Tickets already half sold
We have already sold half of the tickets to next year’s Aiki Connections weekend. If you intend to participate but have yet to secure your ticket, I would advise you to act now. Read testimonials from previous attendees here. Understanding that stumping up the necessary consideration this close to Christmas…
Study Group hits Bristol
The classic training error of taking the group shot at the end when 5 people had already left. I just got back to Kent after a long drive back from Bristol (4 hours is always an eternity with my kids in the car). On Saturday, we held a 6hr “Study…
Early bird discount ends
The 1st September is upon us. This means the early bird discount for Aiki Connections comes to a close. We have added the facility to pay a deposit in order to secure a limited space without paying the full £120 in one go. Book your Aiki Connections 2019 ticket now
For the metal heads
Book early and save £20
On 1st September 2018, the ticket price for Aiki Connections 2019 will go up to £120. If you want to save £20, book early and in turn help us greatly with the organisation of the event. Visit our event page to book your place now
Free gift…
Horikawa Kodo
Some fantastic photos of Horikawa Kodo, Okamoto Sensei’s teacher. Our thanks to Ole Kingston of Daito Ryu Enryukai. A Young Kodo Taiso Horikawa, Sokaku Takeda, Kodo Horikawa. The famous photo of Kodo with a young Gozo Shioda.
Required viewing : Horikawa Kodo
Next in our series of “Required Viewing”, is this video of Horikawa Kodo’s remarkable soft skill. This will be very familiar to those who have trained with Popkin Sensei and Brogna Sensei. Enjoy.
Study Group session in Cornwall
Whilst on holiday in Cornwall, I visited fellow Ginjukai member Dave Remnant. Dave kindly showed me around his land and property before we took to his home dojo. Converted from a former stable, this fantastic facility was the setting for an evening of Daito-ryu, beer and pizza. My thanks to…
Latest feedback from John Shields
Some nice feedback from John Shields… I have been practising the art of Aikido for the last 30 years, and have had the good fortune to have trained with various Sensei and Shihan from both Europe and Japan. On meeting Sensei’s Popkin and Brogna, I was amazed at their technical…
Seminar Feedback just in…by Phil Glover
Aiki Connections seminar feedback just in courtesy of Phil Glover….. Tl;dr: It was good, join us next time. So, it’s been a couple of weeks since the 2018 Aiki Connections Seminar and I’ve been using the time to try and organise my thoughts to offer some feedback. Before we start, a bit…
Aiki Connections 2019
Great news. Howard and Joe will return to the UK in 2019, on the weekend of July 13 & 14. You can pre-book your place now. Aiki Connections 2019
Another review, by Mark Jenner
New review received, this time courtesy of Mr Mark Jenner…. Another great Daito Ryu weekend in Dover with the Aiki connections crowd, four years now and it’s not yet failed to deliver! This is much more than just another martial arts seminar, enlightening, thought provoking, and frustratingly minimalist, it’s all…
New Aiki Connections review, by Simon Thackeray
Our thanks to Simon Thackeray for this feedback… An enlightening and enjoyable weekend with knowledgeable, skillful teachers who were keen for everyone to get what it is they’re teaching and make time for everyone there. Some six hours a day of training time could have been heavy going, but it…
Great testimonial, by Stuart Turner
Aikido folk often pay lip-service to the fact that their art derives from Daito-ryu, but not many get the chance to actually train in aikido’s parent art. I was fortunate enough to be able to share a mat with Howard Popkin and Joe Brogna at the Aiki Connections seminar recently,…
Post weekend thoughts
Thank you to everyone who attended the weekend. It was lovely to see so many old friends and to start so many new friendships. It was an absolute pleasure to train with you all. I always derive huge enjoyment in seeing the surprise/shock on people’s faces when they grab Howie…
Great feedback, by Paul Wildish
I have been a committed budoka for some fifty years, first practising judo, then subsequently practising Tomiki Aikido, Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu iaido and Mugai Ryu Iaiheiho. Throughout my budo journey I have shared practice with jujutsu, jodo, kenjutsu, karate, Nihon Shorinji Kempo and Chinese tai chi teachers. This experience…
Less than 3 weeks to go…
As we count the days, minutes and seconds until Aiki Connections 2018 with Popkin Sensei and Brogna Sensei, we look back at some fun memories…..
Nice words…by Erik Divietro
“My brief time training with Popkin and Brogna Sensei radically altered my perspective on aiki. One of the first things you will notice with Popkin and Brogna Sensei is the confident effortlessness of their movement. Come in contact with one of them, and instantly you are attached to something you…
Aiki Connections Single Day tickets
As we reach the “one month to go” mark before the Aiki Connections weekend with Howard Popkin and Joe Brogna, we are very pleased that so many have booked up to attend. We understand that there are some who are unable to make the whole weekend, so to help with…
Assumptions, courtesy of Peter Boylan
An excerpt from an old post on Peter Boylan’s (the Budo Bum) blog…. “Getting out to a seminar or two in another art can broaden your perspective on situations the arts you study are intended to deal with. Every art has a frame through which it interprets the world. It’s…
Aiki Connections 2018, not long now!
As we reach the four weeks to go to point, there’s good news for those who booked their place early. The complimentary event t-shirts are ready and will be available at the Aiki Connections weekend. Those who missed the free event t-shirt offer can still order one here Aiki Connections…
Required viewing
This classic video from the late Stanley Pranin is required viewing for anyone interested in Daito-ryu or Aikido.
Epic training day
We had a fantastic days training on May Bank holiday Saturday. The beautiful weather set the scene for an intensive seven hour training session. Participants came from as far afield as Cornwall, from London, and from the local area of course. I want to thank the Cornish contingent for travelling…
Aiki Connections 2018
As we get closer to Aiki Connections 2018, if you are planning to attend, please book your ticket via the event page here http://www.daitoryu.co.uk/aiki-connections-2018/ Event T-shirts can also be ordered for delivery or pick-up at the Aiki Connections event. http://www.daitoryu.co.uk/aiki-connections-2018/aiki-connections-t-shirt/
Great feedback from Nikos Papanikolaou
Last summer, through a contact of my teacher, Quentin Cooke, I was informed of a small Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu study group led by Phil Eyers that follows the Roppokai tradition and Seigo Okamoto sensei. This group has been inviting two American teachers, Howard Popkin and Joe Brogna sensei (personal students of…
Aiki Connections T-Shirt offer
The first 15 bookers onto Aiki Connections 2018 will get a free event T-shirt. For more details visit the offer page
Daito-Ryu Aiki-jujutsu article for Aikidoka
Last year I wrote the following article for the British Aikido Association magazine “Shizentai”. The intended audience is mainly Tomiki Kenji lineage aikido folk. I very much like the name Shizentai, as “natural posture” is generally what we use in our practice. _______________________________________ Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu When asked about what they…
Brilliant session
We enjoyed a fantastic practice last night at Study Group HQ (We love the mats at Tom’s dojo). Great discoveries all round and very noticeable progress being made.
300 mile round trip
We recently took a flying visit to Suffolk, where Oran Redmond operates the UK’s only UK Mainline Daito-Ryu Study group. It was a long drive (thanks Jamie), but it was well worth the effort to network with other folk with a shared love of all things Daito-ryu. We had a…