About Yoseikan Budo
Written by Christopher Mullins, November 5th, 2006
Aikido is a Japanese martial art that utilizes circular motion to neutralize an attack.Refined from samurai battlefield (jujutsu) techniques, Aikido blends effective technique with high moral philosophy. The Aikido taught at the Huntsville Aikido taught by Minoru Mochizuki. His Aikido is based on the pre-war teaching style of his instructor, Master Morihei Ueshiba.
Techniques during the pre-war period were combat oriented and thus used smaller circular motions. This style incorporates techniques from judo (throws, grappling, chokes), karate (strikes, kicks) and kenjutsu (sword fighting).These arts are blended together to form a comprehensive martial art. This integration provides great flexibility in self defense by providing techniques at all ranges (striking, throwing, joint locks and grappling).
The word "Yoseikan" means "the place where the truth is taught" ( Yo = teaching, sei = truth, kan = place). The interpretation of 'Yoseikan' is the place to learn what's right for the individual what works for students with different body types, physical skills and abilities. Students learn a technique's basic form, but it is just that, a form. In time as they come to understand the principles behind that basic form, they are encouraged to modify that technique to maximize its effectiveness for them. Master Mochizuki always wanted his students to be thinking, questioning, experimenting, breaking techniques down to understand the principles that make them work so that the individual can use those principles to their benefit.
Master Hiroo Mochizuki was formally named soke of Yoseikan by his father Master Minoru Mochizuki in 2000. Consistent with the elder Mochizuki's approach to budo, Yoseikan has continued to develop under Master Hiroo. One significant change is the use of western style boxing in place of the shotokan karate. This change causes one to reevaluate and modify the techniques against a radically different attack.