Frequently Asked Questions List
1. What is Cagayan de Oro Aikido Dojo?
The Cagayan de Oro Aikido Dojo is a none-profit organization and was established on April 1992 by Oscar Mistula. The dojo was formed in pursuit of Aikido martial arts excellence. It first opened to the public at the Cagayan de Oro City YMCA with the help of some Aikido students and enthusiasts. Presently, it continues to operate at Clark Hatch Gym at Lim Ket Kai Center, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines.
It is a member of the Filipino Federation of Aikido (FFA), which is a member of International Aikido Federation (IAF).
Hombu Aikido (Aikikai) style was being practiced at the dojo since its inception. Back in year 2000, Oscar introduced Takemusu Aiki (O-Sensei's Aikido in Iwama, Ibaraki, Japan) in conjunction with the existing form. Since then the Dojo has aimed to practice more in Takemusu Aiki.
2. Who is the Dojo Cho?
Oscar Mistula started Aikido training in 1986. He was trained by his first teacher Alexander Javier, 4th Dan Aikikai, until early 1992. Before he left for Sydney, Australia in late 1999, he had practiced and had sought martial arts guidance from several Japanese Shihans and some Shidoins who frequently visited the Philippines.
Ranked 5th Dan Aikikai, a member of the International Aikido Federation (IAF) and Takemusu Aiki Association of Australia (TAAA).
At the Sydney City Dojo, since November 1999, he has trained and learned from his teacher Saburo Takayasu, 6th Dan Aikikai Shihan. Upon recommendation by his sensei, he has regularly taught Takemusu Aiki at Takayasu Sensei's own private dojo.
He has regularly visited the Philippines to conduct training in Takemusu Aiki focusing in Bukiwaza and Taijutsu.
3. Who are the training staffs?
Assistant Senior Instructor:
James Tan started his Aikido training from Alexander Javier and has continued to develop it with the guidance from Oscar Mistula. He has broadened his Aikido knowledge thru constant training from what he had gathered and learned from both national and international Aikido seminars.
He had attended some seminars conducted by Moriteru Ueshiba Doshu in several international Aikido events. Ranked 4th Dan Aikikai and a member of the International Aikido Federation (IAF).
Assistant Instructor:
Emmanuel Ebabacol started his Aikido training from Alexander Javier and has received training instructions from Oscar Mistula. He has broadened his knowledge in Aikido thru constant training from what he had gathered and learned from national seminars. Ranked 3rd Dan Aikikai and a member of the International Aikido Federation (IAF).
4. What is Takemusu Aiki?
The Founder considered Takemusu Aiki to be the highest form of Aikido. Takemusu contains two Japanese characters:
Take (Bu)= Martial, and Musu= To be born. These two characters combine to refer to martial movement spontaneously
created, without active thought, resulting in a pure Aikido technique.
He felt that one's training went through four major periods of development: Basic Technique, Flexible Technique,
Flowing Technique, and finally Takemusu Aiki. He considered this final form of Aikido to be attainable by
anyone through practice.
5. Why train with the wooden sword, or bokken?
Training with a wooden sword (bokken) is a very important aspect of Aikido, and should not be
overlooked. It comes from a long tradition of Martial Arts training in Japan, and is still practiced
today in other sword schools and styles in Japan, as part of kenjutsu training. Although it seems
inappropriate to train with a sword in our modern lifestyle, there are many training and physical
benefits to be gained by continuing to practice daily with a sword.
In the hands of an experienced kenjutsu practioner, a wooden sword can be just as deadly as a live
blade. It is said that if you cannot kill someone with the wooden sword, you would be unable to do
so with a live blade. In Aikido we regard a wooden sword with just as much care and importance as a
live blade, so during training we bear in mind that we are training not just with a wooden sword,
but with a deadly weapon.
In this way, sword training can give us a more serious and careful approach to our training. Training
only with empty hands can become taken for granted, and this is when mistakes can be made. To be hit
by the sword is sometimes painful and possibly injuring, so as an incentive, it makes our training
more focussed, realistic and valuable. Aikido hand techniques, and many of its higher strategic
principles are derived from this tradition of kenjutsu, so training with a sword also has the purpose
of taking us back to the root of our techniques. In many ways, training with the sword can teach us
principles and show us aspects of the techniques that may be overlooked when only training with empty
hands. Sword training, and weapons training in general, keeps Aikido realistic, practical and strong.
It has been said that if hand, sword and stick techniques were each placed at the points of a triangle,
Saito Sensei would have sword at the top of that triangle. This is supported by the fact that of Saito
Sensei's 5 volume Traditional Aikido book series published in 1974, sword training appears first.
In Takemusu Aiki, sword training is essential.
6. What are the origins of Aiki Ken techniques?
In the early part of his life, O-Sensei came into into contact with and studied a number of kenjutsu
ryu, or sword styles, such as Yagyu Ryu, and most notably the Katori and Kashima Shinto Ryu. Daito Ryu
Aiki Ju-Jutsu also contained a sword form, Ono-ha Itto Ryu, although there is research needed to analyze
the extent of influence by Itto Ryu on O-Sensei's Aiki-ken. O-Sensei was also a great friend of a number
of Iaido exponents, including Michio Hikitsuchi.
7. What is the right Gi or Hakama size for you?
Looking for the right Gi or Hakama size for you is no longer a problem. Thanks to
IWATA Co. of Japan a
Size Chart is here to help you get the correct size you needed.
Size Chart 230257 Bytes
8. Yudansha of Cagayan de Oro Aikido Dojo?
Shodan:
Jennie Verdad Espiritu
Roland Konrad C. Gurrea Jr
Nidan:
Sandan:
Yondan: