Instructor: Tom Reynolds
[email protected] A Term Class Times: Monday 6:00 - 7:30 PM Studio A Thursday 6:00 - 7:30 PM Studio A Coach Bio: Tom Reynolds, Sensei started his study of Aikido in 1992 at New England Aikikai in Cambridge with Mitsunari Kanai Shihan (master teacher and Hachidan – 8th degree black belt) – one of the original students of O Sensei who were sent around the globe to spread the art of Aikido. Mr. Reynolds is an alumnus of WPI where he received his Bachelors Degree in Chemical Engineering. After receiving his Juris Doctor degree and pursuing the practice of law, Mr. Reynolds again resumed his practice of Aikido with Bob Caron Sensei at Zenshinkan Aikido Dojo in Worcester for 14 years. He is currently a student of David Halprin, Shihan (7th degree black belt) at the Framingham Aikikai and continues to actively practice his art of Aikido and attends Aikido seminars throughout the US and abroad as well as teaching Aikido at WPI. Mr. Reynolds holds the rank of Sandan (3rd degree black belt) and is registered with Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, Japan (home dojo and world headquarters of Aikido). |
Aikido Aikido is a relatively new Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba (O Sensei) as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the way of unifying (with) life energy” or as "the way of harmonizing with the universal spirit." O Sensei’s goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while while having compassion and empathy for the attacker.
Aikido techniques consist of blending with the attacker’s energy by entering and turning movements that redirect that energy, ending in a throw, joint lock, or a pin that terminates the technique and the attack. Aikido derives mainly from the martial art of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, that was taught to O Sensei by Sokaku Takeda of the Aizu prefecture in Japan. This was the martial art of the Samurai of that prefecture and was highly regarded in its martial effectiveness. Aikido, or Aiki-budo as it was called at that time, began to diverge from Daitō-ryū in the late 1920s, partly due to O Sensei’s involvement with the Ōmoto-kyō religion and thus his change in philosophy. O Sensei’s early students' documents bear the term aiki-jūjutsu. O Sensei's senior students have different approaches to aikido, depending partly on when they studied with him. Today Aikido is found all over the world in a number of styles, with broad ranges of interpretation and emphasis. However, they all share techniques formulated by O Sensei and most have concern for the well-being of the attacker as opposed to Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu (from which Aikido is derived) that was a battlefield killing art. See below for photos and videos!
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Aikido Photo Gallery
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