Announcing the Second Annual…
Southern Michigan Martial Arts Summit
And why you should crawl across broken glass on your naked knees to get there!
When: October 17, 2010. 10:00 a.m – 5:30p.m
Where: Dan Vigil’s Academy of Taekwondo
235 E. Main St. Northville, MI 48167*
Cost: 89.00 (paid to your instructor in advance)
Bring: Training clothes and other protective equipment if you desire. WATER. Snacks.
*Placing this address in Google Maps, Mapquest and all Navigation systems yields incorrect directions. “Dan Vigil’s Academy of Taekwondo” is located in the “Water Wheel Building” located on the corner of Griswold and Main St. in downtown Northville. Ask your instructor for detailed directions.
This seminar is guaranteed to take your self defense skills to a higher level. Four master instructors, each experts in their field, will teach workshops dealing with combat at different ranges. From a kicking distance, to punching, to knees and elbows, to takedowns and ground work – you will benefit from the unique insights of teachers with experience in Judo, Jiujitsu, Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Krav Maga and Goju Ryu. Even better, you will have an opportunity to hear them expand collectively on each teacher’s concepts with insights of their own. Such a depth of experience is rarely found.
We have kept the cost for this seminar extremely low (normally an all day seminar of this kind goes for $250+) so that you will not only benefit from great instruction, but also from the energy and experience of numerous partners. Imagine the fun of helping eager students from another discipline master the basics of your art, and then having them return the favor as you attempt theirs. Experiencing this atmosphere of mutual respect and fun is a rare opportunity!
Even if you have no previous martial arts experience, you can benefit from this seminar. Every workshop is designed to work for someone with no experience in that particular style of fighting.
Schedule of Events
10:00a.m – 10:15a.m Welcome and Opening Ceremony
10:15a.m – 11:45p.m Workshop #1: Practical Self Defense Kicking and Footwork
(Vigil)
Unlock the closely guarded secrets of a National level Taekwondo competitor and learn how to apply them in realistic self defense situations. No jumping. No spinning. No head kicks. You will enjoy discovering the simple shifts in body weight that will add serious power to your kicking techniques, the footwork that will give you speed and move you from outer distances into a range where you are most comfortable – plus get you there with total dominance. Get a base understanding of how to read “the triangle” that telegraphs any attackers attempts to kick or punch you.
Perhaps best of all: get 90 minutes with a martial artist who has been in the trenches as a security professional applying his techniques on a daily basis. No fancy theories, just simple stuff that works when it counts.
12:00p.m – 1:30p.m
Workshop #2: Short Distance Striking, Gouges and Rips (Larioza)
In this eye-opening session, Larioza Sensei will show the serious martial arts student the intriguing link and relationship between an ancient traditional Asian martial art and an effective modern and tested self defense system. You will gain a valuable insight into how super-human power is generated in Traditional Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate and how it shares some surprising similarities and techniques with modern Israeli Krav Maga. In this follow-on to the previous seminar Larioza Sensei will use the essential skills of relaxation and slowing techniques down in order to learn then perform demanding self defense technique against an attacker armed with a hand gun. These self defense techniques will show the student the value of slow precise practice and the need for repetition in relaxed state. The hour and a half will draw from both Goju Ryu Karate and Krav Maga. …….…..a little bit of deep theory and a lot of hands on practice to immediately elevate your self defense skills and confidence.
1:30p.m – 2:15p.m LUNCH
2:15p.m – 3:45p.m Workshop #3: Takedowns and Takedown Defense
(Suino)
In this extraordinary 90-minute session, Suino-Sensei will show you how to utilize the time-tested skills of judo in self-defense. Learn how your opponent is actually helping you by punching, kicking, or grabbing you, and by exerting force against you. Learn how to avoid making the mistakes your opponent makes. Learn to dominate the center, and how to think tactically about self defense. Learn the keys to movement that will make you incredibly flexible and exceptionally strong. Don't miss this chance to study with an internationally recognized expert.
4:00-5:30.pm Workshop #4: Grappling, Submissions and Ground Striking
(Holland)
Superior position is key in the ground game, and must be established before offensive measures like striking or submissions can be effectively executed. The grappling workshop of the day will cover katame-waza — pinning techniques drawn from Judo, BJJ, Wrestling and Nihon Jujutsu that will enable you to control, immobilize, and dominate the opposition. These techniques are essential for self-defense scenarios that progress to the ground, and useful in the event that you must passively restrain an aggressor. All martial artists will benefit by adding them to their arsenal.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Fiddling with Politics and Profits While Rome Burns!
The BP oil rig that is gushing tens of thousands of gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico is the largest environmental crisis the world has faced in the 21st Century. That’s right, the world has a problem, not just BP, President Obama, or the unfortunate citizens who make (made) their living from the rich Gulf resources. All politics aside, the pathetic non-response to the problem is a tragedy more dire than virtually any governmental or business failure in the last decade.
We are not talking about the clean up, the lost jobs, or the lives lost when the oil rig exploded. Those problems will be dealt with in the way such problems have always been dealt with. The clean up will mobilize gradually and eventually wash away most visible evidence of the oil. The lost jobs will be replaced or compensated for, most likely by yet another giant financial program implemented by President Obama and his political network, at the expense of the free market and the American taxpayer. The lost lives will be paid for by insurance and legal settlements, never, of course, sufficient to ease the enormous personal loss of the surviving families.
But world leaders, including and especially our president, have supremely and repeatedly failed to take the necessary steps to solve the most pressing aspect of this problem – the leak itself. Six weeks after the leak began, a modest redirection of oil is taking place, and tens of thousands of gallons of oil are still gushing into our oceans. Instead of throwing every resource at the problem – and we mean every one, including the National Guard, the Corps of Engineers, the experts from domestic and foreign oil companies, the best engineering minds of academia, and the astute solutions offered by the public – our government and the BP corporate leaders have spent considerable time thinking about the problem, meeting about the problem, making public statements about the problem, and using the problem to leverage their political positions, all while the oil continues to spew into the Gulf.
Our opinion is this: there is one over-riding priority that dwarfs every other aspect of the problem, and it’s so critical that the rest of the issues should be immediately put in the background so that all major effort and resources can be brought to bear on it. Stop the leak now! Stop the leak now! Stop the leak now!
President Obama. BP. World political leaders. The time to take action is now. Put the ten best engineering minds in a room and don’t let them leave until they have outlined not one, but ten, or one hundred, potential solutions to the problem. As soon as they have offered one solution, immediately bring the resources of the world together to implement the solution. DO NOT WAIT to see if that solution proves to be the one that works. Instead, start preparing the know-how and technology for the NEXT solution. Implement number two the SECOND the first fails. Implement number three IMMEDIATELY when the second one fails. Don’t stop, DO NOT STOP, until the problem is solved. The leak MUST be stopped.
When the leak is stopped, and only then, you can go back to your old ways. BP can work to figure out how to generate income from the well. Politicians can talk about how the opposing party contributed to the disaster. Environmentalists can go back to washing pelicans that will ultimately die anyway from the stress and disease of being exposed to oil. World political leaders can talk about the failures of capitalism.
The human spirit is amazing. When we pull together and all work for the same goal, there is no limit to our potential for achievement. We must bring together the best aspects of human nature and solve the oil catastrophe in the Gulf. We CAN solve this crisis, and we can do it NOW.
- Nicklaus Suino Sensei
- Director, JMAC
We are not talking about the clean up, the lost jobs, or the lives lost when the oil rig exploded. Those problems will be dealt with in the way such problems have always been dealt with. The clean up will mobilize gradually and eventually wash away most visible evidence of the oil. The lost jobs will be replaced or compensated for, most likely by yet another giant financial program implemented by President Obama and his political network, at the expense of the free market and the American taxpayer. The lost lives will be paid for by insurance and legal settlements, never, of course, sufficient to ease the enormous personal loss of the surviving families.
But world leaders, including and especially our president, have supremely and repeatedly failed to take the necessary steps to solve the most pressing aspect of this problem – the leak itself. Six weeks after the leak began, a modest redirection of oil is taking place, and tens of thousands of gallons of oil are still gushing into our oceans. Instead of throwing every resource at the problem – and we mean every one, including the National Guard, the Corps of Engineers, the experts from domestic and foreign oil companies, the best engineering minds of academia, and the astute solutions offered by the public – our government and the BP corporate leaders have spent considerable time thinking about the problem, meeting about the problem, making public statements about the problem, and using the problem to leverage their political positions, all while the oil continues to spew into the Gulf.
Our opinion is this: there is one over-riding priority that dwarfs every other aspect of the problem, and it’s so critical that the rest of the issues should be immediately put in the background so that all major effort and resources can be brought to bear on it. Stop the leak now! Stop the leak now! Stop the leak now!
President Obama. BP. World political leaders. The time to take action is now. Put the ten best engineering minds in a room and don’t let them leave until they have outlined not one, but ten, or one hundred, potential solutions to the problem. As soon as they have offered one solution, immediately bring the resources of the world together to implement the solution. DO NOT WAIT to see if that solution proves to be the one that works. Instead, start preparing the know-how and technology for the NEXT solution. Implement number two the SECOND the first fails. Implement number three IMMEDIATELY when the second one fails. Don’t stop, DO NOT STOP, until the problem is solved. The leak MUST be stopped.
When the leak is stopped, and only then, you can go back to your old ways. BP can work to figure out how to generate income from the well. Politicians can talk about how the opposing party contributed to the disaster. Environmentalists can go back to washing pelicans that will ultimately die anyway from the stress and disease of being exposed to oil. World political leaders can talk about the failures of capitalism.
The human spirit is amazing. When we pull together and all work for the same goal, there is no limit to our potential for achievement. We must bring together the best aspects of human nature and solve the oil catastrophe in the Gulf. We CAN solve this crisis, and we can do it NOW.
- Nicklaus Suino Sensei
- Director, JMAC
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Southern Michigan Martial Arts Summit
The First Annual Southern Michigan Martial Arts Summit was an OUTSTANDING success!
Here are the details of the event that took place on Sunday, May 23, 2010:
And why you should crawl across broken glass on your naked knees to get to this fall's event!
When: Sunday, May 23, 2010 - 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Where: Dan Vigil’s Academy of Taekwondo
235 E. Main St. Northville, MI 48167 (see below)
Cost: $89.00 (paid to your instructor in advance)
Contact Nicklaus Suino Sensei for more information and payment methods
(734) 645-6441 - info@japanesemartialartscenter.com
Bring: Training clothes & protective equipment.
WATER. Snacks.
This seminar is guaranteed to take your self defense skills to a higher level. Four master instructors, each experts in their field, will teach workshops dealing with combat at different ranges. From a kicking distance, to punching, to knees and elbows, to takedowns and ground work – you will benefit from the unique insights of teachers with experience in Judo, Jiujitsu, Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Krav Maga and Goju Ryu. Even better, you will have an opportunity to hear them expand collectively on each teacher’s concepts with insights of their own. Such a depth of experience is rarely found.
We have kept the cost for this seminar extremely low (normally an all day seminar of this kind goes for $250+) so that you will not only benefit from great instruction, but also from the energy and experience of numerous partners. Imagine the fun of helping eager students from another discipline master the basics of your art, and then having them return the favor as you attempt theirs. Experiencing this atmosphere of mutual respect and fun is a rare opportunity!
Even if you have no previous martial arts experience, you can benefit from this seminar. Every workshop is designed to work for someone with no experience in that particular style of fighting.
Schedule of Events
10:00 am – 10:30 am Welcome and Opening Ceremony
10:30 am – 12:00 pm Workshop #1: Practical Self Defense Kicking and Footwork (Vigil)
Unlock the closely guarded secrets of a National level Taekwondo competitor and learn how to apply them in realistic self defense situations. No jumping. No spinning. No head kicks. You will enjoy discovering the simple shifts in body weight that will add serious power to your kicking techniques, the footwork that will give you speed and move you from outer distances into a range where you are most comfortable – and get you there with total dominance. Get a base understanding of how to read “the triangle” that telegraphs any attackers attempts to kick or punch you. Plus learn how a good strong kick can save you from a beat down when you’ve blown a grab or takedown attempt.
Perhaps best of all: get 90 minutes with a martial artist who has been in the trenches as a security professional applying his techniques on a daily basis. No fancy theories, just simple stuff that works when it counts.
12:15 pm – 1:45 pm Workshop #2: Short Distance Striking, Gouges and Rips (Larioza)
In this eye-opening session, Larioza Sensei will show the serious martial arts student the intriguing link and relationship between an ancient traditional Asian martial art and an effective modern and tested self defense system. You will gain a valuable insight into how super-human power is generated in Traditional Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate and how it shares some surprising similarities and techniques with modern Israeli Krav Maga. While there is far too much to cover in a mere 90 minutes, you will learn the fundamental simultaneous block and attack that is the core and basic foundation of both Goju Ryu Karate and Krav Maga.
Later you will practice how an attacker’s limbs are destroyed in a similar fashion to how the weapon martial artist attacks the hands. Finally the student will learn how to use the devastating techniques of grabbing, ripping and tearing of muscle, throat and eyes at close quarters. …….…..a little bit of deep theory and a lot of hands on practice to immediately elevate your self defense skills.
1:45 pm – 2:15 pmLUNCH
2:15 pm – 3:15 pmWorkshop #3: Takedowns and Takedown Defense (Suino)
In this extraordinary 90-minute session, Suino-Sensei will show you how to precisely analyze your opponent's weaknesses, how to apply your strength in the most dynamic and efficient manner, and how to block your opponent's puny attempts to take you down. Learn how your opponent is actually helping you by attempting to stay upright, and how to avoid making the mistakes your opponent makes. Learn to dominate the center, and how to think tactically about the takedown battle. Learn the keys to a posture that will make you incredibly, exceptionally strong. Don't miss this chance to study with an internationally recognized expert.
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Workshop #4: Grappling, Submissions and Ground Striking (Holland)
Holland-Sensei’s workshop will focus on the key postures and positions that will enable you to gain and maintain ground dominance. This workshop will tap you into the fundamental methods of immobilizing your opponent, tactical ground striking, and submissions via joint reversal and strangulation. These universal principles will serve you not only in the ring and in self defense, but also should you need to passively restrain an aggressor. Attendees will benefit from Holland-Sensei’s varied and deep background in grappling with experience in wrestling, BJJ, Nihon Jujutsu, and Judo.
Review the biographies of our exceptional lineup of teachers!
Nicklaus Suino-Sensei
Judo, Nihon Jujutsu, Karate, Aikido, Kung-fu
Born in 1960, Suino-Sensei began training in judo at the Ann Arbor YMCA in 1968. Beginning in 1979, he studied karate, aikido, and kung-fu at the Asian Martial Arts Studio, an Ann Arbor dojo where he was a member of the instructor’s training program and taught for a total of 10 years.
After earning his BA and MFA at the University of Michigan, Suino lived in Yokohama, Japan, between 1988 and 1992, where he studied judo, jujutsu (jujitsu), iaido (swordsmanship), and kyudo (archery). He studied iaido at the home dojo of the late Yamaguchi-Katsuo, one of the greatest of the WWII generation swordsmen. In 1989, he was appointed secretary to the Foreign Department of the International Martial Arts Federation, Tokyo HQ. He was four-time All-Tokyo forms champion in iaido at his rank level between 1989 and 1992, and represented the Kanto region in the All-Japan tournament in Kyoto in 1992. He continues to visit Japan regularly, visiting and training with some of the world's most respected instructors of aikido, iaido, judo, jujitsu, karate, and koryu bujutsu.
He is widely published in the martial arts, having sold over 50,000 copies of his books, including The Art of Japanese Swordsmanship, Practice Drills for Japanese Swordsmanship, Arts of Strength, Arts of Serenity, and its revised version, Budo Mind and Body, and Strategy in Japanese Swordsmanship. He is President of the Shudokan Martial Arts Association and a Michigan Regional Director for the US branch of the International Martial Arts Federation (IMAF-Americas). He was director of ITAMA Dojo in East Lansing, Michigan, from 1993 until 2003. In 2006, he returned to Ann Arbor to open the Japanese Martial Arts Center, a traditional dojo offering classes in Jujutsu (jujitsu), judo, iaido (swordsmanship), and kendo.
Suino Sensei has been called "one of North America's foremost martial arts teachers." His personal mission is to master the most profound aspects of Japanese heritage martial arts and pass them on to his students. He believes deeply that the principles of the martial arts can have a profound effect on the lives of those who train in them.
Master Daniel B. Vigil
Taekwondo, Kenpo Karate, Hapkido
Master Vigil is a veteran of the martial arts with over 20 years of continuous training. He has earned over 80 gold medals world-wide in Taekwondo competition, including two Junior Olympics, a National championship and nine state championships. Master Vigil is known for the exceptional power of his strikes, with many of his wins coming by knock out. He has also seen action as a security professional in high risk environments. This practical experience has given him an understanding of hand to hand combat that only comes through application.
Master Vigil began his training in 1988 in Kenpo Karate under the expert tutelage of Shihan Douglas Macdonald from Hudson, Massachusetts. There Master Vigil earned a first degree black belt. In 1994 he began his Taekwondo career under future U.S Olympic Team Head Coach, Master Han Won Lee. His training continued under 7 time Korean National Champion Jae Young Kim, World Champion Joo Hwan Kim, and two time World Champion Yung Suk Jung. He currently holds a 4th degree black belt in Taekwondo. Master Vigil has traveled extensively to train with various teachers in the martial arts and security fields. Presently he is the founder and operator of “Dan Vigil’s Academy of Taekwondo” in Northville, Michigan, which is the largest United States Taekwondo Association club in Michigan.
If you are looking for a stern, authoritarian martial arts instructor, you will not find it in Master Vigil’s classroom. He is easy going, patient, and often tries to be funny.
Daniel Holland-Sensei
Jujutsu, Wrestling, Brazilian Jiujitsu, Kung-Fu
Holland-Senseis martial arts career began in 1988. He started training in Eishin-Ryu Iaido in January of 1998 under Nicklaus Suino Sensei, where he continues today. His interests in the Traditional martial arts have taken him to Aiki-Jujutsu (taught by the late Jeff Friedlis Sensei), Kodokan Judo and Nihon Jujutsu. In May of 2004, he began training in Nei Jia, the Internal Family of Chinese Martial Arts.
From 2004 to 2009, Dan Holland was the owner and instructor of the Institute of Traditional Asian Martial Arts in East Lansing, MI, where he taught Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaido, Nihon Jujutsu, and Kodokan Judo. Currently, he teaches these arts at the Japanese Martial Arts Center in Ann Arbor, Mi, and is co-instructor of the Mixed Martial Arts Program at Dan Vigil's Academy of Taekwondo. He is also a member of the Shudokan Martial Arts Association and the International Martial Arts Federation.
Current Rankings:
3rd Dan: Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaido
2nd Dan: Kodokan Judo
2nd Dan: Nihon Jujutsu
November 2009 - Present
Instructor, Japanese Martial Arts Center
November 2009 - Present
Instructor, Dan Vigil's Academy of Taekwondo
May 2004 - November 2009
Owner, Institute of Traditional Asian Martial Arts - East Lansing, MI
May 2004 to present
Nei Jia -- Internal Family of Chinese Martial Arts under Sifu Douglas Lawrence
2001 - March 2004
Aiki-goshin Jujutsu under the late Jeff Friedlis Sensei
1998 to present
Eishin-Ryu Iaido under Nicklaus Suino Sensei
1995 - 2003: Mid Michigan Academy of Martial Arts
2nd Degree Black belt under Instructor Steve Williams
1994 - 1999: Waverly Wrestling Team
• 1998 Team Captain and Most Valuable Player
• 1997 Team Captain and Most Valuable Player
• 1998 CAC Wrestling Champion
• 1996 Most Valuable Freshman
1988 - 1992 Children's Tae Kwon Do under Gary Voss and Pat Flotka
Sam Larioza-Sensei
Goju Ryu, Taekwondo, Krav Maga, Shorin Ryu, Wing Chun
Sam Larioza's martial arts training started in 1992 when he was lucky enough to start as a white belt in Morio Higaonna Sensei's karate dojo in San Diego. At the time he never knew that had stumbled upon one of the top karate teachers in the world. While supplementing his traditional karate training with other martial arts he appreciates being able to concentrate his karate studies under this one teacher. Larioza Sensei earned his Shodan (first degree black belt) in Okinawa in 1998 and was awarded his Sandan (third degree) in Goju Ryu Karate by Higaonna Sensei in 2005.
Larioza Sensei's travels have allowed him to also train in Chinese Wushu, Japanese Shotokan Karate, Korean Tae Kwon Do (earning a second degree black belt), Israeli Krav Maga (Phase 2 Instructor) and Okinawan Shorin Ryu with Seikichi Iha Sensei.
He opened his dojo in Fowlerville Michigan called "Ohana Karate" in 2003 and now has the largest and most successful martial arts school in Livingston County with over 325 students. He is very active in the local schools and in the community serving on the Board of Director of the Fowlerville Business Association, as a Trustee on the Fowlerville Community School Board of Education and recruiting as a "Blue and Gold Officer" for the United States Naval Academy.
*Placing this address in Google Maps, Mapquest and all Navigation systems yields incorrect directions. “Dan Vigil’s Academy of Taekwondo” is located in the “Water Wheel Building” located on the corner of Griswold and Main St. in downtown Northville. Ask your instructor for detailed directions.
Here are the details of the event that took place on Sunday, May 23, 2010:
And why you should crawl across broken glass on your naked knees to get to this fall's event!
When: Sunday, May 23, 2010 - 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Where: Dan Vigil’s Academy of Taekwondo
235 E. Main St. Northville, MI 48167 (see below)
Cost: $89.00 (paid to your instructor in advance)
Contact Nicklaus Suino Sensei for more information and payment methods
(734) 645-6441 - info@japanesemartialartscenter.com
Bring: Training clothes & protective equipment.
WATER. Snacks.
This seminar is guaranteed to take your self defense skills to a higher level. Four master instructors, each experts in their field, will teach workshops dealing with combat at different ranges. From a kicking distance, to punching, to knees and elbows, to takedowns and ground work – you will benefit from the unique insights of teachers with experience in Judo, Jiujitsu, Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Krav Maga and Goju Ryu. Even better, you will have an opportunity to hear them expand collectively on each teacher’s concepts with insights of their own. Such a depth of experience is rarely found.
We have kept the cost for this seminar extremely low (normally an all day seminar of this kind goes for $250+) so that you will not only benefit from great instruction, but also from the energy and experience of numerous partners. Imagine the fun of helping eager students from another discipline master the basics of your art, and then having them return the favor as you attempt theirs. Experiencing this atmosphere of mutual respect and fun is a rare opportunity!
Even if you have no previous martial arts experience, you can benefit from this seminar. Every workshop is designed to work for someone with no experience in that particular style of fighting.
Schedule of Events
10:00 am – 10:30 am Welcome and Opening Ceremony
10:30 am – 12:00 pm Workshop #1: Practical Self Defense Kicking and Footwork (Vigil)
Unlock the closely guarded secrets of a National level Taekwondo competitor and learn how to apply them in realistic self defense situations. No jumping. No spinning. No head kicks. You will enjoy discovering the simple shifts in body weight that will add serious power to your kicking techniques, the footwork that will give you speed and move you from outer distances into a range where you are most comfortable – and get you there with total dominance. Get a base understanding of how to read “the triangle” that telegraphs any attackers attempts to kick or punch you. Plus learn how a good strong kick can save you from a beat down when you’ve blown a grab or takedown attempt.
Perhaps best of all: get 90 minutes with a martial artist who has been in the trenches as a security professional applying his techniques on a daily basis. No fancy theories, just simple stuff that works when it counts.
12:15 pm – 1:45 pm Workshop #2: Short Distance Striking, Gouges and Rips (Larioza)
In this eye-opening session, Larioza Sensei will show the serious martial arts student the intriguing link and relationship between an ancient traditional Asian martial art and an effective modern and tested self defense system. You will gain a valuable insight into how super-human power is generated in Traditional Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate and how it shares some surprising similarities and techniques with modern Israeli Krav Maga. While there is far too much to cover in a mere 90 minutes, you will learn the fundamental simultaneous block and attack that is the core and basic foundation of both Goju Ryu Karate and Krav Maga.
Later you will practice how an attacker’s limbs are destroyed in a similar fashion to how the weapon martial artist attacks the hands. Finally the student will learn how to use the devastating techniques of grabbing, ripping and tearing of muscle, throat and eyes at close quarters. …….…..a little bit of deep theory and a lot of hands on practice to immediately elevate your self defense skills.
1:45 pm – 2:15 pmLUNCH
2:15 pm – 3:15 pmWorkshop #3: Takedowns and Takedown Defense (Suino)
In this extraordinary 90-minute session, Suino-Sensei will show you how to precisely analyze your opponent's weaknesses, how to apply your strength in the most dynamic and efficient manner, and how to block your opponent's puny attempts to take you down. Learn how your opponent is actually helping you by attempting to stay upright, and how to avoid making the mistakes your opponent makes. Learn to dominate the center, and how to think tactically about the takedown battle. Learn the keys to a posture that will make you incredibly, exceptionally strong. Don't miss this chance to study with an internationally recognized expert.
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Workshop #4: Grappling, Submissions and Ground Striking (Holland)
Holland-Sensei’s workshop will focus on the key postures and positions that will enable you to gain and maintain ground dominance. This workshop will tap you into the fundamental methods of immobilizing your opponent, tactical ground striking, and submissions via joint reversal and strangulation. These universal principles will serve you not only in the ring and in self defense, but also should you need to passively restrain an aggressor. Attendees will benefit from Holland-Sensei’s varied and deep background in grappling with experience in wrestling, BJJ, Nihon Jujutsu, and Judo.
Review the biographies of our exceptional lineup of teachers!
Nicklaus Suino-Sensei
Judo, Nihon Jujutsu, Karate, Aikido, Kung-fu
Born in 1960, Suino-Sensei began training in judo at the Ann Arbor YMCA in 1968. Beginning in 1979, he studied karate, aikido, and kung-fu at the Asian Martial Arts Studio, an Ann Arbor dojo where he was a member of the instructor’s training program and taught for a total of 10 years.
After earning his BA and MFA at the University of Michigan, Suino lived in Yokohama, Japan, between 1988 and 1992, where he studied judo, jujutsu (jujitsu), iaido (swordsmanship), and kyudo (archery). He studied iaido at the home dojo of the late Yamaguchi-Katsuo, one of the greatest of the WWII generation swordsmen. In 1989, he was appointed secretary to the Foreign Department of the International Martial Arts Federation, Tokyo HQ. He was four-time All-Tokyo forms champion in iaido at his rank level between 1989 and 1992, and represented the Kanto region in the All-Japan tournament in Kyoto in 1992. He continues to visit Japan regularly, visiting and training with some of the world's most respected instructors of aikido, iaido, judo, jujitsu, karate, and koryu bujutsu.
He is widely published in the martial arts, having sold over 50,000 copies of his books, including The Art of Japanese Swordsmanship, Practice Drills for Japanese Swordsmanship, Arts of Strength, Arts of Serenity, and its revised version, Budo Mind and Body, and Strategy in Japanese Swordsmanship. He is President of the Shudokan Martial Arts Association and a Michigan Regional Director for the US branch of the International Martial Arts Federation (IMAF-Americas). He was director of ITAMA Dojo in East Lansing, Michigan, from 1993 until 2003. In 2006, he returned to Ann Arbor to open the Japanese Martial Arts Center, a traditional dojo offering classes in Jujutsu (jujitsu), judo, iaido (swordsmanship), and kendo.
Suino Sensei has been called "one of North America's foremost martial arts teachers." His personal mission is to master the most profound aspects of Japanese heritage martial arts and pass them on to his students. He believes deeply that the principles of the martial arts can have a profound effect on the lives of those who train in them.
Master Daniel B. Vigil
Taekwondo, Kenpo Karate, Hapkido
Master Vigil is a veteran of the martial arts with over 20 years of continuous training. He has earned over 80 gold medals world-wide in Taekwondo competition, including two Junior Olympics, a National championship and nine state championships. Master Vigil is known for the exceptional power of his strikes, with many of his wins coming by knock out. He has also seen action as a security professional in high risk environments. This practical experience has given him an understanding of hand to hand combat that only comes through application.
Master Vigil began his training in 1988 in Kenpo Karate under the expert tutelage of Shihan Douglas Macdonald from Hudson, Massachusetts. There Master Vigil earned a first degree black belt. In 1994 he began his Taekwondo career under future U.S Olympic Team Head Coach, Master Han Won Lee. His training continued under 7 time Korean National Champion Jae Young Kim, World Champion Joo Hwan Kim, and two time World Champion Yung Suk Jung. He currently holds a 4th degree black belt in Taekwondo. Master Vigil has traveled extensively to train with various teachers in the martial arts and security fields. Presently he is the founder and operator of “Dan Vigil’s Academy of Taekwondo” in Northville, Michigan, which is the largest United States Taekwondo Association club in Michigan.
If you are looking for a stern, authoritarian martial arts instructor, you will not find it in Master Vigil’s classroom. He is easy going, patient, and often tries to be funny.
Daniel Holland-Sensei
Jujutsu, Wrestling, Brazilian Jiujitsu, Kung-Fu
Holland-Senseis martial arts career began in 1988. He started training in Eishin-Ryu Iaido in January of 1998 under Nicklaus Suino Sensei, where he continues today. His interests in the Traditional martial arts have taken him to Aiki-Jujutsu (taught by the late Jeff Friedlis Sensei), Kodokan Judo and Nihon Jujutsu. In May of 2004, he began training in Nei Jia, the Internal Family of Chinese Martial Arts.
From 2004 to 2009, Dan Holland was the owner and instructor of the Institute of Traditional Asian Martial Arts in East Lansing, MI, where he taught Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaido, Nihon Jujutsu, and Kodokan Judo. Currently, he teaches these arts at the Japanese Martial Arts Center in Ann Arbor, Mi, and is co-instructor of the Mixed Martial Arts Program at Dan Vigil's Academy of Taekwondo. He is also a member of the Shudokan Martial Arts Association and the International Martial Arts Federation.
Current Rankings:
3rd Dan: Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaido
2nd Dan: Kodokan Judo
2nd Dan: Nihon Jujutsu
November 2009 - Present
Instructor, Japanese Martial Arts Center
November 2009 - Present
Instructor, Dan Vigil's Academy of Taekwondo
May 2004 - November 2009
Owner, Institute of Traditional Asian Martial Arts - East Lansing, MI
May 2004 to present
Nei Jia -- Internal Family of Chinese Martial Arts under Sifu Douglas Lawrence
2001 - March 2004
Aiki-goshin Jujutsu under the late Jeff Friedlis Sensei
1998 to present
Eishin-Ryu Iaido under Nicklaus Suino Sensei
1995 - 2003: Mid Michigan Academy of Martial Arts
2nd Degree Black belt under Instructor Steve Williams
1994 - 1999: Waverly Wrestling Team
• 1998 Team Captain and Most Valuable Player
• 1997 Team Captain and Most Valuable Player
• 1998 CAC Wrestling Champion
• 1996 Most Valuable Freshman
1988 - 1992 Children's Tae Kwon Do under Gary Voss and Pat Flotka
Sam Larioza-Sensei
Goju Ryu, Taekwondo, Krav Maga, Shorin Ryu, Wing Chun
Sam Larioza's martial arts training started in 1992 when he was lucky enough to start as a white belt in Morio Higaonna Sensei's karate dojo in San Diego. At the time he never knew that had stumbled upon one of the top karate teachers in the world. While supplementing his traditional karate training with other martial arts he appreciates being able to concentrate his karate studies under this one teacher. Larioza Sensei earned his Shodan (first degree black belt) in Okinawa in 1998 and was awarded his Sandan (third degree) in Goju Ryu Karate by Higaonna Sensei in 2005.
Larioza Sensei's travels have allowed him to also train in Chinese Wushu, Japanese Shotokan Karate, Korean Tae Kwon Do (earning a second degree black belt), Israeli Krav Maga (Phase 2 Instructor) and Okinawan Shorin Ryu with Seikichi Iha Sensei.
He opened his dojo in Fowlerville Michigan called "Ohana Karate" in 2003 and now has the largest and most successful martial arts school in Livingston County with over 325 students. He is very active in the local schools and in the community serving on the Board of Director of the Fowlerville Business Association, as a Trustee on the Fowlerville Community School Board of Education and recruiting as a "Blue and Gold Officer" for the United States Naval Academy.
*Placing this address in Google Maps, Mapquest and all Navigation systems yields incorrect directions. “Dan Vigil’s Academy of Taekwondo” is located in the “Water Wheel Building” located on the corner of Griswold and Main St. in downtown Northville. Ask your instructor for detailed directions.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Advanced versus Basic Techniques
"There are no advanced techniques, only advanced applications." - Shooting From Within, by J. Michael Plaxco, 1991.
The idea that there are incredible, magical techniques at the upper end of martial arts ability is a popular one. In Karate Kid, the inscrutable Mr. Miyagi says, "If done properly, no can defend." Somehow, we believe, there are techniques known by the experts that we are just unable to perform or to comprehend.
In fact, there are techniques that are more difficult than others, perhaps because they require more muscle, more flexibility, a better understand of balance, or some other specialized ability, and these techniques are often reserved for students with more time in practice. If we look carefully at these techniques, however, we realize that they are actually composed of simple building blocks, just as are the "basic" techniques.
By practicing the building blocks over and over, we make them reflexive. By practicing the technique from beginning to end, locating the certain building blocks or transitions between building blocks that keep us from being successful, we train ourselves to succeed a high percentage of the time. Finally, we develop a "feel" for the entire technique so that we can apply against a variety of opponents, in a variety of circumstances, able to subtly adjust what we do in order to succeed almost regardless of the opposition.
Usually, the things that keep us from prevailing have to do with our execution of the building blocks. Here's an example: in judo, one of the most common stumbling blocks for beginners and experts alike is the failure to bend the knees enough. Unless the student practices moving with the knees bent enough times to make the position second nature, a percentage of his or her attempts to throw will fail. Because bent knees are a building block for virtually every throw in judo, it is essential that all students practice moving with the knees bent until it becomes second nature.
All technique in the martial arts are either basic techniques or are composed of basic techniques. That's good news - it means that, regardless of your natural ability, if you are willing to put in the time and work required to master the basics, you can practice martial arts at a very high level.
The idea that there are incredible, magical techniques at the upper end of martial arts ability is a popular one. In Karate Kid, the inscrutable Mr. Miyagi says, "If done properly, no can defend." Somehow, we believe, there are techniques known by the experts that we are just unable to perform or to comprehend.
In fact, there are techniques that are more difficult than others, perhaps because they require more muscle, more flexibility, a better understand of balance, or some other specialized ability, and these techniques are often reserved for students with more time in practice. If we look carefully at these techniques, however, we realize that they are actually composed of simple building blocks, just as are the "basic" techniques.
By practicing the building blocks over and over, we make them reflexive. By practicing the technique from beginning to end, locating the certain building blocks or transitions between building blocks that keep us from being successful, we train ourselves to succeed a high percentage of the time. Finally, we develop a "feel" for the entire technique so that we can apply against a variety of opponents, in a variety of circumstances, able to subtly adjust what we do in order to succeed almost regardless of the opposition.
Usually, the things that keep us from prevailing have to do with our execution of the building blocks. Here's an example: in judo, one of the most common stumbling blocks for beginners and experts alike is the failure to bend the knees enough. Unless the student practices moving with the knees bent enough times to make the position second nature, a percentage of his or her attempts to throw will fail. Because bent knees are a building block for virtually every throw in judo, it is essential that all students practice moving with the knees bent until it becomes second nature.
All technique in the martial arts are either basic techniques or are composed of basic techniques. That's good news - it means that, regardless of your natural ability, if you are willing to put in the time and work required to master the basics, you can practice martial arts at a very high level.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Martial Artists as Shapeshifters
In terms of the body, the martial arts are a collection of postural forms designed to express physical energy in an intelligent way. This expression of energy can be utilized for many practical purposes, such as striking a target, throwing an opponent, or evading an attack.
The martial forms themselves are nothing more than shapes, and these shapes can be regarded as tools. The ability to shape one's body into the appropriate tool at the appropriate time is the physical objective of the martial arts.
In order to accomplish this, it is important to possess both a geometrical understanding of the body, and a spacial understanding of the area the body can potentially occupy.
To understand the body geometrically, one should first be aware of the physical center point where the body's mass and balance naturally settles. This point is known as tantien in the Chinese arts, and hara in the Japanese arts. Awareness of this point is necessary because it is the origin of the shape the body assumes. The body itself can be envisioned as a vertical line that originates at the body's physical center. When standing at rest, this line runs up the spine through the headtop, and down the tailbone to the ground.
To understand the potential space the body can occupy, one should first envision a sphere whose radius originates at the body's origin, its physical center.
If circumstances demand occupation outside this sphere, then the origin of the sphere must be repositioned to accommodate. Now, the line that represents the body can bow or hinge to shape new tools within the sphere. However, to maintain structural integrity and unification, there are two requirements that must be maintained: The first is that one's shape must either move from its origin or around around its origin; the second is that every point on the line that represents the body must be contiguously connected to the origin. If either of these requirements falter, then the form suffers disorganization, and effectiveness of the body as a tool diminishes.
- By Daniel Holland, Instructor at JMAC, sandan iaido, nidan judo, nidan jujutsu
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Upright Posture in the Martial Arts
An upright posture is important in the martial arts for four reasons, specifically:
1) it unifies the upper body with the lower body, so that the entire body has a single center of balance.
2) it places the upper body upon the lower body, so that there is a base from which to generate power
3) it defines a vertical axis around which the entire body can rotate strongly
4) it positions the skeleton and organs in natural alignment, promoting proper breathing healthy structure
In the Japanese Martial arts, the basic natural posture is called shizentai. The general requirements of shizentai are:
• the head is held erect and the chin is slightly tucked
• the shoulders are above the hips and pulled back and down
• the chest is relaxed and neither puffed forward or arched backward
• the hips are forward and the tailbone is not stuck out
• the knees are comfortably bent
• the feet are shoulder-width apart, and the toes point forward
• the soles are flat, and the weight of the body is supported above the toes (meaning that the heels can lift off the ground, the toes cannot)
Two variations of shizentai are known as migi shizentai, when the right foot is forward, and hidari shizentai, when the left foot is forward.
Parallels can be drawn from the upright standing postures to the upright kneeling postures, which are appropriate in occasions such as seated iaido forms and newaza in judo and jujutsu.
When kneeling, basic natural posture becomes seiza, or correct sitting. Migi shizentai becomes migi tatehiza, which is seiza with the right knee up, and hidari shizentai becomes hidari tatehiza, which is seiza with the left knee up.
The postural requirements of the kneeling forms are the same as the standing forms, with the exception that in the kneeling forms one or both legs are tucked beneath the hips.
- By Daniel Holland, Instructor at JMAC, sandan iaido, nidan judo, nidan jujutsu
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