Otsuka Yasuyuki Soke joins the SMAA

Great news! Otsuka Yasuyuki Sensei of Japan has joined the SMAA. Otsuka Sensei is the current headmaster (soke) of Meifu-Shinkage Ryu, a system focusing on ancient samurai weapons. In particular, throwing stars and darts (shuriken) and the weighted chain are featured in this ryu. Otsuka Soke is now a member of the SMAA Board of Advisors.

Otsuka Soke is the creator of Japanese language books and DVDs on this art, and he's widely known in Japan as being one of only a handful of people left that practice shuriken-jutsu. Otsuka Soke is one of Japan's top martial artists, and his presence in the SMAA indicates the value teachers in Japan place on this association. He is one of several revered Japanese sensei that are members of the SMAA.

You can also be a member of this elite association. Join today at www.smaa-hq.com.

June 2010 SMAA California Seminar--Part 4

Above are miscellaneous images from the June SMAA California Seminar. Attending the seminar were:

* H. E. Davey (SMAA Primary director, Co-director of the SMAA Jujutsu Division, and SMAA Journal editor)

* Kevin Heard Sensei (SMAA Senior Advisor)

* Ann Harue Kameoka Sensei (SMAA Senior Advisor)

*Troy Swenson Sensei (SMAA Journal assistant editor)

You can view a photo album with more and different images at the SMAA Facebook page.

Attendance at SMAA events is deliberately kept small to insure high quality instruction and the prices for our seminars are always reasonable. We've got more events coming up in 2010, in the USA and other countries, and if you've never been to an SMAA Seminar, you're missing out on a lot of fun and high-level budo training. You can read more about upcoming seminars at our Facebook page, on this blog, in the latest issue of the SMAA Journal, and at www.smaa-hq.com. We hope to see you at one of our future events.

June 2010 SMAA California Seminar--Part 3

Once students at the seminar had a chance to try unarmed Saigo Ryu techniques, H. E. Davey showed how similar techniques could be applied while holding a hanbo. The hanbo is a three-foot stick, and in Saigo Ryu it is used to create additional pain and leverage. Saigo Ryu hanbojutsu techniques are thus related to the art's jujutsu movements and the two disciplines are typically taught in conjunction with each other.

June SMAA California Seminar--Part 2

Students at the SMAA California Seminar practiced Saigo Ryu aiki-jujutsu. SMAA members of all ages participated. Pinning methods (katame waza) and throws (nage waza) were taught on Saturday and Sunday. Sitting techniques (zagi) and standing techniques (tachi waza) were both covered, as were techniques for dealing with more than one opponent.  H. E. Davey, SMAA Jujutsu Division seventh dan, stressed how to yield to an attacker's force for greater effectiveness and how coordination of mind and body can result in more effective martial arts techniques.

June 2010 SMAA California Seminar--Part 1

Everyone had fun at the SMAA California Seminar in June. Training on Saturday and Sunday kicked off with instruction in the Shin-shin-toitsu-do system of Japanese yoga. Stretching exercises for health and meditation were featured, but H. E. Davey, the primary instructor at the seminar, especially emphasized how to coordinate mind and body in any activity. Coordination of mind and body, as taught in Shin-shin-toitsu-do, aims at helping people realize their full potential in daily life, but many of this art's principles can be applied to the martial arts, resulting in greater balance, coordination, and power. How unification of mind and body related to budo was one of the main subjects covered at the Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts, where the seminar was held.