Japanese Martial Arts Center - Traditions
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12/14/2009 How to Choose a Martial Arts School
A Message from Nicklaus Suino Shihan (Director of the Japanese Martial Arts Center): If you are looking for martial arts training in or around Ann Arbor, Michigan, I commend you! Considering martial arts traini...More |
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06/11/2009 Test Checklist
TEST CHECKLIST FOR STUDENTS We know how hard you have worked to get to this point. To ensure the appropriate level of seriousness and safety, please follow this checklist when preparing for your test day. 1. Uniforms: You and your unifo...More |
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01/26/2009 Jujutsu, Jujitsu, and Jiu Jitsu - What's the difference?
What is jujutsu? In the 21st Century, the term "jujutsu" - also sometimes spelled "jujitsu" or "jiu jitsu" has many meanings. The historical roots o...More |
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01/15/2009 The Student as Teacher
As a student at the Japanese Martial Arts Center, what should you know about teaching martial arts? Even if you haven't been officially designated as an instructor, you may occasionally be called upon to help another student. Even in the course of normal training...More |
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01/15/2009 Testing
At the Japanese Martial Arts Center, testing for rank is done by invitation. The instructors invite students to test when they have reached a sufficient level of mastery of the techniques for their rank. This is probably unlike your experience at the University o...More |
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01/15/2009 One Thing Right Today
A great way to approach each day in the dojo is to decide to "get one thing right today." Isolate one aspect of your art - a foot position you struggle with in iaido, the rhythm of a form in karate, or the hand position leading up to a throw in judo -...More |
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01/15/2009 It's All About Me!
We usually hear that martial arts are designed to develop a selfless person - one who exists to serve his or her art, community, or some purpose larger than him or herself. This is certainly true, but sometimes the proper focus in training is on...More |
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01/15/2009 Repetition
There's no getting around it, martial arts requires repetition. You have to practice your techniques over and over again to get good at them, whether you train in aikido, iaido, judo, jujutsu, karate, kendo, or kyudo. That's probably why, in the long run, the people...More |
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01/15/2009 Polishing
When we get a new bokken (wooden sword) at the Japanese Martial Arts Center in Ann Arbor, we take time to scrape off the shiny finish applied by the manufacturer. Once the finish is completely removed, ...More |
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01/15/2009 Japanese Words You Should Know
At the Japanese Martial Arts Center (our "dojo"), we use many Japanese words and expressions. These help create the cultural atmosphere for serious training, and express some concepts that are important in training in iaido, judo, or jujtsu (jujitsu). A...More |
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01/15/2009 Power of the Positive
In our martial arts training lives, whether we study aikido, karate, kendo, or some other martial art, we must learn to use the power of the positive. This means that whenever there is a choice about how to act at the Japanese Martial Arts Center, we should choos...More |
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01/15/2009 Tradition in Practice
What does it mean to teach "traditional" martial arts? It can mean many things, some obvious and some not so obvious. A few of the major aspects of a traditional dojo include: a verifiable lineage in a recognized historical style, a respectful atmosphere, ...More |
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01/15/2009 Relations Between Martial Arts Schools
Those of us who grew up watching Bruce Lee and other actors in martial arts movies sometimes believe that dojos in the same town are always in conflict. In fact, Ann Arbor is a mecca for martial arts training, and the relationships between schools are usually quite ...More |
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01/15/2009 Zen in the Martial Arts
Zen refers to Zen Buddhism, a system of thought that is widely misunderstood to be a religion. Instead, Zen, in its purest form is a systematic method for improving one's ability to perceive reality. The primary tool used by Zen practitioner...More |
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01/15/2009 Aikido, Judo, Jujitsu, and Aiki-Jujutsu
Many students wonder what the difference is between aikido, jujitsu (jujutsu), judo, and aiki-jujutsu. The short answer is that all of them are "grappling" martial arts, i.e., they all deal with grabs, locks, and throw...More |
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01/15/2009 Beginner's Mind
"Empty Your Cup" is a martial arts aphorism that virtually every student has heard. It refers to the idea that students should put aside their own thoughts and opinions and diligently try to do exactly as their instruc...More |
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01/15/2009 The Frog at the Bottom of the Well
The Frog. Sato Shizuya (Chief Director of Kokusai Budoin, IMAF) sometimes tells the story of the frog at the bottom of the well. The frog, it seems, thinks that the sky he sees is the entire universe. He has no idea that anythin...More |
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01/15/2009 'Mastery' in the Martial Arts
What does it mean to "master" a martial art? In the Japanese martial arts, we are very reluctant to use the term "master." The term would imply that someone has completely understood the art and can perform i...More |
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01/15/2009 The Martial Arts Social Contract
Between the martial arts teachers at the Japanese Martial Arts Center in Ann Arbor and their students, there exists a social contract. The contract - mostly implied, sometimes written down - goes someth...More |
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06/09/2008 Budo Mind and Body
Budo Mind and Body: Training Secrets of the Japanese Martial Arts Available at the JMAC Online Store Visit Us for some serious training at the ...More |
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06/09/2008 Strategy in Japanese Swordsmanship
Strategy in Japanese Swordsmanship Available at the JMAC Online Store Visit Us for some serious training at the Japanese Martial Arts Center ...More |
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06/09/2008 Art of Japanese Swordsmanship
Art of Japanese Swordsmanship Available at the JMAC Online Store Visit Us for some serious training at the Japanese Martial Arts Center ...More |
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12/02/2007 Walter E. Todd
Walter Todd Sensei (1927-1999) On November 26, 1999, Walter Todd Sensei, eighth dan, passed on. He was 72 years old, and his wife Eve and two children survive him. While Todd Sensei had not operated a dojo...More |
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08/14/2006 Sato Shizuya
Originally Published in "BIG IN JAPAN" Shizuya Sato ...More |
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07/31/2006 Yamaguchi Katsuo - Meijin 10th Dan
Yamaguchi O-Kami Meijin 10th Dan Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaido - Hanshi 9th Dan Kendo Yamaguchi Katsuo, a world-renowned leader in the sword arts of Japan, passed away on January 24, 2006, at the age of 89. His influence on the iaido of the late...More |
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02/15/2006 To Whom Much is Given
To whom much is given, much is expected. This is nowhere more true than in the traditional martial arts. Along with the great skills that we learn and the progressively more impressive belt colors, we also must accept more and...More |
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01/25/2006 Care and Feeding of Training Partners
Training partners are vital to your progress at the Japanese Martial Arts Center. They can give you feedback on how well you're doing a form, can help you practice a joint lock or throw, and can challenge you in...More |
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01/20/2006 Three Aspects of Training
There are three aspects to your physical training at the Japanese Martial Arts Center, whether you train for self-defense, physical fitness, or character develo...More |
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01/15/2006 First Day in the Dojo
On your first day at the Japanese Martial Arts Center (our "dojo"), you can expect to learn some very important basic budo concepts (budo means "martial way" in Japan...More |
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01/15/2006 Karate, Karate-Do, and Karate-Jutsu
We are often asked to explain the difference between the words Karate, Karate-Do (sometimes written "Karatedo") and Karate-Jutsu (or "Karatejutsu"). All these words refer to a closely related set of martial a...More |
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01/10/2006 Iaido, Iaijutsu, Kendo, Kenjutsu, Battojutsu and Battodo
The Japanese martial arts that employ the sword take many forms. Some emphasize formal techniques, some emphasize sparring. All have valuable aspects that help practitioners develop strength, coordination, mental acuity, and a s...More |
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01/05/2006 Love and Courage
At the Aikibudoin at Dartmouth College, on their shomen, is some calligraphy in Japanese that says, roughly translated, "Have I loved enough, have I showed enough cou...More |
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01/01/2006 Individuality
Out in the "real" world, we take great pains to express ourselves. We choose certain clothes, drive a certain make of car, and wear our hair just so. We choose who to spend time with and which shows to watch, and measure ourselves against the social ...More |
