Building On the Mat Spirituality by Michael Aloia

Over the years, I have heard many an instructor say to leave your worldly thoughts and concerns at the door of the dojo before entering. I even worked with a fellow instructor who placed a trashcan at the entrance of the training area to tangibly remind practitioners to dump their "baggage" or "personal trash" before … Continue reading Building On the Mat Spirituality by Michael Aloia

A Layman’s Observation: Aikido’s Aiki and Its Foundational Benefits

This is the third installment in an ongoing series of "A Layman's Observations" where I discuss my observations on martial arts and combat sports. Read the prior installment here. Since the early 2010s, there has been a movement that attempts to make aikido functional in a combat situation. The question of aikido’s effectiveness as a … Continue reading A Layman’s Observation: Aikido’s Aiki and Its Foundational Benefits

That Thing You Do by Michael Aloia

Perception is a unique, individual characteristic shared by each of us. How we perceive will often determine how we respond. Similar or even the exact situation shared or experienced by two or more individuals may have a completely different end result simply because interpretations are different. Many factors play a role as we discern circumstance: … Continue reading That Thing You Do by Michael Aloia

The Value of Mentorship, or An Experience in the Senpai-Kohai Relationship

The following is an essay I created for a scholarship during my graduate career conveying an experience I had with mentorship. I related my first real experience with a shodan candidate and the process I underwent to best prepare the candidate for the test. Mentoring can occur in almost any situation, be it professional or … Continue reading The Value of Mentorship, or An Experience in the Senpai-Kohai Relationship

A Layman’s Observation: Fencing and Japanese Martial Arts Principles

This is a second installment in an ongoing series of "A Layman's Observations" where I discuss my observations on martial arts and combat sports. Read the prior installment here. At the start of this year, I began learning how to fence the Olympic way and the beginning of May that I had the opportunity to … Continue reading A Layman’s Observation: Fencing and Japanese Martial Arts Principles