors concentrate not only on the techniques, but the essence of the art-Evasion, Centralization, Extension, Theory of Defense, and the spiritualization of ki and it's practical uses.
This user is offline
Click here to see this users profile Click here to Send this user a Private Message Visit AikiWeb System's homepage! Find more posts by this user  
AikiWeb System


Registered: April 2001
Posts: 1320
Review Date: Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8 

 
Pros:
Cons:

Author: Sidney Wong
E-Mail: Send E-mail to Sidney Wong
Date: 2003-01-25

This book is sort of the Aikido equivalent of what "Dynamic Karate" is to Japanese Karate. Its a matter of anyone's opinion if it is a definitive volume of Aikido, but it certainly is one that offers a great insight and the best general description of what Aikido is about.

The only reason I don't give it a "5" is because I'm primarily a Karate practitioner and have only practiced Aikido by taking a few semesters at a local college, so I don't feel qualified to give it the highest rating.
This user is offline
Click here to see this users profile Click here to Send this user a Private Message Visit AikiWeb System's homepage! Find more posts by this user  
AikiWeb System


Registered: April 2001
Posts: 1320
Review Date: Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8 

 
Pros:
Cons:

Author: Eric Joyce
E-Mail: Send E-mail to Eric Joyce
Date: 2003-06-18

Overall it's a good beginners book. Very useful information and well illustrated. There are a few techniques that are a little questionable (in terms of application) but overall, it's a good read. Enjoy.
This user is offline
Click here to see this users profile Click here to Send this user a Private Message Visit AikiWeb System's homepage! Find more posts by this user  
Pdella


Registered: July 2004
Posts: 26
Review Date: Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8 

 
Pros:
Cons:


I\'ve been practicing Aikido for approximately 1 year. I got this book maybe 1 or 2 months into my training and I found it frustrating because I hadn\'t yet learned most of the techniques discussed and I hadn\'t yet begun to understand the philosophies of leading, center, distance, flowing, etc. that comprises Aikido practice.

However, after a few months practicing Aikido, I found this book becoming a valuable resource. The sections of Aikido principles and philosophy became meaningful through practice, and I\'d like to think that they improved my understanding of the mental state, ki force, etc. lying underneath the mere physical techniques. They also helped me understand how Aikido might be useful outside of the dojo. As far as the sections on specific techniques, I have found them useful as well. For example, I have recently started working on yonkyo in the dojo and I have re-read the 5-10 pages on yonkyo in this book several times. The illustrations and text are both helpful to my practice.

One thing this book does well is give you a sense of the overall Aikido discipline. Depending on your instructor, you may feel focused/trapped in one technique or part of one technique at a time, struggling to fit it into a broader Aiki philosophy of martial art. This book fills those gaps; even for techniques you do not know or do not know well, after practicing for a while and reading this book, you get a better sense of how and why such things are \"aikido.\"
This user is offline
Click here to see this users profile Click here to Send this user a Private Message Find more posts by this user  
Review Date: Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: $25.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: So much excellent info.
Cons:

This is the Classic! The book offers an extraordinary, in-depth, intellectual approach to Aikido that I haven\'t seen elsewhere.

It\'s a must-have!!
This user is offline
Click here to see this users profile Click here to Send this user a Private Message Find more posts by this user  
RobertFortune


Registered: November 2005
Location: Earth
Posts: 36
Review Date: Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: This book contains a plethora of information on Aikido.
Cons: There are some (obvious) grammer errors in the text but very few.

I got a used but aside from some minor highlighting of some text a perfect condition copy for $7.00 plus shipping\\handling. A true bargain!
This was the very first book on any martial art that I found after searching long, hard and far that provides substantial and essential (to understanding the subject matter - Aikido) information on the Art of Aikido. *I* can\'t say enough good things about this book. Buy it!
This user is offline
Click here to see this users profile Click here to Send this user a Private Message Find more posts by this user  
Amassus


Registered: August 2003
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 306
Review Date: Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9 

 
Pros:
Cons:

This was my first purchase for my aikido library.

It was recommended to me by seniors at my club. I found that the book offered great technical advice using fantastic sketches and clear instruction.

However, I did think the authors took a great deal of time creating an almost scientific jargon with which to explain the concepts. This is perhaps not a problem in itself, provided the reader is like-minded. It could be a little heavy for some people starting out and who do not have such an analytical mind.

Overall it is worth buying and displaying proudly on a bookshelf.

------------------------------
"flows like water, reflects like a mirror, and responds like an echo." Chaung-tse
This user is offline
Click here to see this users profile Click here to Send this user a Private Message Visit Amassus's homepage! Find more posts by this user  


Powered by: ReviewPost PHP vB3 Enhanced
Copyright 2006 All Enthusiast, Inc.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:26 AM.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:26 AM.



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