The Principles of Ki were developed by Koichi Tohei (head Aikido sensei, and founder of The Ki Society). What Tohei refers to as “Relaxed Strength” is what Jiu Jitsu calls supple — it’s a state between hard and soft, between rigid and flaccid. Tohei maintains that the four sub-principles contained within the Principles of Ki are something everyone can practice, regardless of age, gender or physical condition.
Read MoreI was in my brand new Jiu Jitsu gi (uniform) for the first time. I was 39 years old, needing something but not really sure what that ‘something’ was. I had all kinds of insecurity, but I couldn’t admit it. And all this tension built up in my shoulders and neck.
When I looked in the mirror I didn’t see any signs of tension. I saw a swimmer’s tapered physique. That wedge look made sense to me: I swam a lot. So this is how I looked when I hesitantly walked into my first Jiu Jitsu class in 1990… fit and ready. At least that’s what I thought.
Read MoreThe martial arts, I came to learn, eventually delves deep into consciousness. Musicians, by comparison, learn that certain tones, timings, rhythms, melodies, changes or chords can strike their listeners strongly and emotionally. They may leap to their feet in joy, or slump in their chairs lost in tears and reminisces.
Martial arts works similarly deliberately on a subconscious level . Along the way, like the master musician, the martial artist may eventually become conscious of what makes these moments or events occur.
For the martial artist, we learn to ‘connect’ deeply within ourselves, to a spot that at first is frustratingly vague and highly elusive. We hear about from the early days of our training, this instruction to us to ‘center’.
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