Words of Wisdom from O-Sensei

“Iron is full of impurities that weaken it; through forging, it becomes steel and is transformed into a razor-sharp sword. Human beings develop in the same fashion.”

-Morihei Ueshiba

Sunday, May 5, 2013

One-punch Death

You probably heard about the soccer referee Portillo who just died last night after being punched ONCE in the face by a 17 year-old soccer player.  Portillo had issued a yellow card warning during a soccer game in Taylorsville, UT held at Eisenhower Jr. High.
Portillo 

You can't hardly be a fan of the martial arts without having seen more than one Bruce Lee movie where each lightening-fast punch or kick is accompanied by a loud wooden slap from sound-effects. 
The enemy or hero gets hit over and over before they finally are knocked out or give up.  That's the movies, not real life.

In real life, you have just a moment to react and yes...one punch can kill you.  It's much more common than you think.  In just one county:  King county, Washington (includes Seattle) has 4-6 one-punch deaths per year.  In Aikido the technique is always important, but getting OFF-LINE has got to be one of the most important things you will ever learn.  Getting off-line has a new significance to me after reading about this poor man.  You never know how things might escalate in a moment.  You never know if someone thinks they're in an old Western movie and will try to punch you through the saloon doors into the street. 




Thursday, May 2, 2013

Preventing a Tragedy

I'm not sure whether I will ever use an Aikido technique to defend myself.  Personally, I believe that a big part of Aikido is learning the many ways to respond to conflict.  See Aikido In Everyday Life by Terry Dobson.

Yesterday, CNN had a short viewing of the courtroom where George Zimmerman chose not request a hearing to determine whether he would be immune from prosecution per the Florida Stand Your Ground law allowing a person to defend themselves where their life is threatened.

Young, 15 year-old Trayvon Martin was taking a short-cut home through a private community on the way home from a 7-11.  George Zimmerman reported Martin to the police, but before police arrived, there was a confrontation and scuffle.  Trayvon Martin was accidentally shot and killed.  Now two lives are ruined.

I can't help to wonder what would have been the outcome if Aikido were involved instead of a gun?  I'm not against guns, but somebody grabbed somebody first before the gun appeared.  What if an Aikido technique were used in response to the first grab?  Would there be a trial today?  Would two lives be ruined?  I have colleagues who conceal carry in the classroom.  That's their choice and OK for them.  I prefer Aikido.  Too many times in the past, for me...having a gun would have ended up badly.  I'm going to stick with Aikido.

Club News

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Aikido Club Details

Days, Times, and Location: Aikido Club sessions are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00pm to 5:30pm. We meet in PE 221 on UVU campus.

Club Dues: As a club at UVU, we are actually required to collect dues. We currently collect $20 per semester in club dues per person. Many dojos outside of UVU run about $40 per month, so this really is a great opportunity to learn Aikido at a great price! Club dues go right into the club fund where they can then be used for equipment for club and other club expenses.

Equipment: Bring a T-Shirt and athletic style pants, such as sweat pants. Those that have a gi are welcome to wear that. We recommend that you not wear shorts.

Testing: As Sensei is an Aikido Association of America certified instructor, he is able to conduct belt promotion tests. This is an awesome opportunity to progress further into Aikido. AAA fees apply (Ex. 7th kyu test fee is $25).

If you have any other questions about the club, please click the "contact me" button found on the right side of this page and send us a message.

Note to those who are not UVU students: The UVU Clubs organization states that we are able to accept non-UVU students into the club. However, at least 75% of our club membership MUST be UVU students. If you would like to join the UVU Aikido Club, prior approval must be obtained from Sensei.