Grass Valley's Family Martial Arts School -- Focus, Fitness & Fun
n 1970, Linda Holiday Sensei joined an aikido class at the University of California Santa Cruz. She didn’t realize it at the time, but she was beginning her lifelong study of aikido.
She soon moved to Japan, meeting and training with some of the Founder’s closest students, including Motomichi Anno Sensei.
Holiday Sensei’s new book, Journey to the Heart of Aikido, tells her and Anno Sensei’s remarkable aikido story.
Please join our conversation on Tuesday, September 9, at 7:30 pm PT.
Craig Fife Sensei’s webinar is ready for you to watch. We had a good time chatting about Sensei’s experiences in aikido, camp and all sorts of things. Michael Friedl and Greg O’Connor Senseis called in.
Here’s the link to Craig Fife Sensei’s Webinar.
In this interview, I talk to the remarkable Mary Heiny Sensei. We talked at the June 2009 Aiki Retreat in Atherton, California. Heiny Sensei talks about her early years in aikido and the benefits of aikido. In particular, Heiny Sensei discusses how anyone can get the benefits of aikido, no matter your physical condition.
Heiny Sensei has devoted her life to aikido since 1965 when she saw the founder of aikido — Morihei Ueshiba — teach a class. She lived in Japan from 1968 – 1973, studying at Hombu Dojo (aikido world headquarters in Tokyo) and with Hikitsuchi Sensei (10th dan black belt) in the town of Shingu. She has been teaching ever since.
I was really thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Heiny Sensei. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did.
The photo is by Alex Kolbasov. You can see more of Alex’s photos of Mary Sensei at the Atherton Retreat here.
Interview with Mary Heiny Sensei
As you may know, when I was at the Aiki Retreat last month, I recorded several interviews with senior aikido teachers. Here’s the link to my first interview, with Michael Friedl Sensei.
This interview is with Danielle Smith Sensei. Smith Sensei is a 6th degree black belt and chief instructor of Aikido of Monterey. Smith Sensei is a certified Pilates instructor, 3rd black belt in Hakko Ryu Jujutsu, a 4th degree black belt in Seibukan Jujutsu and a 1st degree black belt in Iaido. To top it all off, Smith Sensei is President of the California Aikido Association, of which Aikido’Ka is a member.
Smith Sensei discusses her early years in aikido, what new aikidoists can expect to experience, aikido and conflict, aikido training with physical challenges and why she continues training and teaching.
Smith Sensei is an absolutely delightful person to train with and to know. If you ever get the chance to visit her dojo in Monterey, don’t miss it!
While I was at the Aikido Summer Retreat last month, I interviewed several senior aikido teachers. I’ll be posting them every week, or so.
The first interview is with my aikido teacher, Michael Friedl Sensei. Friedl Sensei is a 6th degree black belt, chief instructor of Aikido of Ashland and a great guy. We talk about a number of topics, including what Friedl Sensei thinks people can expect when starting aikido.
Sorry about the quality. I used my digital recorder outside and it sounds kind of tinny.
Be sure to subscribe to this podcast so that you can hear the interviews with all of these terrific aikido teachers.