Christopher Hein
I began training in Aikido in 1998 under then Yondan Patrick Cassidy. I had come to Aikido after a long period of sampling and learning about other martial arts. I was obsessed with the martial arts as a child, however until Aikido I hadn't really settled down to learn a whole system. I think I was drawn to Aikido for many reasons. I liked the Idea of being able to read someone's intention and becoming capable of stopping a fight before it had a chance to begin. I liked the formality and traditional aspects of Aikido as well. However I think it was mostly (on a much more subconscious level then) the development of character, and becoming a stronger person that drew me the most.
Under Cassidy sensei I had a very seasoned Aikido instructor, he had lived in Japan for 8 years training under the late Morihiro Saito sensei. Patrick's style was strongly rooted in Iwama basics, giving him a very solid foundation. However just before I met him he had already began to develop his own, more fluid style. There was lots of time spent on solid formal basics, and an equal or greater amount of time spent on Jiyu waza (free practice) and ki no nagari (dynamic) techniques. I also gained a lot from Patrick's inquiries into self.
I studied very seriously for several years, even becoming uchi deshi (live in student) for a year, receiving my shodan (black belt) in April 2001. I kept training and assistant instructing for a few years, but I felt something was missing from my training. I felt that even though I was becoming quite capable in the dojo, and was able to do the forms and techniques quite well, I was lacking something. I was unsure of my ability to actually use what I had learned. I had a kinda rough child hood getting in fights regularly, and knew that I was missing something in my training. I felt I couldn't really use my Aikido, and training the way I was wasn't cutting it. I started looking for something to complete my training, filling in the gaps I was feeling.
I found a another great teacher in master martial artist and author Tim Cartmell. Mr. Cartmell was teaching in southern California, so I uprooted my life and moved to train with him. Tim had become an 8th degree black belt in kung-fu San Soo by the age of 21, and then moved to china to continue his training, studying the chinese internal martial arts. Tim lived there for 12 years studying chinese internal and classic chinese literature. Tim moved back to the US opened his own school, and began training Brazilian Jiu jutsu, eventually receiving his black belt.
With Tim I had a very well rounded teacher, in both Stand up, striking and grappling, who had tested his skills in and out of the ring. My training there involved lots of time sparring and grappling. I found this live resistive training to be the key was missing. While I learned a lot from Tim about body use and efficiency of movement, the sparring and resistive training were really eye opening. For a long time I felt discouraged with Aikido. I felt like there were few opportunities to actually apply the techniques I had learned, and that many of them were actually quite useless. While I could do the techniques quite well under ideal "dojo" conditions, I could not actually apply them against someone who was trying to stop me. I was pleased that the Aikido training had taught me how to relax, and how to use my body, but the inability to use the techniques in live conflict was a major disappointment.
Just about ready to give up on Aikido as an actual usable martial art, I happened to enter a full contact stick fighting tournament with the Dog brothers. The Dog brothers are a group of full contact stick fighters living in southern california. They have regular "meetings of the pack" where they get together and fight full contact with sticks; and no rules. The only safety equipment used is a fencing helmet, and gloves. They use rattan sticks to keep bone breaking to a minimum but it is none the less very intense and very dangerous. I fought with a jo, and to my amazement, the techniques of Aikido flowed from me. I was very capable and able, and all the training I received worked like a charm. I could in fact FEEL what I have now come to understand as AIKI. I could feel my opponents intentions, and also his openings.
From my experiences I have developed strong feelings about aikido, and how it should be taught. I believe there must be a form of testability to gauge your development. With out a means of testing your ability in live conflict, it is to easy to pretend, and lie to yourself about your ability. I also believe that training in the martial arts is about the journey and not an end goal. The artistic side of the martial arts is about coming to an understanding with yourself, and being able to express yourself openly and honestly.
Michael Varin
I began my training in aikido in January of 2000 with Patrick Cassidy Sensei (5th dan, Aikido Montreux, Switzerland ). Little did I know at the time that this would be the start of my second life. Instantly attracted to the art, I dove head first into training attending class twice daily. It came to the point where I was structuring the rest of my life around the dojo’s schedule. I continued this way for the first year of my training, until Cassidy asked me to become an uchi deshi (live in student), which was the most logical next step. My stint as uchi deshi lasted for a year culminating in my shodan (1st degree black belt) examination.
The training under Cassidy was a seamless mix of precise technical execution and awareness of relationship and energy flow. The former reflecting his background in Iwama style aikido, which he studied under the late Morihiro Saito Sensei for 7 years while living in Japan , and the latter reflecting his ideas regarding the true nature of aikido.
Aikido can be a moving meditation, a brutal look within oneself, but only when it is undertaken as a serious martial training. If it is practiced as an empty shell, all you will do is waste time.
My aim is to explore the deeper meanings of aiki, the true nature of all things, and the inherently contained freedom in letting go of control. The unifying theme for me is pushing the limits of freedom of the human spirit.
In addition to aikido, I have trained in karate, kickboxing, judo, and Brazilian jiu jitsu. I have been teaching aikido since 2002.