Sensei’s Blog

What is budo for? Let's see if I can get this down for myself. Like the cute kitten you got for whatever religious holiday says "give kittens", it's for life. Combat arts that aren't done for a lot of years, aren't budo. My opinion of course. Boxing and MMA are for money, not for life. … Continue reading Metsuke – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

On the way to coffee, no, as I was going to sleep last night, I was trying to remember the one-word key to today's essay. Then I thought of another and said "I'll remember that, surely". Write stuff down. But as I was walking, using a cane to relieve my knee and wondering when this … Continue reading Secrets and senior classes from Sensei’s point of view

Got home from the cottage earlier than expected so I made it to class last evening. We used the new fukuro shinai to go through Shinto Ryu, haven't been through that set in a while. Anyone who has my big list of "everything we do", be warned, the shinto ryu list is not accurate. I … Continue reading Soft as stone – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

Reading through the research literature, it always depresses me a little bit when I read an article "On Kata" or some sort and as I begin I realize the author is going to tell me that "Martial arts are taught in set-piece physical actions called kata." Oh, thanks. The acquisition of a specialized vocabulary (in … Continue reading Vocabulary is not Knowledge – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

We all know there are no secrets any more in the budo, not with internet video out there. But how far back did these secrets start to get spilled? ============ Research Journal of Budo Vol. 17 (1985) No. 3 p. 8-17 Research on the Texts of Martial Arts Published in Edo Period - with Emphasis … Continue reading Secrets to textbooks – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

By request of the Aikido class last evening, we present a bit of the history of Tanjo, which we are working through. This is from the Sei Do Kai Tanjo Manual which you can find at http://sdksupplies.com/ in the manuals section. The book includes instructions and photos of the kata plus a section at the … Continue reading Uchida Ryu Tanjojutsu – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

Seitei Iai last evening, and we concentrated on the left hand and the centerline. Also on keeping those shoulders loose, elbows tucked in, that sort of thing but mostly keep that left hand in front of your bellybutton. We went from numbers 5 to 10. Kesa giri was our starting point in the discussion, as … Continue reading Lefty loosy – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

  "If you can feel it, you can steal it". That's the comment that came up the other day when I showed something and the Pamurai "got it". I asked how she "got it" and she said "I watched and I could feel how it went". That's the good stuff! Chris Mansfield sensei has some … Continue reading Feel it to steal it – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo

Pictured: Darian Van Gläske, Trevor McLaughlin, and Mike Chinadi   What a great evening, my friend Trevor McLaughlin ( Godan) came and received from the students of Seito Bugei Juku a Solid Bar Kongoken for his Dojo. He has supported the SBJ students by giving workshops and sitting on Grading Panels of the Students of … Continue reading Dojo Warming Gift!! Tuesday 29 May 2018

Ever wonder why (and this would be aimed at those of you who have been in a growing organization, who have gone up the ranks first) the requirements get more strict as the years go on? After all, what got you passed isn't what gets passed these days. I remember thinking exactly that several years … Continue reading Not enough chairs on the third floor – Kim Taylor, Renshi, CI Sei Do Kai Guelph ON, Nanadan Iaido and Roukudan Jodo