Stevens, John. Abundant Peace: The Biography of Morihei Ueshiba, Founder of Aikido. Boston: Shambhala, 1987. The prolific aikido author John Stevens published his Abundant Peace in 1987, initially becoming one of the only sources of information outside of Aikido Journal on the art’s founder, Morihei Ueshiba, at the time. It provided many Western practitioners a … Continue reading Reflecting on John Steven’s Abundant Peace
Omoto, Rod. Autobiography of Rod Omoto, 2015. https://books.apple.com/ar/book/autobiography-of-rod-omoto/id883795766. As I started this adventure into Nobuto “Rod” Omoto’s life, I thought I would be learning more about his time in the Pacific Northwest and his adventures there. However, I was surprised to take part in another adventure, years before he stepped foot into the region. From … Continue reading Reflecting on Rod Nobuto Omoto’s Autobiography
Svitnh, Joseph. Getting A Grip: Judo in the Nikkei Communities of the Pacific Northwest, 1900-1950. Guelph: EJMAS, 2003. Martial arts historian Joseph Svinth tackles the immense task of chronicling the foundation and growth of judo in the Pacific Northwest for the first fifty years of the twentieth century. Splitting his book into two parts – … Continue reading Reflecting on Joseph Svinth’s Getting a Grip
von Krenner, Walther G., and Ken Jeremiah. Atemi: The Thunder and Lightning of Aikido. Spring House, PA: Tambuli Media, 2016. Beginning his aikido training in the early 1960s in Germany, Walther von Krenner soon moved to Japan to train under the founder himself, Morihei Ueshiba, his son, Kisshomaru, and then-chief instructor Koichi Tohei. In his … Continue reading Reflecting on Walther von Krenner’s Atemi
Kirby, George. Jujitsu: Toward One Technique. California: Black Belt Publishing, 2019. In his most recent release, American jujitsu pioneer George Kirby discusses the journey to achieve one technique. This “one technique” is not the single or only technique a jujitsuka must or should learn – it is more than that. The “one technique” Kirby discusses … Continue reading Reflecting on Jujitsu Pioneer George Kirby’s Towards One Technique
Kirby, George. Jujitsu: Advanced Techniques for Redirecting an Opponent’s Energy. California: Black Belt Books, 2015. From the title, it sounds like George Kirby and his jujitsu borrowed some pointers from aikido. Aikido techniques are derived from jujitsu, so are some of its concepts. Aikido may be characterized as soft and jujitsu as hard, but these … Continue reading Reflecting on Jujitsu Pioneer George Kirby’s Advanced Techniques for Redirecting an Opponent’s Energy
Russo, Charles. Striking Distance: Bruce Lee and the Dawn of Martial Arts in America. London: University of Nebraska Press, 2016. This is not your typical Bruce Lee biography. It does not address his child acting career nor does it discuss his time in Hollywood and Hong Kong as a film star. It does, however, look … Continue reading Reflecting on Charles Russo’s Striking Distance
Gill, Irvin B. American Kenpo Karate: The Key Principles and Rules of American Kenpo Karate. Spring House, PA: Tambuli Media, 2019. Irvin Gill was on a journey. In discussions with various Kenpo masters, founders and high-ranking practitioners in Filipino-based martial arts, and an aikido fifth dan, he found the blueprints to his answers. The blueprints … Continue reading Reflecting on Irvin Gill’s Key Principles and Rules of American Kenpo Karate
Donohue, John J. Warrior Dreams: The Martial Arts and the American Imagination. Westport, Conn: Praeger, 1994. One would think that a scholarly/academic monograph on the martial arts would be somewhat of a labor to read let alone understand the points the author attempts to make. This is the exact opposite when reading John Donohue’s Warrior … Continue reading Reflecting on John Donohue’s Warrior Dreams
Martial Arts of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow 