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News Update Monday 8th August

Training Focus

Hi all, this week is week two of the month. Here is the training focus for this week’s classes.

Monday: Shihonage & Ukemi

Tuesday: Nikkajo & Dynamic

Wednesday: Hijiate & Jo

Thursday: Tenshinage & Tanto

Friday: Kotegaeshi & Self Defence

Saturday: Shomen Iriminage & Sword

Congratulations

A big congratulations to Phil Yates and Sean Anderson who both graded to their Adult Shodan and to Mckai who graded to his Cadet Shodan. All three did a sterling job and have made the school very proud!

Events

Board Break

Thursday 18th, 19:30. We are taking names for this quarter’s motivational board break class, if you have not yet completed one of our board breaks or firewalks you NEED to be here.

Quote of the Week

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

Albert Einstein

Osu,

Sensei Matt Thurman – Aikido Nottingham

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News Update Monday 1st February

Training Focus

Here is the training focus for this week’s adult classes.

Monday: Sokkumen & Dynamic

Tuesday: Shihonage & Jo

Wednesday: Yonkajo & Tanto

Thursday: Sankajo & Self Defence

Friday: Nikkajo & Sword

Saturday: Ikkajo & Ukemi

Kids’ Curriculum

A new month and a new testing module, here is what we will be grading the kids on this month.

Juniors & Cadets

Little Dragons

Quotes

Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”

Theodore Roosevelt

Osu,

Sensei Matt Thurman – Aikido Nottingham

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News Update Monday 25th January

Training Focus

This week is Grading week, so the daily focus will be Curriculum training. Here is the module schedule for the week.

Monday: Jo

Tuesday: Tanto

Wednesday: Self Defence

Thursday: Sword

Friday: Ukemi

Saturday: Dynamic

Kids Grading Modules

Just a reminder of the what we will be grading the kids on this month.

Juniors/Cadets

Little Dragons

Style Vs Style Pt. 2

Sport, Science or Art

Of course, the longer you study martial arts — any style of martial arts — the longer you practice, the more apparent it becomes that it is so much more than fighting. In fact, the ability to fight effectively is a mere consequence. Let’s analyse it. If the objective of martial arts was just to successfully compete in contests of skill, then wouldn’t it be called martial sport? If the objective was to hone an efficient means of fighting technique, then shouldn’t it be called martial science? Wouldn’t we be martial technicians? But no, this has always been designated and referred to as an art. What does it mean to be an artist? While mastery of technique is necessary; and desire, will and execution are expected, ultimately, artists act to express themselves, to produce or arrange sound, colour, form, movement, or other elements in a creative manner. It may not make for an exciting action movie, but martial arts is about creating something of unique aesthetic value, not about destroying your enemy.

Look at the names of several traditional styles. Judo is translated as the gentle way. Kung Fu means achievement through effort or wisdom through skill. Karate translates as empty hand, although some masters say that the original characters meant using the hand or body to empty the self. Aikido means the way of harmony. All of the great masters, from Tamo Bodidharma (founder of Kung Fu) in the 6th century on, have stressed that martial arts is a path of personal transformation that ultimately leads to self-realization.

Ego Enhancement is the Antithesis of Martial Arts

From this perspective, the question, which style is the most effective? is meaningless. What reason would two martial artists — serious martial artists who practice their art diligently and passionately — have for fighting with one another? Through practice, they develop the discipline and self-control to be able to deal with most situations without resorting to blows. The thrill of competition? If the essence of martial arts is personal transformation that ultimately leads to self-realization, then practice is designed to minimize and ultimately destroy the ego. Entertaining concepts of victory and defeat is counter-productive.

Unfortunately, today there are far too many people claiming to be martial artists who are perpetually training for the enhancement of their egos, for the pride of victory, boasting that they are the toughest or that their style is the best, ready to fight anyone that challenges them. Although these people may be great fighters, they have not yet realized that, in martial arts as in life itself, the real battle is within.

Quote

“Even the greatest was once a beginner. Don’t be afraid to take that first step.”

Unknown

Osu,

Sensei Matt Thurman – Aikido Nottingham

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News Update Monday 11th January

Training Focus

Monday: Hijiate & Self Defence

Tuesday: Tenshinage & Sword

Wednesday: Nikkajo & Ukemi

Thursday: Kotegaeshi & Dynamic

Friday: Shihonage & Jo

Saturday Shomen Iriminage & Tanto

Style Vs Style Pt. 1

Martial arts has always had a very broad meaning. Martial arts may refer to karate, aikido, judo, ju jitsu, kung fu, tai chi, tae kwon do, hapkido, kendo — in fact, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of styles of martial arts. Some are well-developed, well known styles taught in schools internationally, while many styles are indigenous to a specific rural village, taught and practiced only there for centuries and unknown to the rest of the world. Some arts specialize in kicking, while other focus on hand strikes and trapping. Some are throwing arts and others grapple — concentrating primarily on ground fighting. Although these styles and systems vary in origin — coming from China, Okinawa, Japan, Korea, as well as from other countries throughout Asia and elsewhere — they all teach martial technique, either empty handed or with a weapon.

Only a small number of these styles have successfully migrated to America, and only a fraction of those have come to the general public’s awareness. A particular style gains popularity almost exclusively through the media — specifically movies and TV — quickly gains a small following and grows in popularity only when it is successfully marketed or championed by a Hollywood star or professional athlete.

Modern History

The popularity of martial arts in the West over the past 50 years has its roots in the experiences of military servicemen returning to the U.S. at the end of the Korean War in the early 1950’s. Exposed for the first time to traditional Asian forms of empty-handed fighting and self-defence, these combat-trained soldiers were as fascinated by its efficiency and effectiveness as they were by its grace. Returning servicemen were among the first westerners in the U.S. to open martial arts schools.

The relative popularity of various martial arts styles has risen and fallen with the times. Throughout the 1950s and 60s, the Judo craze mesmerized audiences with throws and locks. By the late 1960s and 70s, we saw the rise of Karate, a powerful striking art, and Kung Fu, popularized by Bruce Lee and, later, by the American TV series of the same name. Hundreds of thousands of students throughout the U.S. flocked to dojos to learn these mysterious new fighting arts. Words like ninja and sensei entered the general English vocabulary.

In the 1980s, a Korean art – Tae Kwon Do — burst upon the scene. One master was asked, “How did Tae Kwon Do become so popular?” His reply? “If I break a brick with my hand, it looks good, but if I throw a brick in the air and break it with a kick – that looks more impressive. Americans want to be able to defend themselves, but they also want to look good doing it.” Martial arts-inspired fight scenes became more and more prevalent in mainstream Hollywood movies. A whole generation of kids grew up watching the animated TV show, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

No-Holds-Bared Competition

In the 1990s, the popularity of Brazilian Ju Jitsu coincided with the introduction of Ultimate Fighting, a contest that claimed to settle the age-old question, “Which martial art is the best?” Ultimate Fighting promised to end speculation, conjecture and arguments; it would all be settled in a cage. And, after winning match after match, Brazilian Ju Jitsu, as practiced by the Gracie family, consistently came out on top, appearing to be the style to beat. Ten years later, Ultimate Fighting has become an international sport, watched by millions around the world. Top competitors train hard, and Brazilian Ju Jitsu is just one successful style among many. Today, there are as many knock-outs as tap-outs. Grapplers are punching and strikers are grappling. It can be said that the lasting legacy of the Gracie family was to make the martial arts world address the issue of what to do when you are taken to the ground. Ultimate Fighting has become much less a contest of style vs. style, and much more a test of one particular fighter’s ability vs. another’s.

Given this history, it is easy to understand that people who have never studied martial arts see the entire practice as fighting. It’s only natural. Martial arts were introduced to the West in general and to the U.S. in particular by former soldiers who viewed the art as an effective mean of self-defence. And, if you view these as fighting arts, then it’s no surprise that the question arises, “If one style fought another, which would win?”

If you think about it, you’ll see that the question itself is beside the point. All authentic styles and systems teach self-defence skills necessary to take a confrontational situation under control or allow you to defend yourself if attacked. But people are rarely attacked in everyday life by professional fighters, or by trained martial artists. Most attacks are perpetrated by a punk or thug with a quick temper, often under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. So, which style is the most effective? From a self-defence perspective, virtually all authentic styles will work.

Part 2 next week.

Weekly Quote

Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.

Jack Canfield

Osu,

Sensei Matt Thurman – Aikido Nottingham

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News Update Monday 4th January

Happy New Year to you all! I trust you all had a wonderful break and indulged more than a little. Let’s hit the floor running and get 2016 off to an amazing start.

Training Focus

Here is the training focus for this weeks classes.

Monday: Yonkajo & Sword

Tuesday: Ikkajo & Ukemi

Wednesday: Shihonage & Dynamic

Thursday: Nikkajo & Jo

Friday: Sokkumen & Tanto

Saturday: Sankajo & Self Defence

Kids’ Grading Modules

This month the kids are being graded on Module 5 of their curriculum. Check out the videos to see what your child will be learning for their next grade.

Juniors & Cadets

Little Dragons

Kid’s Life Skills Talks

Weekly Quote

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

Joshua J. Marine

Osu,

Sensei Matt Thurman – Aikido Nottingham

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News Update Monday 5th October

Training Focus

Here is the training focus for the week;

Monday: Hijiate & Self Defence

Tuesday: Tenshinage & Sword

Wednesday: Nikkajo & Ukemi

Thursday: Kotegaeshi & Dynamic

Friday: Shihonage & Jo

Saturday: Shomen Iriminage & Tanto

Quote For The Week

Say Yes to Life. Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.”

Henry James

Osu,

Sensei Matt Thurman – Aikido Nottingham

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News Update Monday 28th September

Training Focus

It’s week one of the month again, and this month is a five-weeker in Dojoland. This means that you will have twice as much time to practice your curriculum before testing at the end of the month. Here is the training schedule for the week.

Monday: Yonkajo & Sword

Tuesday: Ikkajo & Ukemi

Wednesday: Shihonage & Dynamic

Thursday: Nikkajo & Jo

Friday: Sokkumen & Tanto

Saturday: Sankajo & Self Defence

Kids’ Life Skills

The over-all theme for this months life skills discussions is how to develope possitive personality traits, and what benefits these traits can give you.

Kids’ Grading Curriculum

Here are the techniques that the Kids will be graded on at the end of the month.

Juniors/Cadets

Little Dragons

Quote for the Week

Character is not cut in marble; it is not something solid and unalterable. It is something living and changing…

George Eliot

Osu,

Sensei Matt Thurman – Aikido Nottingham

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News Update Monday 14th September

Training Focus

This week the class focus will be on curriculum practice. If you have any questions at all about your individual techniques this is the time when you must get on the mat. Here is the the schedule for the Module focus for the week.

Monday: Dynamic

Tuesday: Jo

Wednesday: Tanto

Thursday: Self Defence

Friday: Sword

Saturday: Ukemi

Congratulations..

..to Stephen Randell who passed his Shodan grading! On behalf of the Academy, we wish you all the best in your studies at Uni and remember you’re always welcome back on the mat whenever you’re in the area.

Kids’ Grading Content

With Grading week just around the corner here is a reminder of what we are going to be practing and then testing our Dragons, Juniors and Cadets on for the next 2 weeks.

Little Dragons

Juniors/Cadets

Quote

Each and every master, regardless of the era or the place, heard the call and attained harmony with heaven and earth. There are many paths leading to the top of Mount Fuji, but there is only one summit - love.”

Morihei Ueshiba

Osu,

Sensei Matt Thurman – Aikido Nottingham

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News Update Monday 31st August

Training Schedule

It’s week 1 of the month and here’s the training schedule for the week.

Monday: CLOSED - BANK HOLIDAY

Tuesday: Nikkajo & Self Defence

Wednesday: Sankajo & Sword

Thursday: Yonkajo & Ukemi

Friday: Shihonage & Dynamic

Saturday: Sokkumen & Jo

Kids Grading Modules

This month the kids are grading on module 6 of their curriculum. Check out the vids for more info about what your child should be practicing to pass their grading at the end of the month.

Juniors/Cadets

Little Dragons

Mat Chat

Here is the video for this month’s life skills talks.

Quote

After a time, you may find that “having” is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as “wanting.” It is not logical, but it is often true.”

Spock

Osu,

Sensei Matt Thurman – Aikido Nottingham

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News Update Monday 24th August

Training Focus

This week is Grading Week, make sure you get your next promotion.

Here is the Module Focus for the week.

Monday: Self Defence

Tuesday: Sword

Wednesday:

Thursday: Dynamic

Friday: Jo

Saturday: Tanto

Kids’ Grading Modules

As a reminder, here are the techniques for the Little Dragons and Juniors/Cadets gradings.

Little Dragons

Juniors/Cadets

Quote

We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”

Mother Teresa

Osu,

Sensei Matt Thurman – Aikido Nottingham

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