Pam Parker first started martial arts with taekwondo, then moving to aikido at the New York Aikikai. At one class at the New York Aikikai, she attended an iaido class and she was hooked. She found the late John Prough of Nichibukan, and later Shunshin Kan of Ken-Zen. In July 2014, she passed her nanadan, … Continue reading Interview with Ken-Zen Iaido Instructor Pam Parker: Her American Iaido Journey
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
Steaphen Fick was always interested in sword fighting, fighting at any chance he could get when he was a child. As he grew up, he found a touring fighting company in 1989, proceeding to participate in almost 2,000 duels and battles. It was not until the 1990s, where he found himself traveling all around Europe, … Continue reading Interview with Longtime HEMA Instructor Steaphen Fick: Sword Fighting and Teaching, Part II
Beginning his aikido training in 1971, Claude Berthiaume had the opportunity to train and forge connections with Yoshimitsu Yamada and Mitsunari Kanai. Since then, he has helped grow and facilitate the United States Aikido Federation. Today, we had the opportunity to speak with Berthiaume about how he got started in aikido. Martial Arts of Yesterday, … Continue reading Interview with USAF Technical Committee Member Claude Berthiaume: His Aikido Journey
Mark Wiley began Tambuli Media with the purpose of providing the public with mind-body practices, including martial arts. Additionally, he has spent many years in the martial arts, authoring fifteen books, including five on Filipino martial arts. Today, Wiley took some time to talk about Tambuli Media and the publishing house’s first feature film, Made … Continue reading Interview with Tambuli Media Founder Mark Wiley: Publishing Martial Art and Wellness Books Today
Beginning his Kenpo Karate career in 1967, Dennis Tosten soaked up what he learned from a myriad of martial arts, stretching from jujutsu to arnis and kung fu. Taking what he learned, he and his wife, Sharon, heads their Amerikick schools throughout the East Coast of America. Today, Tosten took some time to discuss Kenpo … Continue reading Interview with Kenpo Karate Pioneer Dennis Tosten: Kenpo Karate in Philadelphia
Todd Jones, founder of American Butokukan, began his martial arts journey in 1971 with taekwondo, moving to aikido two years later. This is a transcript of an interview conducted the fall of 2018 for research of my upcoming American aikido history book. Here, we discuss his time under Thomas “Doc” Walker, the early days of … Continue reading Interview with Todd Jones: Thomas “Doc” Walker and Growing Aikido in Florida
Martial Arts of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow 