Aikido Technique Videos and Self Defense Training

The summer's testing seminar for Colorado's Aikikai dojos under Izawa Sensei was held on Saturday, September 6th. For the first time ever, testing was held in Castle Rock at our new dojo on Caprice Court. It was a hot, sweaty time, as dozens of students packed into the dojo.

For many students, it was their first rank test (Go-kyu). Others tested for brown and black belt. Senior student, Steve Yee, tested for black belt after ten years of Aikido training. This is quite an achievement because in Aikido, less than 5% of all students ever reach black belt. Significantly less than other more popular martial arts in America, this may explain why earning a black belt in Aikido is so coveted and respected in the martial arts world.

This promotion represents only the 3rd time Albright Sensei has ever promoted someone to the rank of sho-dan or 1st degree black. The other two students are Andrew Ishmael of St. Louis Aikikai and Daniel Hicks of Doushin Juku Aikido (a.k.a. Castle Rock AIKIDO).

As is part of our tradition at Castle Rock AIKIDO, Steve's black belt earns him the right to wear the Japanese hakama. Hakama are the dark colored, pleated pant-skirts reminiscent of traditional samurai dress. Many Aikido school's hakama are black. However, at Castle Rock AIKIDO, our hakama are a deep indigo color, which, like the depths of the ocean and the layers of a night's sky, are meant to symbolize the continued future journey of a student privileged enough to reach the rank of sho-dan. Other schools allow Aikido students to wear hakama before they reach black belt. However, Castle Rock AIKIDO reserves this privilege only for those who have truly earned it.

View pictures of Aikido seminar, click here.


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The ranks issued by Castle Rock AIKIDO are sanctioned by the home school in Japan. This is one way Castle Rock AIKIDO is unique among some other Colorado dojos.

Castle Rock AIKIDO is an award winning, traditional Japanese Aikido martial arts school. Aikikai affiliation. Program exclusively for adults, sorry no kids classes. No contracts ever. Visit http://www.craikido.com/ for a coupon to try a free class.

I used to be a karate student. I began studying Okinawan karate when I was 17 years old. I loved it. It was hard, challenging, it pushed me to my physical and psychological limits. And after four long hard years I finally earned my black belt and wore it proudly in the karate dojo.

I found myself not progressing...

Less than 12 months later, I found myself teaching many of the classes to the lower ranks. It was kinda fun… for a while. But I soon found myself not progressing. My sensei at the time said to me that after black belt one's rank is based more on their contribution to the art and the amount of time they train rather than on technical skill or progress. I found this answer frustrating and, to be quite honest, unacceptable.

While I was good, I certainly didn't think of myself as great. I wanted more. I wanted to continue to grow my skills. Yet, my instructor was quite adamant about me (and the other black belts in the dojo) not venturing outside of the art of karate. I didn't understand why. Afterall, the art I was training was the synthesis of three previous styles of martial arts.

If the founder of our art studied multiple styles, why wasn't it OK for me to do the same? Like something out of medieval Europe, "Blasphemy!" is what I heard. "How dare you! Who do you think you are venturing outside our style? Do you think you are better than the founder?"

What could be more exciting than earning a black belt?

Earning a second one!

I remember secretly confiding in one of my karate black belt peers who was about 18 years my senior that the truth was that I found the journey from white belt to black belt far more fun and exciting than actually being a black belt – that in many ways, I longed to put a white belt back on again and learn something new. I was surprised to discover that he completely agreed with me.

Even though I was only 22 years old back then, I deemed this "blasphemous"attitude as mere dogma and set out to evolve and diversify my martial arts skills. Since I had been studying karate, a very rigid, linear, hard-style of martial art, I decided to try a style I thought was on the opposite end of the spectrum. I decided to train Aikido. Based on what I knew at the time about Aikido, it was very much the opposite of karate. Aikido was flexible instead of rigid, circular in nature instead of linear and more gentle on my body instead of hard like karate.

(Special Offer to Try Aikido and See if it Can Diversify Your Martial Arts Training once you click on this link, see bottom of the page for the special offers)

A Quick Lesson in Humility

At my first Aikido class, now more than 12 years ago, I remember stepping on the mat with perhaps a wee bit more confidence than some of the other new students. After all, I was already a black belt! Not in the art of Aikido, mind you, but at least in karate. For the next 90 minutes I found myself being repeatedly instructed by the senior students to relax. "Lighter, softer," they would say. "You’ve got to loosen up. You’re going to tire yourself out very quickly expending all of that energy." Strangely, the other new students in the class were not being told the same things I was and didn't seem to be having any of the difficulty I was having.

Then one of the senior black belts said to me, "You’ve studied karate before, haven't you?"

"Yes!" I respond quite proudly. I was glad that somebody acknowledged my skills.

"It would have been better if you hadn't!" He retorted.

What!? I was shocked, even a little hurt (or at least my ego was). Why would he say that? I assumed my karate training would have helped me learn Aikido faster? Several months later after continued Aikido training, I finally began to realize what this gentleman was saying to me and why. It reminded me a lot of the famous "empty cup" story.

The Empty Cup
A great martial arts teacher was visited by a young, well-known and respected university professor. "I have come a long way to see you," he said. "I have heard that you are a great Karate Master, the Art of Empty Self. I have so many questions for you. I, myself, have studied very hard for many years to understand the essence of what you teach. Can you tell me the meaning of Karate? Of Empty Self? How it can bring peace to the world? What is the secret of this teaching?"

The Martial Arts Master was serving the professor tea as the professor rambled on with question after question. The Master poured the visitor's cup to the brim with tea… and then, kept on pouring. Now, the tea was running off the table onto the floor.

The professor watched bewildered until he could no longer restrain himself. Finally, he shouted, "Can't you see the cup is full! No more will go in!"

"Like this cup," the Master smiled, "your mind is full of questions and seeking answers! Until you empty your cup, no more can go in. Likewise, until you present me with an empty mind, you cannot learn or receive anything."

Growing my skills by starting over

The decision to leave my karate school, take off my black belt and strap on fresh white belt in Aikido was my way of "emptying my cup." I still love karate. I still practice my katas almost daily, but Aikido has opened up my world, giving me a whole new way of looking at martial arts, self-defense, and even self-mastery.

If you have grown bored with your karate training, or just feel stifled, and wish to diversify your martial art skills with a complementary, yet radically different art then I would encourage you to come join us in Castle Rock.

(Special Offer to Try Aikido and See if it Can Diversify Your Martial Arts Training once you click on this link, see bottom of the page for the special offers)

We welcome you to train with us in Castle Rock...
Our dojo is just 25 minutes south of downtown Denver and 35 minutes north of Colorado Springs. We have students from these areas and everywhere in between coming to train with us several times per week. Come find out why people from all over the Denver metro and Colorado Springs areas are willing to travel to Castle Rock several times per week to practice Aikido with us. Contact us today so that you can come try a class for FREE, meet our talented instructors, and friendly, excited students.

Response from Albright Sensei:

What does a black belt in Aikido mean to you? I was told that a black belt should be able to take UKEMI from any throw. My training insured that was true. UKEMI is the Japanese term for being able to safely receive an Aikido technique from anyone. It is the ability to follow, flow and fall without injury. It is often said that the first three years in Aikido training is UKEMI. UKEMI is that important.

A few years ago, Miho and I were training in Sasaki sensei's dojo in Fujiminou City in Saitama, Japan. Many of his students were already 4th, 5th, and 6th degree black belts. Sasaki Sensei, himself, is an 8th degree black belt. So imagine me, being only a 2nd degree black belt at the time! I was intimidated to say the least. In this situation, 2nd degree black or NI-DAN means next to nothing. Their level of understanding of techniques was so deep that it would blow your mind. In this situation, the only thing I could be confident in was my UKEMI. In their presence, I wasn’t even comfortable saying that I had a basic understanding of Aikido. All I knew was that I could receive their techniques. Of course, it is by receiving their techniques that I would learn the most from them. That is where the real learning in Aikido takes place, through the physical dialogue of UKEMI.

Once you’ve learned to take UKEMI, your technique will follow. If you really want to improve your Aikido technique… focus on developing your UKEMI. A little known secret about Aikido is that UKEMI is the key to reaching black belt, not technique execution. Many students spend a disproportionate amount of their focus on the performance of techniques like KOTE-GAESHI or SHIHO-NAGE. If one is truly present during training, one will be extremely intent while be both uke and nage. Being equally skilled is what will make you a complete aikidoka.