North Florida School of Aikido

North Florida School of Aikido would like to congratulate everyone in ASU that was promoted by the Kagami Biraki at Hombu Dojo in Japan to Godan (5th degree black belt) and Rokudan (6th degree black belt). We would like to especially recognize ASU's new Florida Rokudans Don Ellingsworth and Guy Hagan, head instructors at Aikido Chuseikan of Tampa Bay.

The North Florida School of Aikido was excited to host Tim Magill Sensei this past weekend for another outstanding seminar. “Easy come, easy go” focused on the nuances of kaeshi waza - reversals that take advantage of openings that nage sometimes leaves when executing a technique. Domo arigato gozaimadhita, Sensei.

It was a great three day seminar with John Messores Sensei (7th dan) at the North Florida School of Aikido. Excellent instruction on principles of spiraling and rotation when entering to take kuzushi. The last morning was spent self defense techniques using Aikido principles. We also had two great black belt tests. Our own Jean-Matc Wise successfully tested for his 3rd degree black belt and David Ojeds from the Jionjuku dojo in Largo Florida successfully tested for his 1st degree black belt. To find out more about Aikido and our school visit www.northfloridaikido.org

Great class taught byJohn Messores Sensei 7th dan. Advanced class on Friday night and all ranks class on Saturday morning.

It was another great weapons seminar with Melissa Bell Sensei at North Florida School of Aikido this weekend. Melissa Sensei went in depth on all of the ASU jo and bokken katas with great insights on how the weapon katas relate to open hand techniques. Sunday's class was a fun class where we used washable magic markers in tanto dori (knife take away) techniques that vividly revealed how effective your tanto dori technique was based on how many times the attacker's magic marker marked up your body in an attack. Melissa Bell Sensei is setting then standard for weapons work in ASU Aikido. For more information on our Aikido school in Tallahasse visit www.northfloridaaikido.org.

The North Florida School of Aikido is saddened to hear of the passing of Sensei Gary Clemente from Jion Juku dojo in Largo, Florida and sends its condolences to Gary's family and friends.

Very excited to have had John Messores Sensei teaching at our North Florida School of Aikido dojo on Friday and Saturday. Messores Sensei is 7th dan and one of the most senior instructors in ASU. Great advanced class Friday night and another great regular class on Saturday. We will have him back in April. To learn more about our aikido school in Tallahassee go to northfloridaaikido.org.

It was a great ASU Winter Camp in St Pete Beach Florida. So many great instructors including Saotome Shihan, Yamashima Sensei from Japan, Hultgren Sensei from Montana, Ledyard Sensei from Washinton State and Chuck Weber Sensei from Maryland. Eight hours of training a day for a week.

To find out about Aikido in Tallahassee visit www.northfloridaaikido.org.

Another great training day at the ASU Winter Camp. Aikido is a great martial art for women. Nearly half of the participants at the seminar are women and many are senior instructors.

If you are looking to make an end of year donation please consider the North Florida School of Aikido. We are a 501c3 organization so donations may be fully tax deductible. You can make your donations on our website at www.northfloridaaikido.org. Thank you.

Aikido: Tallahassee Martial Arts - Tallahassee Self Defense Describes Aikido and the North Florida School of Aikido, a dojo that teaches traditional martial arts in Tallahassee Florida.

This reminds me of some martial arts instructors.

So true.

“From a technical perspective, I like to see very pure technique and strong basics. Nothing fancy. Today, some aikido looks very fancy, especially on social media, but people who know can tell that kind of aikido has nothing inside. It looks fancy, but it’s empty and lacks fundamentals. Unfortunately, some instructors are like this. They look fancy and have bad technique – you can tell the uke is not even having their balance broken. It’s part of what I meant when I say that aikido today is too free. It’s important to be responsible with that freedom and remember the basics – irimi, connecting, harmonizing. And if you have those basics and they are strong, then you can be fancy.”

-Yoshimitzu Yamada Sensei: On Freedom and Responsibility,
Aikido Journal, July 2022

Aikido is recognized as one of the best martial arts for women to effectively learn self defense. Proper Aikido principles can provide women (as well as men) advantages in an attack situation. Here is a short video from Penny Berneath (6th degree black belt) demonstrating a functional use of an Aikido technique in self-defense. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHDdpTU2LV0
To practice Aikido in Tallahassee visit us at North Florida School of Aikido, www.northfloridaaikido.org

Aikido Self Defense for Women, Penny Bernath Video #1: Defense Against Bear Hug http://www,HolidayParkMartialArts.comIf someone grabs you in a bear hug, sink, lift your elbows up, strike the ribs with your elbow, grab one hand and go und...

The importance of practice. Come practice with us at the North Florida School of Aikido. www.northfloridaaikido.org.

I wanted to thank everyone that participated this last weekend in the weapons seminar presented by Melissa Bell Sensei. It was great to see everyone and the training was outstanding. Our next seminar will be September 16-18, 2022 with Gleason Shihan.

This is Joe. He is 81 years old. He started Aikido when he was 70. Amazing flexibility

At Shindai Aikido dojo doing an internal power seminar with Ikeda Shihan. He as amazing internal skills and the ability to teach them.

North Florida School of Aikido wishes Saotome Shihan a very Happy Birthday. Saotome Shihan is one of the last original students under the founder of Aikido Morihei Ueshiba - O Sensei. At 80+ years old he is still actively teaching Aikido and passing along the teachings of O Sensei.

For anyone who may be interested in starting a martial art now that the pandemic is beginning wane I found a good article discussing Aikido. Here is the link to the article http://www.aikidofaq.com/introduction.html

If you are in the Tallahassee area and are interested in learning about Aikido, please join us at one of our practices. Information on our Aikido school is at www.northfloridaaikido.org

The Aikido FAQ: Introduction To Aikido

This is an outstanding article that captures the essence of Saotome Shihan, one of the last direct students under the founder of Aikido. It reminds me that ASU under Saotome Shihan emphasizes the principles of Aikido over the rote adherence to technique. It also embodies one of O Sensei's quotes that "the ultimate form of Aikido is no form"

To learn more about Aikido in the Tallahassee area check out our website at northfloridaaikido.org.

Https://Asu.org/creativity

Here is a new article by Zacc Dukovitz exploring Saotome sensei’s Emphasis on Creativity in his Teaching!
“Don’t be a Clone”

A big thank you to Tim Magill Sensei for a terrific seminar at North Florida School of Aikido this weekend. The seminar theme of Reconnection was perfect for many visiting participants that have not been able to workout in a dojo is the past 18 months. If you are in Tallahassee and are interested in a unique martial art, come see us at the North Florida School of Aikido. northfloridaaikido.org.

ASU and Aikido have lost a great teacher and Sensei. Wendy Whited Sensei passed away September 29, 2021 after a long battle with cancer. She was a friend and mentor and I will miss her dearly.

The Aikido world has lost a great Sensei and person. RIP Sensei.

https://mailchi.mp/6334ef74c6f3/wendy
The ASU community is deeply saddened by the loss of Wendy Whited Sensei, who passed away yesterday, September 29, 2021 after a long battle with cancer. She began training with Saotome Sensei in 1976 and is one of his longtime students. Wendy Sensei dedicated many years to the development of ASU and her contributions were essential for the success of the organization. As a professional educator she was well known for the quality of her instruction in her seminars. The combination of strong traditional technique with martial awareness and her sense of humor showed her sense of joy of training. She was a strong role model, mentor, and dear friend to many aikidoka around the world and will be sorely missed by us all.


“Wendy Whited Sensei lived and breathed Aikido and ASU. As an original ASU Board member, Secretary, and most recently ASU President, Wendy worked tirelessly for the organization. She cared deeply about ASU’s future, the quality of teaching, and helping dojos and individuals who needed assistance. She established the grant program and was an important part of all ASU initiatives and projects. Working alongside her was a true privilege,” commented Ania Small, vice president, ASU Board of Directors. Ania will be stepping up to lead the board through the remainder of Wendy Whited Sensei’s term.
Memorial Page below
https://www.gatheringus.com/memorial/wendy-whited/8069?fbclid=IwAR0n6Ado507TChzd1J8Bs3aQVxbocOqCB8U0GZHyTXmIh-Gkt3OpwMmeP2c

Inaka Dojo will convey arrangements for a celebration of Wendy Whited Sensei’s life at a later date, when it can be held in person.

We had a great day of testing at the North Florida School of Aikido on Saturday with five people testing. It is the first testing we have been able to do since the pandemic began. I would like to congratulate Scott Martin and Jonna Weaver for their promotion to 6th kyu and Jack Martin for his promotion to 5th kyu. Also, great tests by Alex Rathvon and Lukas Liu to 1st kyu. Their tests were shodan level.

Living Aikido off the mat.

Remember this, we do not train in the dojo to become bullies. We train in the dojo to become good and nice citizens.

"Using Aikido in everyday life leads to an attitude of living each day as if it is precious. Aikido that is only in the dojo seems to lead only to issues of who is more or less skilled, and who is stronger or weaker. What is more important is what kind of person you are and how you act as a member of society.
After all, even if you are yudansha or whatever rank, if you can't somehow contribute something to society then your aikido practice has little meaning. If you can't put Aikido's spirit of harmony to use in your daily life -whether as a student, or in your family, or at your job, -then I don't think you can say that you are practicing true aikido."

-Hiroshi Isoyama Shihan
Began training with the Founder, O'Sensei, in 1949 at age 12

North Florida School of Aikido is now open to full contact practice. All instructors have been fully vaccinated. If you are to ready to try a martial art that is unique in it's practice and philosophy while providing a solid foundation for self defense come check us out. We encourage all students to be fully vaccinated. We teach students 14 years old and up. For more information go to www.northfloridaaikido.org

Aikido: Tallahassee Martial Arts - Tallahassee Self Defense Describes Aikido and the North Florida School of Aikido, a dojo that teaches traditional martial arts in Tallahassee Florida.

North Florida School of Aikido is pleased to announce A Weapons Seminar with Melissa Bell Sensei. Please see the attached flyer for details. This will be an in person live event from June 11 - 13, 2021.
Participants will need to be fully vaccinated or have a negative Covid 19 test with 48 hours of the event.

It was a great groundbreaking ceremony for the new residence on the Aiki shrine property which will be used for visiting instructors and the unveiling of the Tori gate to the Aiki shrine.

Aikido instructors and students like to work out in a clean dojo. When your dojo is outside during the pandemic you still have to keep the workout area clean so we had an outside Dojo cleaning before practice today to make our workout area look and feel harmonious. Big thank you to all the students and instructors who came out to help clean up the area and for a fantastic practice afterwards.