A slow core balance and core muscle exercise for aikido front and back rolls, based upon Systema rolling exercises and yoga neck/shoulder postures. It improves flexibility for both beginner and advanced students, and is a good way to introduce front and back rolls. Demonstrated by the members of University of South Florida Aikido (Tampa Florida, usfaikido.com)
Tag Archives: USF
USF Front Feather Fall Instruction – Ostoff Style
An easy method for teaching soft forward breakfalls (ukemi). This clip shows our version of the feather fall method developed by Sensei Frank Ostoff of Aikido Zentrum Dusseldorf. This method is one of the best we’ve seen for inspiring confidence, and helping students who have difficulty with breakfalls ease into them in a fun and safe way. Demonstrated by the Continue reading
Koichi Tohei Shihan Seminar at USF Aikido, 1965
Below features a clip (courtesy of AikidoJournal.com) of renowned Koichi Tohei Shihan teaching a seminar at the University of South Florida in 1965. Tohei Shihan was an uchi deshi (live-in apprentice/disciple) of the Founder, Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei and himself the founder of the international Ki Society (Shin Shin Toitsu). You can clearly see the “USF” logo on the wrestling mat he is teaching upon. His primary uke is Yoshimitsu Yamada Shihan, the current head of the United States Aikido Federation.
The following picture shows Tohei Shihan and Yamada Shihan posing together with one of our own instructors, a very young Daryl Schrader Sensei.
Tohei Shihan passed away in May, 2011.
