In this episode of the Aiki Dojo podcast, Ito Sensei and Glenn Yoshida Sensei from Aikido Renshinkan Hawaii discuss authenticity in Aikido. Many think that to be authentic the attacks and the techniques need to be contemporary. Ito Sensei and Yoshida Sensei debate this theory and discuss how authenticity is really in the intention.

The Aiki Dojo Podcast goal is to translate traditional Aikido and traditional martial arts training into the modern world. The podcast is hosted by David Ito Sensei who is the Chief Instructor of the Aikido Center of Los Angeles and he brings brings over 30 years of Aikido training to the podcast. The podcast is co-hosted by Mike Van Ruth, Aikido 4th Dan, and Bill D'Angelo, Aikido 4th Dan. Let us know if you have a topic that you would like Ito Sensei and the team to discuss in the next podcast.

Enjoy!

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/VTt-53aE6L8

The Aiki Dojo Podcast - An Interview With Glenn Yoshida, Aikido 7th Dan

In this episode of the Aiki Dojo podcast, Ito Sensei interviews Glenn Yoshida Sensei from Aikido Renshinkan Hawaii. Yoshida Sensei started Aikido in the 1960s and is 7th Dan. In his youth, he spent over a decade training at Hombu Dojo. Over his 60+ years of Aikido training, Yoshida Sensei has had the privilege of studying with some of the most prolific Aikido teachers in history. Yoshida Sensei shares many great stories about his journey in Aikido.

The Aiki Dojo Podcast goal is to translate traditional Aikido and traditional martial arts training into the modern world. The podcast is hosted by David Ito Sensei who is the Chief Instructor of the Aikido Center of Los Angeles and he brings brings over 30 years of Aikido training to the podcast. The podcast is co-hosted by Mike Van Ruth, Aikido 4th Dan, and Bill D'Angelo, Aikido 4th Dan. Let us know if you have a topic that you would like Ito Sensei and the team to discuss in the next podcast.

Enjoy!

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/4-lzQG7cJ5s

The Aiki Dojo Podcast - The Two Most Challenging Ranks: 3rd Kyu & 3rd Dan

In this episode of the Aiki Dojo podcast, discuss the phenomenon where students quit training at either 3rd Kyu or 3rd Dan. Typically, people tend to quit training around 3rd Kyu or 3rd Dan. This is because of doubt. 3rd Kyu students have been training for a few years and the movement hasn’t become second nature which makes them doubt their own proficiency. 3rd Dan students have been training for a long time and have an advanced rank. 3rd Dan student start to doubt the efficacy of their own technique because after all they “should” know because they have rank and experience. Ito Sensei discusses how both type of students should deal with their doubt and how doubt is a necessary adversity on the path of Aikido.

The Aiki Dojo Podcast goal is to translate traditional Aikido and traditional martial arts training into the modern world. The podcast is hosted by David Ito Sensei who is the Chief Instructor of the Aikido Center of Los Angeles and he brings brings over 30 years of Aikido training to the podcast. The podcast is co-hosted by Mike Van Ruth, Aikido 4th Dan, and Bill D'Angelo, Aikido 4th Dan. Let us know if you have a topic that you would like Ito Sensei and the team to discuss in the next podcast.

Enjoy!

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/kUc_AdkluIg

The Aiki Dojo Podcast - Convincing People About Aikido

In this episode of the Aiki Dojo podcast, we answer a listener question about how to convince other people about Aikido. For one reason or another, Aikido’s effectiveness and validity as a martial art comes into question. For beginners, defending Aikido is a difficult argument to debate. In this episode, Ito Sensei discusses how he deals with naysayers and those that would disparage Aikido.

The Aiki Dojo Podcast goal is to translate traditional Aikido and traditional martial arts training into the modern world. The podcast is hosted by David Ito Sensei who is the Chief Instructor of the Aikido Center of Los Angeles and he brings brings over 30 years of Aikido training to the podcast. The podcast is co-hosted by Mike Van Ruth, Aikido 4th Dan, and Bill D'Angelo, Aikido 4th Dan. A new podcast drops every 2 weeks. Let us know if you have a topic that you would like Ito Sensei and the team to discuss in the next podcast.

Enjoy!

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/KIA7Kc_cNs8

The Aiki Dojo Podcast - An interview with Andrew Blevins Sensei from Kiryu Aikido

In this episode of the Aiki Dojo podcast, we interview Andrew Blevins Sensei of Kiryu Aikido. Blevins Sensei has been doing Aikido since 1985 and has studied many different styles of Aikido including Iwama style and Tomiki style and was the Chief Instructor at Nippon-kan for many years. Blevins Sensei brings over 37 years of experience to the podcast and we hope you find his interview interesting.

The Aiki Dojo Podcast goal is to translate traditional Aikido and traditional martial arts training into the modern world. The podcast is hosted by David Ito Sensei who is the Chief Instructor of the Aikido Center of Los Angeles and he brings brings over 30 years of Aikido training to the podcast. The podcast is co-hosted by Mike Van Ruth, Aikido 4th Dan, and Bill D'Angelo, Aikido 4th Dan. A new podcast drops every 2 weeks. Let us know if you have a topic that you would like Ito Sensei and the team to discuss in the next podcast.

Enjoy!

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/zSKAB3oUVJI

The Aiki Dojo Podcast - The Difference Between Customers and Students

In this episode of the Aiki Dojo podcast, we discuss the difference between being a student and being a customer. Having a student’s mindset is about educating oneself while the customer’s mindset is transactional. The student thinks about learning and improving themselves. The customer wants to get something for their money. However, the martial arts can’t be quantified or qualified by external measures because it will never add up. A student of the martial arts never thinks about “how much this costs” because the cost pales in comparison to the reward of self-improvement. Every modern student typically starts out with the customer’s mindset but it is the teacher’s job to educate them and make them into a student.

The Aiki Dojo Podcast goal is to translate traditional Aikido and traditional martial arts training into the modern world. The podcast is hosted by David Ito Sensei who is the Chief Instructor of the Aikido Center of Los Angeles and he brings brings over 30 years of Aikido training to the podcast. The podcast is co-hosted by Mike Van Ruth, Aikido 4th Dan, and Bill D'Angelo, Aikido 4th Dan. A new podcast drops every 2 weeks. Let us know if you have a topic that you would like Ito Sensei and the team to discuss in the next podcast.

Enjoy!

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/QsrnfgrOvUg

The Aiki Dojo Podcast - What does it mean to be a good teacher?

In this episode of the Aiki Dojo podcast, we discuss the teacher and what it means to be considered “good.” Does good mean having lots of students? Does good mean being solely technically proficient? In the past, a teachers only qualification used to be in how strict they were. Does that hold true today? If not, then what makes someone “good” and has the criteria for “good” changed?

Watch this podcast on Youtube: https://youtu.be/nfcWeItyeDM

The Aiki Dojo Podcast - Should Teachers Hit Their Students?

In this episode of the Aiki Dojo podcast, we answer another listener question. This question deals with teachers and whether or not they should hit their students as a tool to improve their learning ability or for any other reason. Ito Sensei weighs in on this controversial topic.

The Aiki Dojo Podcast goal is to translate traditional Aikido and traditional martial arts training into the modern world. The podcast is hosted by David Ito Sensei who is the Chief Instructor of the Aikido Center of Los Angeles and he brings brings over 30 years of Aikido training to the podcast. The podcast is co-hosted by Mike Van Ruth, Aikido 4th Dan, and Bill D'Angelo, Aikido 4th Dan. A new podcast drops every 2 weeks. Let us know if you have a topic that you would like Ito Sensei and the team to discuss in the next podcast.

Enjoy!

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/mev0-G9oS_U

The Aiki Dojo Podcast - Teaching Philosophies

In this episode of the Aiki Dojo podcast, we answer a listener question about teaching philosophies and teaching at other dojos.

The Aiki Dojo Podcast goal is to translate traditional Aikido and traditional martial arts training into the modern world. The podcast is hosted by David Ito Sensei who is the Chief Instructor of the Aikido Center of Los Angeles and he brings brings over 30 years of Aikido training to the podcast. The podcast is co-hosted by Mike Van Ruth, Aikido 4th Dan, and Bill D'Angelo, Aikido 4th Dan. A new podcast drops every 2 weeks. Let us know if you have a topic that you would like Ito Sensei and the team to discuss in the next podcast.

Enjoy!

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/D1pDfZJYGso

The Aiki Dojo Podcast - Looking Back on 2021

In this episode of the Aiki Dojo podcast, we look back on not only 2021 but the entire pandemic and discuss how things have changed. This is our 14th episode and season 1 finale. We look forward to 2022 and many more episodes.

The Aiki Dojo Podcast goal is to translate traditional Aikido and traditional martial arts training into the modern world. The podcast is hosted by David Ito Sensei who is the Chief Instructor of the Aikido Center of Los Angeles and he brings brings over 30 years of Aikido training to the podcast. The podcast is co-hosted by Mike Van Ruth, Aikido 4th Dan, and Bill D'Angelo, Aikido 4th Dan. A new podcast drops every 2 weeks. Let us know if you have a topic that you would like Ito Sensei and the team to discuss in the next podcast.

Enjoy!

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/--RwBV77pvY