Lets Dance

The most important of all changes that have taken place in past 46 years have to be changes in technique and its application, early style of Aikido was very compact and powerful. From day of its introduction to UK, Aikido was always taught as a circular moving Martial Art with Tori at centre of all movement. As Uke (the attacker) made his attack, Tori would turn within his own circle making it possible to carry out technique in a very small area of maybe four square feet. Today fantasy aikidoist need a football pitch. I have seen some so called "masters" twirling Uke around on end of one finger and pirouetting several times before being thrown full length of mat.

Harmonising

Kenshiro Abbe Sensei always taught that Uke would only "go" if technique was effective. I often hear and have seen some of these people who say they can throw an opponent without touching them and sometimes by breathing and projecting their "Ki". You cannot do that if someone is attacking on balance, I have never seen anyone do that to a student of mine. Of course if you do attack on balance you will then be accused of "Not harmonizing".

Aikido for real

I have read various accounts of first Americans to practice Aikido in early 60's. There were Americans practicing Aikido in UK in late 1950's at "The Hut" The Abbe School of Budo. The Americans were members of USAF stationed in UK. they were always questioning " How would that work in street?" and we would often finish up in car park of The Hut after class and engage in some real Aikido. Afterwards everyone would be in good spirits and have a few beers.

Sunday mornings were always best practice sessions with dojo doors being locked to all but Dan grades. It was then that Dan grades would fight each other for real. This was only way to truly evaluate your technique. On one occasion I was fighting with Sensei Ken Williams (The British National Coach) he hit me hard and I went down clutching my chest and moaning loudly in agony. It was known that I didn't go down and I never made a fuss, so now everyone was concerned for me and as Sensei Williams leaned over me asking "Harry, are you OK" I lashed out with my fist at his head, just making a glancing contact, he then stepped back and kicked me in head putting an end to my cunning.

The smallest of all Dan grades was Eric Dollimore, he was only about 5ft-6in in height and around 130 lbs. I always felt that Eric was avoiding me on these Sunday morning sessions, as he was about to leave mat I said to him "Eric, would you like to try against me" he just turned and said "Sorry Harry, I have to be at my girlfriends home for lunch". As he left mat I smiled to myself and thought "That's what I expected" smugness did not last long as I heard a voice behind me say "OK then Harry, can we make it quick as I must get away". It was Eric; for a moment I was surprised then I thought to myself if you want it quick I will accommodate you. I moved in to take him out with one punch and next thing I knew I had gone through dojo office partition wall and I was still lying stunned office floor when I heard Eric's voice call out "See you Monday Harry, gotta go". That was a very important lesson to me, I have never underestimated anyone since little guy taught me a lesson.

The Grading Lottery

If in 1950's and 60's you saw a 5th or 6th Dan you would be in awe of him. I now see so many multi grades and to be honest they would not be graded first Dan in old days. They make these claims knowing that if they are ever challenged and prove their mettle they know they can claim that this is against principals of Aikido. Another favourite of these people is to juggle around with their grades and come up with multiples of matching grades, for a prime example of this abuse check out article "British Aikido-The Controversy" on web-site http://www.geocities.com/BritishAikido

Mitsusuke Harada Sensei "5th Dan" Harada Sensei was my Karate teacher in 1960's, he was then and still is a 5th Dan at Shotokan dojo in Tokyo. he was graded by founder of modern day Karate Gichin Funakoshi Sensei. He taught Karate to USAF at Kodokan dojo after second world war. He was graded 5th Dan by Funakoshi Sensei in 1957 and is still 5th Dan after 45 years, stating that "Any grade above 5th Dan is totally pointless". This is exactly feeling of Sensei Derek Eastman and myself, although we are two of only remaining four of original group left of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei's group from 1950's, we both agreed that there were too many "Harry Potter" grades around, we then decided that like Harada Sensei we would make 5th Dan highest level in our organization.

Serious study

I will take a break now that these articles are complete and do some serious "Toe breathing". This will be my last article for CyberKwoon for a while, I would like to thank Master Fabien Sena for allowing me to air my views on a subject most would try to avoid. I do not know what direction Martial Arts will take when all "Old Timers " are gone.

As one of comments (to Cyberkwoon site forum) said "We can still make a difference".

To one who asked after my father, he was not a martial artist, just a hard man who started working at age of 13 years two miles underground in South Yorkshire coal mines.

Sensei Henry Ellis.

http://www.EllisAikido.org http://www.geocities.com/britishaikido

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