CompleteMartialArts.com - Aikido Talks: Conversations with American Aikidoists

Generally understood as a martial art, Aikido goes beyond self defense, transforming practicioners by changing their relationships to other people, attitudes toward violence, connections to the environment, and the focus of their lives. These interviews originally appeared in Aikodo Today magazine.

I have been living and training in Japan for the past six years and am always very interested to hear the opinions and stories from the multitude of instructors here. Although I am very happy to be here in Japan training under an amazing Sensei, after reading the interviews in this book, I no longer feel that to find 'true' Aikido you must travel to Japan. I have come to realize that the Aikido being practiced in America is vibrant, alive, and growing quickly.

This book is a collection of interviews with some of the more widely known Aikidoists in America and I recommend it without reserve, to anyone interested in North American Aikido.

I would also like to encourage the editors to publish a collection of conversations with the Japanese Aikidoists. I'm sure that it would be as beneficial as this book.