My Journey To Aikido
By Dr. Wes Tomlinson Aikido is not the most ancient of arts, but certainly has its place of importance in the martial arts world and mine.&nbsRead More…
Category: Black Belt Papers
The TAA requires that candidates for the grades of shodan (1st degree) to yondan (4th degree) submit a paper on an aikido-related topic for publication.
You Got Hurt, So Now What?
This paper is written with the purpose of explaining a not-uncommon physical hurdle in the martial world, back injury. It is something I have personaRead More…
Is Aikido Functional For Real-world Applications?
By Jeremy Lehew Is Aikido a practical martial art for the purposes of self-defense and restraining techniques against an adversarial combatRead More…
Two Principles (Among Many) to Reduce Aikido Related Injuries
By Erik DiVietro It is no secret that Tomiki Aikido practitioners in the United States tend to experience significant injuries. It is rare toRead More…
Multiple Descriptions of the Same Technique
When I first started Aikido, I often had issues trying to understand what my instructors were describing, and even more issues trying to accomplish whRead More…
Who I Am
Identity is a curious thing. We think it was created by ourselves and that we control our identity. Do we really? My experiences with the people I lovRead More…
Teaching Young Aikidoka
Explaining what I have experienced through teaching Aikido must begin and end respectfully with my deepest gratitude to my own Sensei. I teach what I Read More…
Blood, Sweat and Tears Go Into Getting a Black Belt
Aikido has been such a big part of my life and has shaped me to become who I am today. Aikido has helped me through tough times and has created a secoRead More…
The Basics
Dennis Bandiero, Tomiki Aikido Raleigh
SHODAN ESSAY
“You can always count on Americans to do the right thing – after they’ve tried everything else.âRead More…
Analyzing the Mindset of an Inexperienced Uke and the Importance of Losing
During my first few years practicing Aikido, I was considered a difficult uke. When being uke for gedan-ate I would step back if the initial kuzushi wRead More…