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ABOUT YOSEIKAN BUDO
Yoseikan Budo is a comprehensive martial art founded
by Master Minoru Mochizuki of Shizuoka, Japan. Master Mochizuki
was a senior direct student of Judo founder Jigoro Kano, a major
student of Aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba and also a student of
Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan Karate. Believing that the
martial arts have become distorted in the 20th century by specialization
into separate disciplines and transformation into sports, Master
Mochizuki assembled the major techniques of the Japanese martial
tradition into a single coherent structure. Yoseikan Budo as practiced
in the United States is most strongly identified with Aikido. However,
Master Mochizuki's initial Judo training heavily flavors Yoseikan
with judo techniques, so that it resembles the older, broader,
Aikijutsu styles from which judo and aikido were derived. Yoseikan
is widely practiced in Japan and Europe but is relatively obscure
in the US. It appeared in the US in the early 1970's in Huntsville,
Alabama, where Colonel Demizu, a liaison officer with the Japanese
Self Defense Force, was persuaded by a group of Americans at the
Redstone Arsenal to teach them the martial art in which he was
skilled.
Yoseikan Budo ("the house in which is taught with courage
and honesty the way of the warrior") was founded in the early
60's by Hiroo Mochizuki Sensei, son of Minoru Mochizuki, one of
the great martial artists of the 20th century. Mochizuki Hiroo
Sensei has high Dan rankings in several martial arts, among them
Aikido, Jujutsu, Wado-Ryu Karate, and Iaido. Yoseikan Budo is today
spread throughout Europe, Africa and the USA. The FYBDA (Federation
Internacional de Yoseikan Budo et Disziplines Asimilees) is the
worldwide umbrella organization, which is subdivided in national
Academies and regional federations.
Mochizuki Hiroo Sensei realized that most basic techniques
are based on a wavy movement beginning in the hip, which produces
much more power than when movement is limited to only extremities. These
basic elements are taught and applied to all YB techniques. YB
consists of (modified) techniques of Karate, Judo/Ju-Jutsu and
Aikido. The use of classical weapons as Bokken, Tanto, Bo, Nunchaku
etc is taught as well as traditional and new forms (kata). Beginners
usually study basic techniques for a year or so, including mae-geri,
mawashi-geri etc, nage-waza, falls, foot-work, kata, etc. From
3rd Kyu to 1st Kyu more aikido-techniques and the use of weapons
are taught. Competitions are held and consist of kata, Randori,
Tanto-Tanto, etc.
There was a split of the umbrella organization in the early years,
leading to a sub-style (found primarily in the UA) with the name
YB that focuses primarily on Aikido-techniques.
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