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broken in a continuous flow of movement.
There is something else, however, which it is most important for the serious student to
prove to himself: that through dedicated training a human being can sometimes achieve the
seemingly impossible!
17. The Essence of Mastery
It is often very difficult, perhaps impossible, to know which instructor or school of karate
is right for you until your training is under way. When choosing fruit, you may want an apple
to help if you have indigestion; a banana because it's good for stamina; or perhaps an orange if
you have a cold, because it contains vitamin C. Concerning tastes, however, all we can say is that
there's no accounting for them - and the same might be said of instructors or schools of karate.
What really is important is that, having chosen an instructor, you should trust and respect him
wholeheartedly and unselfconsciously. Your aim should be his own high level of attainment. The
moment you begin to doubt his attainment you will cease to make progress under him and would
do better to give up karate or change to another school.
The relationship between instructor and pupil is to a large extent telepathic - particularly
during the advanced levels of training.
Sometimes you will be bored by your training, tired of practising techniques 'in the air'
'ad infinitum'. This is inevitable and you must simply accept that you're going to be bored. But
at the same time you must hold nothing back. You must punch and kick 'in the air' exactly as
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if surrounded by real enemies. And you must polish each technique that you learn until it
becomes a natural reflex - only then are you ready to move on to another technique. When you
really know a technique you will discover for yourself its connection with other techniques. You
will thus gradually come to master a series of techniques. Should you, on the other hand, be in
too much of a hurry to move on before fully understanding the techniques that you study, these
techniques will seem to lack coherence.
Your original purpose was to master karate. To accomplish this you must persevere to
overcome every obstacle. Some students become so absorbed that they dream of little else but
karate even during their sleep. Others, however, soon forget their original zeal. It is a pity to
forget or lose sight of the essence and depth of karate-do while attending to the details. Those
who have the patience or imagination to keep on to the end win the fruits of life itself.
Aikido
Ken Williams
1. The Background of Aikido
Aikido is a scientific form of self-defence created over fifty years ago by Master M.
Uyeshiba, who is still practising at the age of eighty-six at the world centre of the fighting art -
the Aikikai, Tokyo, Japan. Aikido was a secret known only to a relatively few privileged
Japanese up until as recently as 1948. The requirements to gain entrance into the inner chambers
of the Aikido gymnasium and to learn Aikido's art and philosophy were many including at least
two recommendations from well-known, respected citizens of Japan.
Aikido is a combination of many martial arts including ju-jitsu, Kendo and Karate. Most
Budo (military arts) originated from a kind of physical fitness programme, developed into self-
defence arts and then on to refined Budo.
A physical fitness programme may be compared to preventive medicine programmes and
prophylactics. If we move our body adequately and if the movement agrees with the 'natural
laws', we still have a well-conditioned body and will not be affected so easily by disease. When
we consider various physical fitness programmes we will soon discover the ideal of Aikido. The
flowing flexibility and the importance of a stable balance agree with the 'laws of nature'. The aim
of Aikidoists is complete self-control. When we have self-control, we have a posture which is
completely alert. By exercising our whole body we approach improved health.
In Aikido, the techniques related to each part of the body are necessarily related to the
whole. There are no radical techniques which use strength suddenly or immediately cease using
power. Here lies the secret of Aikido in keeping a healthy body. The exercise of the body in this
way will lead to better health.
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The movement of Aikido is natural and is without the physical strain demanded by other
combat arts. Aikido provides tremendous range movement on the study of balance, posture and
most important - relaxation. For this reason Aikido can be practised by members of either sex,
young or old, while it is also a most effective form of self-defence. Aikido has a particular appeal
to most people for the way that it builds a mind which you can adapt to everyday life.
The Art was first introduced in any big way into Great Britain by my teacher Kenshiro
Abbe (8th Dan) in 1955. I was one his first pupils. At that time Judo was very popular and so
people were not interested in the 'new art'. The Aikido training was also found by beginners to
be extremely severe and this put off many beginners.
After many years of study I was graded to 1st Dan. At the time I received my black belt
for Aikido, there were only eight pupils practising in this country. These pupils are now the
teachers of the art in this country. The art received stimulus by the visit to this country of Mr
Tadashi Abbe (7th Dan). In 1963, Mr M. Nakazono (7th Dan) came to England and was asked
to supervise Aikido in this country. At the same time I was appointed National Coach. It is
therefore only comparatively recently that Aikido has spread in this country and it is now being
taught in schools for the Education Authorities.
2. Aikido Gradings
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