 |
|
 |
Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis Senso-Ryu Hombu Dojo |
|
What
is Senso-Ryu?
Our
Richard Behrens
Originally
developed in the late 1960's by Richard Behrens from various
Japanese arts, It is an effective, well rounded system primarily
focusing on defense against multiple attackers (taninsu kake). We
claim no direct connection to any specific koryu.
This
art is extremely effective for law enforcement and security. Our
teacher, Ted Hanulak, is a former decorated police officer and
private security specialist. He has taken his personal hands-on
fighting / self defense experience through the years and applied it
to this art. Many students and instructors of Senso-Ryu
Aikijutsu are also in law enforcement, security, and the military.
How
is the Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis different from other martial arts schools?
The dojo etiquette and atmosphere is of the traditional nature. We consider the dojo to be a sacred place were men and women hone their skills and perfect their character through hard training and deep introspection. The focus is on practical self defense. We believe that we are one of just a few dojo left that still train in such a manner. Training
at our dojo is a serious commitment and not for everyone.
Many people today treat martial arts as a "pastime" or
"hobby" and the dojo like a "club". We do not.
Our training is designed for those who will actually have to use it
in real life. Many of our students are in professions that can
be dangerous so there is no time for pretending or posturing.
The Aikijutsu Academy offers students the unique opportunity to practice realistic martial arts and meditation together with other adults. We do not teach children. Martial arts have become extremely commercialized and child orientated over the last 35 years. We offer a dojo were one can train with other adults, away from the modern trappings of commercial martial arts, and become part of a family of serious yet friendly martial artists.
The
The
Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis
resides within the Sensei's home. There is the main dojo matted
area, a bathroom / changing area, and an outdoor meditation area. It
is quite a beautiful facility.
Aside from being beautiful, the dojo is state of the art. The tatami mats are made of polyurethane. In addition, under the tatami is 4 inches of polyurethane foam. This causes the impact, when someone is thrown on the matt, to spread instead of "bottoming out". This greatly lessens the chance of long term injury. The walls also help keep injuries to a minimum. Due to the style of training, students often smash into the walls. The walls have been specially designed to "give" a bit upon impact. This keeps the student from getting hurt as well as keeps the walls from getting damaged.
How
long does it take to become a black belt in your system?
The more appropriate question should be "How long does it take to
become proficient in self defense in your system?". The answer to that lies
solely on the individual student and cannot be given a time table.
Our system, as with all martial arts, requires the student to learn
specific numbers of principles and techniques. Becoming
"proficient" with these principles and techniques in
actual fighting situations is a different story altogether. This is
what separates those who just learn techniques like dance moves and
those who can actually apply them in dangerous life threatening
situations.
What
is the training like?
Contact
and striking distance between students is first and foremost the
most important part of training. Contact can range from soft to hard
as skill advances but it still must be made. Striking distance has to be
realistic. The students must strike through their targets, not
stopping 6 inches away. This can create a dangerous false confidence.
When you practice, ultimately you are training your reflexes to deal
with surprise attacks. What is repeatedly practiced in class is what
will "come out" in the street when attacked for real. If you
practice pulling your strikes, then that is exactly what you will do. People
like to think that they can "step it up" when actually
attacked even though they train in unrealistic ways. It doesn't work
this way.
How
many times have you watched a martial art class and thought to
yourself "Nobody attacks like that in real life." In many
systems the attacks are done in such a fashion to actually help the
defender execute a throw or perform a technique. In the beginning
this is necessary for initial learning, but eventually it must be
taken to the next level. Many martial arts stop short at this point.
Learning to attack is an art form within itself. The new student is first taught how to attack his fellow student. That may sound strange but what you have to understand is the only way the defending student can realistically practice is if the attacking student legitimately attacks. In real life, people often attack with wild abandonment, flailing arms, biting, kicking, eye gouging..etc. If this is how most street attacks happen, would it not make sense to train against such attacks? At the Senso-Ryu, we practice against these types attacks. We also practice simulating realistic environments such as training in the dark, against surprise attacks, multiple attacks,..etc.
Do
you teach children?
We
only accept students 18 years of age or older. We rarely have anyone
studying under the age of 21. A high level of maturity is required
due to the aggressive nature of the art.
Does
the meditation involve any religious connotations?
While it is true that Zen meditation is derived from Mahayana Buddhism,
which we greatly respect, our practice is strictly secular. We have
people from all different religious backgrounds practicing together.
Do
you teach weapons?
We train with traditional weaponry such as bokken and katana for the practice of balance and control and the forging of courage. We teach modern weapon retention and defense against - gun, club, bat, knife, etc.
How
does one join the Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis?
We
ask that you fill out our online contact
page
to set up an appointment to watch a class and interview with the
Sensei or you can call us at (317)-697-3387. Due to the fact that the dojo is within the Sensei's home,
space is limited. Please visit the schedule
page for further class information.
© Copyright 1992-2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
