Video of master Hiroshi Isoyama on Youtube

Rough and hard.
Demonstrates the martial potential of Aikido.
He was a long time student of O-sensei in Iwama.
He is currently chief instructor at the dojo that O-sensei built in Iwama, presently known as Ibaraki-Shibu Dojo.

From Aikido Journal’s Encyclopedia of Aikido:
“ISOYAMA, HIROSHI (b. 14 January 1937). 8th dan Aikikai. B. Ibaragi Prefecture. Civil servant, Aikikai Shihan. Began training in June 1949 becoming an UCHIDESHI in IWAMA Dojo while middle school student. Known for his powerful technique.”

There is also a very interesting interview of Isoyama Shihan on Aikido Journal.
(Link to interview here…)

Excerpt from the interview:

“Since many of your students among the American military police must have been much physically larger than you, did you have to come up with new ways to make your techniques work on them?

I certainly did. Practicing with people like that is completely different from working with people who are smaller than you.
Doing even something like ikkyo against a much larger opponent is very difficult, especially in terms of the way you have to enter and the timing you have to use.
Training with people like that was a great experience from which I learned a lot.
My kata guruma and ganseki otoshi techniques, for example, started out with me trying to teach koshi nage.
When I tried to do koshi nage on some of the taller men I found that they could just step over me; no matter how I tried the technique, I couldn’t manage to throw them because the height difference meant I couldn’t get my hips into a good position in front of theirs.
Then I had the idea to try putting them across my shoulders instead of across my hips, and that’s how I started using those techniques. I wasn’t trying to be rough or flashy, I was just trying to get the techniques to work. Necessity is the mother of invention!”

Fujita sensei seminar in Cluj

A couple of days ago, the traditional FRAA Aikido winter school took place in Cluj, a seminar conducted by Masatake Fujita shihan.
As it took place in the city where I live, it was easier for me to participate, usually going to practice directly from work, and then getting back to work.
Truth is that since the kids were born, I haven’t been away to many seminars in other cities, as the juniors are still too young to be taken care easily by one person alone.

During the first practice session of the seminar, I have been Fujita sensei’s Uke.
I enjoyed it very much, but it was pretty stressing. (Especially for my weary back…)
I noticed directly that sensei is carrying himself exceptionally well at his age of 70.
His technique is precise and very energetic, and the steps are economical and efficient, just a few steps on a very small surface.

Around 100 aikidoka from Romania, Moldavia and Serbia participated at the seminar .
Two consecutive evenings, Fujita sensei offered very enlightening lectures, with a lot of answers to questions from the audience.

Congratulations to my colleague Marius for a very good Shodan grading test !

Next Fujita sensei seminar in Romania: July 2008, probably in Arad.

The most important persons in the Romanian Aikido

For my fellow Romanians that are newer in the field of Aikido, I would like to mention here some of our conationals who have contributed during the years to the introduction and development of Aikido in Romania.
I chose them according to the following criteria: they were either pioneers that introduced Aikido, or they were (or presently are) leaders of important Aikido organizations, through which Aikido has been massively diffused to the practitioners.
I was limited by my own knowledge, therefore I apologize to those who have been omitted, even though they might be of the same caliber with those listed below.

In a somehow chronological order:

Nicolae Gothard Bialokur
(63 years old, Lausanne – Switzerland)
One of the pioneers of martial arts in Romania.
Formed the first Aikido study group 30 years ago, in 1977, in Bucharest.
Published a book on Aikido.
Presently lives in Switzerland and continues practicing Budo.

Serban Derlogea
(70 years old, Bucharest)
Started to study Aikido in 1977, under Nicolae Gothard Bialokur.
Together with Dan C. Ionescu and George Raicu, he is one of the Aikido promoters in Romania before and after 1989. (1989 is the year of the comunism collapse.)
Published two books on Aikido.
Presently continues to teach Aikido and Taijiquan at a dojo belonging to the Bucharest University.
He is ranked 5 Dan Aikido.
Website: www.derlogea.ro

George Raicu
(46 years old, Bucharest)
Started to study Aikido in 1977, under Nicolae Gothard Bialokur.
Distinguished himself as an Aikido promotor in Romania after 1989.
He is the president of the organization “Aikikai Romania”.
He is ranked 5 Dan Aikido Aikikai by shihan M. Fujita.
Website: www.aikikairomania.ro

Dan Corneliu Ionescu
(65 years old, Bucharest)
Started to study Aikido in 1979, under Nicolae Gothard Bialokur.
He is one of the Aikido promoters in Romania before 1989 and especially after 1989.
Published two books on Aikido.
He is the president of the “Romanian Aikido Federation” and the president of the “European Aikido Confederation”.
He is ranked 8 Dan Aikido.
Website: www.aikido.ro

Dorin Marchis
(39 years old, Cluj-Napoca)
An old time student of shihan Masatake Fujita and George Raicu.
Studies Aikido since the early ’90s.
He is the president of the “Romanian Aikido Aikikai Foundation”.
He is ranked 4 Dan Aikido Aikikai by shihan M. Fujita.
Website: www.aikikai.ro


I would also mention Ioan Grigorescu, Viorel Dan, Iulian Perpelici, Adrian Bunea, who have a long time activity through which they have contributed both didactically and organizationally to the improvement of Aikido in Romania.


If I have mistaken any data, please forgive and correct me.