Category: Interviews

Interview with Washinkan Kendo Instructor Christie Eickhoff: Virginia Tech Kendo School and Beyond

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Christie Eickhoff first saw kendo while attending a Sakura Matsuri Festival in Washington, DC. Captivated by the art, she promised herself that she would try kendo out when the opportunity presented itself. Eickhoff found a club at Virginia Tech and has practiced kendo ever since. After her time at Virginia Tech, she joined the Washinkan … Continue reading Interview with Washinkan Kendo Instructor Christie Eickhoff: Virginia Tech Kendo School and Beyond

Interview with Kaze Uta Budo Kai Founder Nick Lowry: Karl Geis and Striking Out on His Own, Part I

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After spending his teenage years participating in competitive stick fighting, Nick Lowry found aikido by reading a magazine and finding a local dojo. Upon his first watch, he was hooked and quickly became uchi deshi to Chuck Caldwell. He later learned from Caldwell’s instructor, Karl Geis not only aikido but judo and jodo as well. … Continue reading Interview with Kaze Uta Budo Kai Founder Nick Lowry: Karl Geis and Striking Out on His Own, Part I

Interview with Aikido of Park Slope Founder Hal Lehrman: Time with Yoshimitsu Yamada

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Between judo and ballet, Hal Lehrman was content until judo’s footsweeps interfered with dance training. Ironically, his judo instructor told him about aikido, leading Lehrman to Yoshimitsu Yamada and the New York Aikikai. Immediately, he was hooked and quit judo. Lehrman slowly began teaching, soon having his own class at the New York Aikikai and … Continue reading Interview with Aikido of Park Slope Founder Hal Lehrman: Time with Yoshimitsu Yamada

Interview with 417 HEMA Founder José Ortiz-Inchausty: Fencing From Puerto Rico to Missouri

~ Antonio Aloia ~ 1 Comment

Like many historical fencers before the explosion of the internet, YouTube, and other platforms, José Ortiz-Inchausty early training was composed of pieces of information coupled with his background in previous martial arts. His interest in historical fencing became more apparent while he was in college and a few of his friends helped him and each … Continue reading Interview with 417 HEMA Founder José Ortiz-Inchausty: Fencing From Puerto Rico to Missouri

Interview with Buddhist Priest Kanyu Kroll: A Connection Between Buddhism and Aikido

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Kenyu Kroll first started aikido as a physical education credit during college in 1997. From then, he was hooked, training almost anywhere and any day, participating in a multitude of aikido styles and teachers. According to him, Aikijujutsu pioneer Bernie Lau found Kroll and they continued training. In 2015, Kroll and Kanjin Cederman established Jisso-Kai … Continue reading Interview with Buddhist Priest Kanyu Kroll: A Connection Between Buddhism and Aikido

Interview with Longtime Aikidoka Christopher Hein: Looking at Aikido From the Outside In, Part II

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After being told that people who train aikido could use their spiritual ability to stop people from hitting them with sticks, Christopher Hein was intrigued, but could not find a dojo until 1998. He threw himself into the training, becoming uchi deshi at Aikido of Fresno and a black belt. With a history of fighting, … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Aikidoka Christopher Hein: Looking at Aikido From the Outside In, Part II

Interview with Longtime Aikidoka Christopher Hein: Looking at Aikido From the Outside In, Part I

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After being told that people who train aikido could use their spiritual ability to stop people from hitting them with sticks, Christopher Hein was intrigued, but could not find a dojo until 1998. He threw himself into the training, becoming uchi deshi at Aikido of Fresno and a black belt. With a history of fighting, … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Aikidoka Christopher Hein: Looking at Aikido From the Outside In, Part I

Interview with Round Table Historical Fencing Founder Jacob McDonald: Jeremy Pace’s Influence in the Northeast

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Jacob McDonald first began training in empty-hand martial arts like karate and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu but then the “martial realities” of weapons-based arts took hold of him, finding an instructor with Jeremy Pace of Cymbrogi School of Western Martial Arts in Oklahoma. After returning to Maryland in 2017, McDonald established his Round Table Historical Fencing, then … Continue reading Interview with Round Table Historical Fencing Founder Jacob McDonald: Jeremy Pace’s Influence in the Northeast

Interview with Houston Heights Kendo Club Founder Masayuki Koyama: Accepting the Future Flow of Kendo

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Masayuki Koyama began training in kendo during high school while growing up in Japan. Afterwards, he found himself in the United States and began teaching kendo to his son in 1999. Because he was teaching at a community center, other people started coming in, looking for kendo lessons. From then on, he established his Houston … Continue reading Interview with Houston Heights Kendo Club Founder Masayuki Koyama: Accepting the Future Flow of Kendo

Interview with Round Table Historical Fencing Instructor Kevin Rezac: Loving to Fence and Everything In Between

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Kevin Rezac always wanted to be a knight, ever since he was a child. This aspiration drew him to the sword arts, first Olympic Sabre then to historical fencing in 2016. Upon joining the Historical European Martial Arts community, he began learning at Round Table Historical Fencing and soon also began to teach there with … Continue reading Interview with Round Table Historical Fencing Instructor Kevin Rezac: Loving to Fence and Everything In Between