SHIN SHIN TOITSU AIKIDO - Ki Aikido

February's Seminar at Balerna

with Maurizio Volpe and Bernhard Boll
22.02.2025

Morning

On Saturday, February 22nd, 2025, the Associazione Ticinese Ki Aikido organized the usual seminar at the end of winter with Maurizio Volpe and Bernhard Boll.
Maurizio began with breathing exercises, Kenkotaiso and Aikitaiso. With an upcoming exam in mind, he concentrated on techniques from program of 3rd Dan. He explained selected techniques from Tsuzukiwa 5 (ryokatadori), Tsuzukiwaza 12 (ushiro katatedori) and Tsuzukiwaza 24 (jodori) and had them practiced. He reminded the participants that Yoshigasaki Sensei had characterized the techniques on the tatami, which cannot be a copy of reality, with three properties. An Aikido technique takes place in a defined environment, the sequence (the form) is clearly specified, and the result to be achieved is known in advance. This means that the form of the attack is precisely specified. There is no room for discussions of "Yes, but if I were to attack differently...". Even during the technique, it is illogical if Uke suddenly resists to show what is supposedly not working.
Maurizio also had the participants practice how the Irimi component can be implemented in the multi-person attack.

Exam and lunch break

At around 11:30 a.m. Samuele started the exam for the third Dan. Uke were Paolo, Vincenzo, Stefano and Matteo. Samuele presented the program in a very convincing, elegant and precise manner. Maurizio noted that one could notice clearly the good school of Gianni Gioconto.
Most of the participants then went to lunch at the usual Grotto del Mulino in the Breggia Gorge. This time the menu was vegetarian, which was also very tasty and which everyone, with one exception, appreciated.
After that, Maurizio said goodbye because he had to be home in the afternoon for family reasons.
Yvette used the time until the beginning of the afternoon training to have Vincenzo professionally prune some plants in her little garden and to have explained important consideration with pruning.

Afternoon

At the beginning of the afternoon lessons, Bernhard reminded that, according to an article on aikidosangenkai.org, Morihei Ueshiba issued AikiJuJutsu certificates until the 1960s, he had only replaced the heading with "Aikido". His techniques were still very similar to those of Daitoryu Aikijujusu. The decisive change, however, occurred already in 1920, when Ueshiba came into contact with Omotokyo. He interpreted the techniques as exercises for the followers of this sect. Today we can better understand this type of practice with the help of the characterization by Yoshigasaki Sensei (see above).
Bernhard first had Tsuzukiwaza 6 (ushirodori) practiced. Stefano and Anna each demonstrated them at the end. This was followed by Tsuzukiwaza 19 (tsuki), which with its contactless techniques always raises questions about its efficiency. Yoshigasaki also taught intelligent forms that can be used in the case of contact. Paolo demonstrated this Tsuzukiwaza in full at the end.

Conclusion

The seminar ended at 6 p.m. Everyone helped put away the tatami, the benches and the tables. Many thanks to Yvette and Geraldina for the organization, to Maurizio for the morning lessons and to all participants for coming and their cooperation.
In the evening there was a large dinner prepared by Yvette for Geraldina and the guests from Prague.

Group photo from Saturday morning