Aiki, aiki and aiki

Oookay. There is a mysterious word that gets passed around in Japanese martial arts circles that has people chasing their tails in an attempt to become either indomitable heroes or peace-loving gentle spirits. How is it that the same concept can have such vastly different interpretations? Probably because of the secretive nature of traditional martial… Continue reading Aiki, aiki and aiki

SNOW CLOSURE

Hey all, we will be closed Friday, February 8 due to unsafe road conditions. Please keep an eye on facebook.com/warriorlifema for updates through the weekend.

Northwest Glima Gathering

You will get hands-on right away, wrestling like a Viking. Take down and escape from an opponent and test yourself in honest, friendly competition. The simple rules make it easy for beginners to get started, while experienced grappling enthusiasts will enjoy the challenge of this fast-paced sport. Trash-talking is not only allowed, but encouraged. A… Continue reading Northwest Glima Gathering

Diversity and Adversity

There are two central ideas that are largely unmentioned in martial arts culture that I am increasingly compelled to address. I’ve had a few experiences recently that fly in the face of the how and why we do what we do. So: First, martial arts does not belong to anyone. Its sources can be traced… Continue reading Diversity and Adversity

Yes, it looks like bull$#!t.

People give so-called “soft arts” a bad wrap. They look at the practices of these martial artists and consistently say things like “that would never work in a fight”, and they are absolutely correct. If you look at every single Aikido kata as-is in a manual, you will be hard pressed to see something that… Continue reading Yes, it looks like bull$#!t.

Chi (Qi) Demystified

There is a lot of nonsense out there about qi. A big part of it is due to mistranslation and others due to secrecy, misdirection and let’s not forget television. Let’s talk about what qi isn’t. It’s not magic. It’s not an ethereal, life-giving, cosmic energy that pervades the universe. You have every right to… Continue reading Chi (Qi) Demystified

Aiki vs. Awase

There is a big misconception about what the meaning of Aiki (合気) is. To many practitioners of internal of so-called ‘soft’ arts aiki means matching the speed and energy of an incoming attack. In reality, this is awase (合わせ) a part necessary to creating aiki, but it’s not the compete picture. Morihei Ueshiba called it the… Continue reading Aiki vs. Awase

A Rationale For Fighting Back

Originally Posted on January 17, 2017 by Karri It can be difficult to decide whether to take defensive action against someone violating your boundaries, like personal space, inappropriate intimate contact or teasing gone too far. This is especially true if the offender is a friend or family member. But when given a wide enough perspective,… Continue reading A Rationale For Fighting Back