Formosa Neijia

A couple of you have written in asking for advice on seeking some training in JMA. Usually this is done because the CIMA student is seeking more opportunities for application training and/or sparring. Below are my thoughts on this.
1. Seek out BJJ and judo rather than aikido.
Aikido would seem like a natural first choice for [...]

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…. in 15 years, at least.
Wow! Mike Swain and the boys make it look real simple. Conditioning is obviously one key, and my taiji “muscles” weren’t quite up to the task. Developing my judo “muscles” is now a key goal. But all-in-all, I held my own and ….um…..only threw up once. Hey, you have to [...]

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A while back, I got in a email disagreement with a taiji teacher. He informed me that if we ever met up, we could spar to settle the disagreement. But he was also quick to inform me that could include anything except going to the ground. He said he was no good at that. Now [...]

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Not that what I want to personally practice needs any defending, but what is all this stuff about judo, aikido, etc. doing on the blog anyway?
I’m just following my path. I’m doing my thing. If that’s different from other people, then that’s okay. Different strokes and all that.
In learning taijiquan, bagauzhang, xingyiquan, etc. I’ve noticed [...]

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In looking at how IMAs are done across the aisle, so to speak, I’m constantly struck by how many aikido people just naturally understand that we are supposed to use the opponent’s force against them instead of fighting against that force.
Why is that?
Why is it that so many CIMA people have this wrong idea that [...]

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Peter Ralston will be in Tokyo in February 2009. He doesn’t come to Asia very often so this is your big chance to see him if you live in the area. I will try to attend at least the boxing session held on the last weekend, so if you go then we could meet up. [...]

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It seems most of my readers are not in love with competition. So this should be a welcome viewpoint from Donn Draeger. Reading the whole thing here is highly recommended. His comments could address any art that competes.
Judo, as a classical budo, or martial “way”, of Japan, was intended by its founder, Jigoro Kano, to [...]

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