Chris Dewey began studying judo under Roy Inman at his Fairholm Judo Club. He later relocated to Canada to continue his training there while pursuing a doctorate degree. Upon moving to the United States in 1984, he took up taekwondo and hapkido until he found another judo club. During that time, he had the opportunity … Continue reading Interview with Lifetime Martial Artist Chris Dewey: The Path to Akayama-ryu
Josh Parise has always been into the martial arts, ranging from Mixed Martial Arts to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and taekwondo, from kendo to Western Martial Arts. After leaving the Marine Corps and learning Army Combatives, he found some videos and manuals on historical fencing and never looked back. In his pursuit of historical fencing, Josh established … Continue reading Interview with Broken Plow Founder Josh Parise: Creating Your Own Culture in Western Martial Arts, Part II
Baer Kenney began his fencing career in high school with Olympic Fencing. That changed to LARPing with his children, then Society for Creative Anachronism, Association of Renaissance Martial Arts, and then Historical European Martial Arts. In that time, he has trained karate, taekwondo, and hapkido, and established his school, Baer Swords School of Western Martial … Continue reading Interview with Baer Swords School Baer Kenneys: Between Martial and Sport
Patricia Hendricks Sensei stumbled into an aikido class led by Mary Heiny in the San Francisco Bay area in 1974, quickly finding a teacher and lifelong friend in Stanley Pranin. They eventually moved to train at the Oakland Dojo – Aikido Institute – that focused on Iwama-ryu, propagated by Morihiro Saito Sensei. After a handful … Continue reading Interview with Aikido of San Leandro Founder Patricia Hendricks: Morihiro Saito, Iwama, and the Legacy, Part II
Todd Kupper began aikido in the early 1990s, with Steven Seagal’s popularity reaching a high point in the United States. He did not find Seagal, but rather Shuji Maruyama, founder of Kokikai Aikido. From his teenage years until now, Kupper experienced many things under Maruyama, including a very close, almost father-son type of relationship. Today, … Continue reading Interview with Keystone Kokikai Founder Todd Kupper: An Intimate Look Into Shuji Maruyama, Part II
Traditionally, within the context of modern times, martial arts have served as a way for the everyday person to participate in what's considered an ethnically and culture-based – even stylized – form or system of self-empowerment. The benefits have always included a level of better fitness, health, and well-being to physically and mentally live fuller … Continue reading The Misrepresentation of Martial Arts by Michael Aloia
Aikido Sangenkai chief instructor Christopher Li began training aikido in the early 1980s under Mitsugi Saotome and Yoshimitsu Yamada, later traveling with the latter to Japan to train at Aikikai Hombu Dojo. By the 1990s, Li began to explore the internal power side of both aikido and the martial arts, ultimately affiliating with Dan Harden. … Continue reading Interview with Aikido Sangenkai Chief Instructor Christopher Li: Internal Martial Arts in Hawaii
This is a transcript of an interview with Asahikan Dojo head instructor Michael Aloia in the spring of 2019. Here, we discuss the current state of aikido in the United States. All images provided by Michael Aloia. Martial Arts of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: Welcome and thank you for taking the time to talk with … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Aikidoka Michael Aloia: The Art of Harmony in America
Andy Demko began training martial arts and combat sports while he was in high school. After seeing an aikido class at Youngstown University, he joined, eventually meeting Koichi Tohei and Yoshimitsu Yamada in the mid-1960s. He later opened his Aikido Center of New Castle in 1971. Today, Demko discusses the fledgling years of aikido in … Continue reading Interview with USAF Technical Committee Member Andy Demko: The Early Years in the American Northeast
Salvatore Forestieri began his aikido training under Fumio Toyoda. After his passing, Forestieri became an understudy of Steven Seagal. This is a transcript of an interview conducted in the spring of 2019, discussing the current state of aikido and its place in the martial arts industry. All images provided by Salvatore Forestieri. Martial Arts of … Continue reading Interview with Aikido Instructor Salvatore Forestieri: Aikido in the Martial Arts Industry
Martial Arts of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow 