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GENERAL INFORMATION
AIKIDO HEAD INSTRUCTOR
CALDERON, ERIK SASHA 4TH DEGREE BLACK BELT
I began training in the Martial Arts at the age of 5, starting with judo and karate. While attending Boston University, I became a member of Brookline Village Aikido under William Gleason, training there for 1 year before deciding to pursue Aikido in more depth by moving to Tokyo, Japan. Under a Study Abroad program between Boston University, Miami university and Sophia University, in 1991 I transfered and completed my senior year in Tokyo. My first month in Japan I trained at the the Sophia University Aikikai club under Wakabayashi Shihan, I then signed up at the Aikikai World Headquarters learning Aikido from Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Moriteru Ueshiba,
Hiroshi Tada 9th dan,
Seijuro Masuda 8th dan,
Masando Sasaki 8th dan,
Nobuyuki Watanabe 8th dan,
Seishiro Endo 8th dan,
Masatoshi Yasuno 7th dan,
Shoji Seki 7th dan,
Tsuruzo Miyamoto 7th dan,
Yoshiaki Yokota 7th dan,
Hayato Osawa 7th dan,
Yukimitsu Kobayashi 6th dan, and
Shigeru Sugawara 6th dan.
In October of 1991, I was introduced to Hiroshi Kato, 8th dan, by a member of the Sophia Aikikai club. I was extremely impressed with Mr. Kato's level and depth of knowledge as well as philosophy of Aikido. At this point I decided to continue my training and dedicate my time to Mr. Kato.
In December of 1997 I moved back to Houston. In January I began teaching at the park and at the "Q" fitness club. On July 1, 1998 I signed a lease at 3215 Fondren and founded the dojo, ShinKiKan.
At ShinKiKan, we focus on an Aikido that I have learned through the instructors at the World Headquarters with a primary focus on the teachings of Mr. Hiroshi Kato.
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HISTORY
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Aikido is a modern martial art created in Japan over 60 years ago by Master Morihei Ueshiba. Ueshiba, now known as O'Sensei (Great Teacher), was born in 1883 and dedicated the whole of his life to the study of all of the ancient Japanese martial arts. After many years of severe training and study, he came to the conclusion that the belligerent use of the martial arts in contests that were intended to prove who was better, were self-defeating and contrary to the laws of nature. One day, after a discussion with a swordsman, he was attacked with a wooden sword and O'Sensei was able to evade all of his strikes without harming his attacker. It was then that he received the enlightenment that budo, or the martial way, was not for the purpose of building the ego or conquering others but for the protection of all living things. It was out of this enlightenment along with his personal philosophical studies and martial training that Aikido, "the way of harmonizing the spirit", was born. O'Sensei went on to create a martial art that uses the energy of the opponent and the natural laws of the universe to be able to subdue any attacker without harming them. Because of it's non-violent philosophy and powerful techniques, Aikido is the martial art taught to the elite Japanese police force in Tokyo Japan and is now practiced by over one million people throughout the world. We at the ShinKiKan dojo are privileged to have Hiroshi Kato, a direct student of the founder of Aikido and one of the highest ranking aikidoists in the world, as our chief instructor from the World Headquarters of Aikido in Tokyo, Japan.
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INTRODUCTION
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Aikido is a martial art based on non-resistance and as such is more spiritual in nature than other martial arts. It also has many other positive qualities as follows:
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GOOD EXERCISE
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Aikido is good exercise. The stretching we do before class improves flexibility and prepares muscles for a brisk workout. The workouts themselves require the body to accomplish unusual feats such as forward and backward rolls, breakfalls, and how to be taken down without getting hurt. In the process the body tones up and gets a thorough workout.
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DEVELOPS SELF-DEFENSE SKILLS
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Learning aikido techniques gives us alternatives when we are threatened. Instead of freezing from fear we learn to replace fear with action. This empowers us to control the threat instead of becoming a victim.
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IMPROVES BALANCE
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Practicing aikido teaches the body to work from its center therefore keeping one's balance as the techniques are applied. Improved balance helps in everyday life and keeps us from getting hurt by losing our balance and falling. It also helps in controlling the body for physical activities such as skiing, dancing, and other sports.
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INCREASES SELF-ESTEEM
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Regular work on the techniques improves self-esteem by challenging students to do things they wouldn't normally attempt. For instance, moving in on an attacker or taking down someone bigger than you are gives a sense of accomplishment and improves self-image.
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DEVELOPS TEAMWORK
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One of the positive things about aikido is that it encourages teamwork. Since there is no competition, both uke and nage are obliged to help each other learn and practice the techniques. This in turn helps us in everyday life by showing how to help each other for the common good.
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ENCOURAGES SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
The theories behind aikido can be applied to everyday life. Here are some examples of how spiritual ideas and aikido techniques can work together to improve our lives:
Detachment - "indifference to the outcome" - Being attached to outcomes or the way we want things to be is a source of grief or pain. We therefore, bring this pain upon ourselves by wanting things to go a certain way. Releasing ourselves from being attached to the outcome frees us from the pain that we would otherwise cause ourselves. Thinking that we need to be perfect when we practice aikido is a sure way to cause ourselves upset.
Non-resistance - "follow what is led" - In life we get along with others better when we learn to deal with others without attacking or maligning them. Our natural tendency when we are attacked is to attack in return or to resist. Aikido teaches us to go with the flow by redirecting our attacker's energy so that we are not hurt in the process. Thus we have the tools to produce positive outcomes.
Power of thoughts - "as you think so shall it be" - If we have negative thoughts about people or life we will surely manifest those thoughts in our daily lives. Negative thoughts turn even good things into bad by focusing on what's wrong instead of what's right with people or situations. We must constantly remind ourselves while learning aikido that although the techniques and exercises may be a challenge, with persistence and faith we will prevail.
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