Senseis’ Corner |
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Recently, during the Memorial Day weekend (May21 through May24) we, at THREE STREAMS AIKIDO, after long months of preparation and anticipation, were privileged to host a 3-day Intensive Seminar with Antonino Certa, one of the only two westerners to have studied directly under Soke Takeda Tokimune (36th Headmaster and son of Takeda Sokaku Dai Sensei, the main teacher of Ueshiba Morihei Sensei) and the only one to have directly received graduations from the Soke. His direct teachers also include Matsuo Sano Sensei, then, in 1991 the oldest ichi-deshi of the Daitokan and intimate friend of Takeda Tokimune; Kato Shigemitsu Sensei, and Arisawa Gunpachi Shihan. Antonino Certa is now a Shihan of the Nihon Daito-Ryu Aikibudo Daitokai Association based in Hokkaido and led by Kato Shigemitsu Sensei (with 40 years of direct practice under Takeda Sensei, of which the last 11 years were spent as technical director for the School) and Arisawa Gunpachi Sensei (with over 30 years of practice under Takeda Sensei and one of the very few to receive complete transmission also in Ono-ha Itto-ryu kenjutsu).Every year Certa Shihan returns to Abashiri for training. Certa Shihan is a Pesident and Chief Instructor of the European Daito Ryu Aikibudo Daito Kai Association. He regularly holds Daito Ryu courses in Milan, Italy and in the major European countries. Certa Shihan has studied budo since late ’60s: he spent twenty-seven years in Aikido training under senior Japanese masters in Europe at that time (4th dan Aikikai), seven years in Karate under Hiroshi Shirai, Sensei, and five years in Kendo (at which time he became the Italian champion). The European Daito Ryu Aikibudo Daito Kai is a School that teaches a complete martial art: including hand-to-hand combat techniques with atemi waza (kicks, strikes, elbow hits etc.), nage waza (throws), shime waza (strangles), kansetsu waza (joint-locks), kyusho waza (pressure on vital points of the human body) and aikinojutsu (throws), the practitioner studies the use of all the ancient weapon of the bushi (like katana, yari, bo etc.). The many techniques of the Aiki-Jujutsu (about 3.000 techniques) are transmitted and catalogued in scrolls (the mokuroku) which, in this case of the hiden mokuroku, is divided in a series (-kajo), of an increasing difficulty of execution. The techniques are then divided in way of performing them: idori: both the practitioners train while kneeling (in suwari waza); hanza handachi: tori is kneeling, uke standing; tachiai: both are standing; ushirodori: uke attacks tori from the rear (standing). Expecting high attendance, we accepted support from the Hickey Karate Center. Hickey Shihan let us use the outstanding Karate Center facility for the seminar events. The seminar was a success! Because we strongly believe, that all serious martial artists can benefit from training with a great Master, we allowed open attendance, regardless of school and affiliation. As a result, the Seminar drew participants from dojos of several very different schools and affiliations from around North-East Ohio. They all had one thing in common, they wanted to experience being in the class and learning with a true Master. Participants included: · Three Streams Aikido, School of Aikido, Aiki-Jujutsu, and self Defense (Seminar Host Dojo) – AFJ, IMAF · Your Best Defense Martial Arts Center (group included Chief Instructor and students) · KICKS - United Self Defense Federation · Cleveland Goshin-Jitsu · Cleveland Aikikai – ASU (group included Chief Instructor and high ranked yudansha) · Asian Sun Martial Arts school · Cleveland Police Jiu-jutsu instructors. The Seminar started with the Intensive Instructor training on Thursday night at the Three Streams Dojo. The classes were conducted with only Three Streams instructors. These special classes continued through the Friday morning session. On Friday morning more advanced students from Three Streams joined the instructors. The “open attendance” portion of the seminar started Friday afternoon and continued through the full day (7hr) sessions on Saturday and Sunday. During the sessions we had 2 short breaks and 1 long (2hr) break for lunch and rest, so the day was practically broken into two 3.5hr classes. The morning sessions on Saturday and Sunday were dedicated to Hiden Mokuroku techniques in Idori (Suwari waza) and Tachi waza. A great deal of attention was given to the proper execution of atemi and real “kiai.” The afternoon sessions were spent in working on Ono-ha Itto Ryu Kenjutsu fundamental katas, which included work with bokkens as well as with bokken and kodachi (short sword), again with the same scrupulous attention to the details. All classes were full of excitement, and everyone put great effort into mastering the techniques. Certa Shihan’s personality, great teaching manner, and unique approach to explaining techniques made classes very easy and enjoyable for all of the participants. Everybody felt as a part of a big family. A feeling of true camaraderie was evident around the mat during all sessions of the seminar. The great facility, graciously offered to us by Hickey Shihan, definitely made a positive impact on the seminar atmosphere. It was so exiting, that no one even felt how tired and exhausted they all were until the very end of the sessions. The instructors and students who participated in the seminar now are looking forward to future seminars with Certa Shihan. The testimonials of some of the participants can be found on the Three Streams Aikido Dojo website: threestreamsaikido.com I am also happy to share great news: We are now an official STUDY GROUP, and a part of the European Daito Ryu Aikibudo Daito Kai Association, under the direction of Antonino Certa Shihan. As the Dojo Cho of Three Streams Aikido, and an Instructor of the Daito Ryu Aikibudo Study Group, I am privileged to be considered as a direct student of Certa Shihan. At this time we are looking forward to having such seminars 3 times a year, as a quarterly (approximately) event. The next seminar with Certa Shihan is being planned for November of this year. When specific days are established, the seminar announcement and schedule will be posted on our website. Vladimir Soroka, Sensei |
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Certa Shihan Intensive Seminar in Cleveland, Ohio Press Release - Vladimir Soroka, Sensei |
