Nick Lowry was the head instructor at Windsong Dojo untl 2016, where he still remains as advisor. He is also the founder of Kazeutabudokai.
Introduction to Release Chains Release chain series was put together by Karl Geis from the toshu randori drills. These are based on the concept of renzoku, which focuses on smooth transitions between one technique and the next if the first technique fails. Over the years, these have been refined into the most useful techniques that…
by Nick Lowry I state the following based on my decades of teaching, my experiences, my training, and personal observations. These are strictly my opinions. I trained directly and indirectly under Karl Geis in the arts of Aikido, Judo and Jodo from 1982 to 2009. At the time of my departure from his organization (Fugakukai)…
by Nick Lowry To understand what our ranking means and how we arrive at our ranking you have to understand that we are primarily a teaching institution- The initial ranks, kyu grades up through the dan grades Shodan , Nidan and Sandan all carry a set of technical requirements — particular katas, kihons, and waza,…
by Nick Lowry Don’t take a step you don’t have to take. Don’t put pressure in your hands unintentionally. Once you do have to step, try to keep at least one foot pointed at your target at all times. Invest in loss…repeat the pattern that is causing you a problem so many times that your…
by Nick Lowry Thinking back to the aikido I learned in the 1980s ….The ukemi and the Walking are mostly identical to what we do today. The 17 was very linear and clunky, but still very strong. Movement and angles were narrow and prescriptive, with precise and minimal handwork (two handed balance breaks) and homolateral…
by Nick Lowry DOJO is the way place. All the stuff we practice in a DO-jo — the aiki do and ju do and jo do and karate do and ken do and iai do and all the rest, are all just pointers to the DO– different lamps lighting the way. As we train in…
by Nick Lowry Been thinking lately about a three tier curriculum for our dojo– at first was considering the the standard beginner, intermediate, and advanced idea but that seemed a little clumsy, linear and hierarchical — and would probably lead to folks being unnecessarily typed and excluded from work they might enjoy or benefit from….
by Nick Lowry Rank is in the eye of the beholder Where do high ranks come from?what makes a high dan rank in budo, a high dan rank? Is it technical ability? teaching ability? contribution to the art? What does being ranked as a godan, rokudan, nanadan, hachidan, kudan, judan mean? Who decides its meaning?…
From 2011 Shochigeiko by Nick Lowry The original walking developed in the late 40’s — filmed in the early to mid 50’s–17 walking waza — taught at Waseda to develop skill sets of aiki for judo players Unsoku — foot work 1- forward shuffle — square not angular step — quick cycle– back foot floats…
by Nick Lowry So a friend today told me that my old sensei is a much better choice for aikido training for him than I am because “He will give me answers.” He went on, “….when i ask you and your guys questions, its always something like — well, there are a variety of ways…