Category: Uncategorized

Omoto-Ryu Kami-Jutsu: Spirit/Divine Art by Michael Martin

~ Antonio Aloia ~ Leave a comment

In the early 20th century, martial arts were viewed primarily as practical tools for self-defense or military applications. However, Onisaburo Deguchi, the charismatic leader of the Omoto-kyo spiritual movement, recognized that martial arts could serve as much more than that – a tool to cultivate spiritual awareness. He understood that martial arts, such as Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu, held within … Continue reading Omoto-Ryu Kami-Jutsu: Spirit/Divine Art by Michael Martin

Howard Wray on Judo and Training with Takahiko Ishikawa, Part II

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Howard Wray found judo through a night school where Al Wallace was teaching. Wallace would take his students down to Philadelphia and introduce them to his instructor, Takahiko Ishikawa. From then on, Wray began to learn from both judo men. In this conversation in the summer of 2023, Wray recalls how Ishikawa structured his classes … Continue reading Howard Wray on Judo and Training with Takahiko Ishikawa, Part II

Interview with Longtime Aikidoka John Lepore: The Impact of Donovan Waite

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John Lepore first entered aikido in Pittsburgh for graduate school. When he returned to Philadelphia, he found Donovan Waite. From the first moment learning from him, Lepore had found his teacher. Today, Lepore took some time to talk about what made Waite stand out from other instructors, what impacted him the most from Waite, and … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Aikidoka John Lepore: The Impact of Donovan Waite

Interview with Longtime Kenshi Roxy Kubo: Competing at the World Kendo Championships

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Coming from a family who always trained kendo, Roxy Kubo entered the training hall at the age of four and has not left the community since. Under the tutelage of her stepfather, Arnold Fukutomi, Kubo trained and ultimately received two kantocho at two different World Kendo Championships. Today, Kubo took some time to talk about … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Kenshi Roxy Kubo: Competing at the World Kendo Championships

Interview with TKD-Ameris Founder Philip Ameris: Maintaining High Standards

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Philip Ameris began training in Taekwondo in 1970, after sustaining a leg injury and his father feeling that karate would help the healing process. Seven years later, he opened his school at the age of fifteen with a fellow classmate and has continued offering Taekwondo to all those who are interested. Today, Ameris took some … Continue reading Interview with TKD-Ameris Founder Philip Ameris: Maintaining High Standards

Interview with Akayama-ryu Instructor Larry Camejo: Approaching Self-Defense From Experience

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Larry Camejo gravitated towards martial arts while he was growing up in Trinidad, experiencing the prevalence of gangs. After gaining a background in Tomiki Aikido, Camejo happened to stumble onto Akayama-ryu with Mark Barlow through online chatrooms. From there, Camejo began to combine his Tomiki Aikido and Akayama-ryu training to help his students in self-defense, … Continue reading Interview with Akayama-ryu Instructor Larry Camejo: Approaching Self-Defense From Experience

Interview with Longtime Tenshin Aikido Practitioner Zorie Barber: From The Original Source, Part II

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Zorie Barber was first introduced to Shotokan Karate with Ski, or Gerald Evans. While in college, Barber felt he needed to go to Japan and train with some of Ski’s contemporaries. He arrived in Tokyo and endured a hostile training environment until he moved out to see Kyoto, stumbling onto the Tenshin Dojo under the … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Tenshin Aikido Practitioner Zorie Barber: From The Original Source, Part II

Reflecting on George Rego’s and Abdul Rashid’s The Founding of Jujutsu and Judo in America

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Rego, George, and Abdul Rashid. The Founding of Jujutsu and Judo in America. Independently Published, 2022. I came across this book while I was conducting research for my recent book Takahiko Ishikawa: Judo's Quiet Master. Much of the beginning information I recall learning from John Stevens' Jigoro Kano biography, but it expands further than that, … Continue reading Reflecting on George Rego’s and Abdul Rashid’s The Founding of Jujutsu and Judo in America