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Austin Muteshokai AikiBudo Dojo 合気武道会

Zdenek Matl sensei and Eric Pearson

I would humbly like to invite you into the world of traditional Japanese martial arts with a combination of traditional and progressive teaching methods. For me it has been the most challenging and fulfilling artistic journey of my life.


We train primarily in progressive non-sports Tomiki lineage Aikido, ground fighting jujutsu techniques, Judo, Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu, and knife training. Silat and Systema based drills are also a a part of our training now.  Basically, we train in soft, technical martial arts.  We train safely, pragmatically, ethically and in good humor.   While we respect Japanese influences we do not embrace the ritual culture.  We respect diversity and work with physical limitations of each student to design a study that is appropriate for their abilities.

Eric's Daito Ryu history and certificates

Eric's Aikido history and certificates

The class is taught by Eric Pearson.    Largely Eric cares little for ranks and the ranking game.   When searching for a teacher remember ranks are largely political ties. Go see a group and teacher for yourself to decide.   Eric sees himself as a passionate educator and community builder who feels martial arts is a great method of personal cultivation.

 Different organizations and teachers have ranked him as following -

Aikido - Although aikido is just one art form, different organizations have  presented Eric with varying grading or ranks.  He holds a rokudan, 6th degree, in Tomiki lineage Aikido from The Kaze Uta Budo Kai.  He has received a 5th dan in Aikido from his long time teacher Russell Waddell, and a 2nd degree in Aikido from the American Tomiki Aikido Association. Take your pick.

 Despite the impressive looking pedigree his Shiho Nage technique still needs work.  He is working on it.

Daito Ryu AikiJujutsu  He also has an associate instructor rank in from the Shofukan (formally affiliated with Renshinkan) under Ota Ikou Sensei when he trained for three years in Numata, Japan. He periodically studies with Howard Popkin sensei and Joe Brogna sensei, of the Ginjukai, to continue his study of Daito Ryu - though he holds no rank in their organization.  Eric also has trained with Roy Goldberg of Kodokai Daito Ryu.  He is friends with Houston Daito Ryu club.

 Judo  Eric started judo in 1996 with Russell Waddell sensei. He moved to Japan from 2000-2003, trained in judo and competed in judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions. He is continuing his education in Judo and has received a sandan (3rd degree) grade under Zdenek Matl, for his teaching and spreading the art of Judo. Brendan Hussey, and Nick Lowry of the Kaze Uta Budo Kai has also granted him a sandan.  These are club rankings.  Eric has been developed a judo team at the Texas School for the Blind from 2015-2020 - and a member progressed to the paraolympics.  He was also an wrestling coach there.  Currently as of 2022 He is coaching Oregon State University's Jujutsu classes.

Aiki seminar in Little Rock 2013

Here are some clips of him training.  If it looks like you would enjoy practicing like this join us.  If not there are lots of schools in Austin that can meet your needs.



email - thedragonsorb@gmail.com


Eric continues his journey under the patience, watchful eyes and good humors of many Aikido, Judo and Jujutsu teachers.  While he does not get to train with them as often as he would like, but he thanks Russell Waddell, Brendan Hussey, Zdenek Matl, Nick Ushin Lowry, Roy Goldberg, George Ledyard, Corky Quakenbush, Cory Juhl, Leslie Libby, Howard Popkin, and Joe Brogna for their teachings, help and friendship. Gratitude to Grandmaster Jason Mix for teaching me so much about budo, building community and friendship. Shout out to the Oregon State jiuJitsu team Jose Robles, Chris Williams for making me learn the way.  Arseniy Grebnov and Gene Smithson  influenced by introducing him to Systema concepts which he continues to explore everyday of his life.   He is eternally grateful to Ikuo Ota sensei and Master Man H. Han for their teachings and influence.

Also he could not do it without his best friends and closest teachers.  A million thanks to Scooter Holiday, Michael Chihal, Matthew Howell and Thomas Daniel for being the backbone of the Austin group.

Getting off the line

Waddell Sensei has always taught there is one technique in Aikido practice that is the basis for all others. Getting off the line of attack.



On a friday night last June I found myself in the middle of conflict. It was a domestic disturbance. A drunken man was screaming at his sister and mother. I was called over to make sure nothing happened.

It was surreal. People screaming and accusations flying. I found myself trying to talk people into leaving, just "walk away". At all times I keep distance and tried to make sure no one was about to be hurt. I felt like the the calm in a hurricane.

Suddenly the insults between the people cut deep, and I could sense a change in atmosphere. The man went upstairs to his room.

A moment of silence.


I heard a firearm chamber a round from upstairs. The unmistakable sound made me move instantly.

Time began to move different. It was like everyone was slower than me. 19 thoughts raced through my head at once. Every situation ended bad. If that man came down the stairs I was going to have to attack. This would end up in someone - likely me, dead.

I grabbed the women in the room and carried them out the door. They were almost paralyzed. I commanded them in the car and started it almost in one motion. I felt like I was looking in all directions at once. Everyone else moved so slowly...so muddled in emotions.

After a truck load of drama and a police intervention the story ends positive. No one got hurt, no one went to jail. But the game did get serious and Aikido possibly averted a situation.

What is Aikido? I was emotionally detached from conflict. My intention was to protect everyone. I saw that physical control was not possible.

I got off the line of energy.

Perhaps one of the more valuable lessons to be learned from the martial path is when it is a good time to fight. An intoxicated and angry man with a firearm is to be avoided when possible.

Like my friend Jeff Duncan forwarded me in an email once - "If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck." I guess it stands to reason when you find yourself in an unfair fight, get the hell out of the way. Not being there to let an attack effect you IS the strategy.

Thoughts on Tomiki Kata

Kata was one of the major additions Tomiki Sensei brought to the art of Aikido. Kata being defined as prearranged movement, typically with two people working on technique.

Kata is typically, or supposedly handed down in a standard form, what Charles Clark Sensei calls Seito Gata. Seito gata, means student kata or student form.

One of the questions I have been asking myself is, is there only one form, or one perfect kata? Or perhaps should we view it as an organic creation that is ever evolving? Which version should I teach to my students?

Lets take a look at a technique I have been unhappy with, Kote Hineri.



This is the classic style, and the style that it has been handed down to me. I have never really liked it. The angles are strange for my interactions, I never score it in randori, and I think it is too much like an elbow technique anyhow.

Then I discovered an Aikikai version. They call it Sankyo.



Because I changed my understanding of the technique, it has suddenly become my strongest technique. I almost have to stop myself from falling into it too much. So here is the problem. Why would I continue to teach an inferior way to do the technique. At what point do I have the right to alter the kata to suit my evolving style?

I suppose it is a rhetorical question, because I already have changed my kata and the way I teach it. I just feel like most Aikidoka have never given themselves permission to change. I feel like most are trying to studiously copy the angles techniques and teachings of those who have come before. This is great and important, but I do not feel we become artists until we begin the process of creation and accepting the ideas that really work for ourselves.



When I asked Waddell Sensei about changing techniques, he responded that he did not care. "The proof is in the pudding." was his response. Having new variation that works for you is far more valuable than classic forms that you cannot do.

The magician in the martial arts

For the past week I have focused on my stage show. I was drafted into a large magic competition and I performed on the Austin City Limits stage. It was a really great time and my new act won over a lot of fans.



So I have been viewing Aiki through the magician's eyes again. Here are a few random notes.

1. The power of kata

A magic routine is very much structured like a kata. A magician practices it hundreds of times so the body acts on its own. Yesterday I did my rope sequence 50 times. When I was on stage a level of mushin (no-mind, unfettered mind) takes over. Trust in the magic kata, and use the concious mind to accomodate to circumstances that arise.

2. The eye more easily tracks linear energy than curved energy

In recent years psychology and neurologists and been taking closer and closer look at magic. We understand things others do not. One of the deep studies we make is in the way people track with their eyes.

People do not pay close attention to a hand moving across a straight plane. They see it and estimate and track it eventual destination, then they refocus on whatever it is you really don't want them to see.

A curving motion locks in someone's eyes. The brain is unable to calculate the destination so it pays closer attention. The effect is magnified when the curve is moving upward.

Now go and figure out how to add that gem to your martial path.


3. Magic and Aikido are arts of controlled message sending



In magic and Aikido I am attempting to interface with your nervous system. I am attempting to control the input into the nervous system so I steer the person to a desired goal. Often in both arts I give a person something to think about - as a cover for the real dirty work that is happening.

4. Much of the power in Aikido and magic comes from angles. Angles between bodies control what information is being expressed. You can melt right into the holes of someone's perception by introducing information or no information at just the right perception angles.



"I am the universe."
Morihei Ueshiba

Another nice article on magic and aikido

The Good

So finally we get to what I see as some of the best you tube has to offer in the world of Tai Chi push hands.



The flow drill model of push hands

I have classed push hands into a few categories. One of them is a flow drill model. I believe these flow drills will teach a student to naturally move in a strategically beneficial way, naturally and easily.

In the first video I like the fact they have dynamic motion to their flow drill style of push hands. They move all over, switching patterns and ranges. They move seamlessly from inside to outside grips. I think there is a lot of good learning going on here.

One one big criticism of the flow drill model of push hands is that they remain at a constant homeostasis. Neither player wins or loses posture of balance at any point. With this practice they are learning to stay even at all times, rather than starting a relationship where real problems need to be solved, or any real problems are caused. My push hands I have been working on I hope will look like this first video, but there will be a steady chain of balance breaks and technique entries. Flow, but give each other problems to solve.



I have watched the following video countless times. Lots to be learned here. The reasons it made a link, rather than featured video here is overly low stances, and over emphasis on fixed step work.

Another nice flow drill push hands video

Fixed Step

The fixed step model of push hands seems to be the most common form practiced. While it has has uses, the practice of it should be used only for the most basic...and maybe fine tuned advanced work. It creates an artificial game.

There are a few artists using it interestingly. I really like the nice balance breaks this gentleman gets at the beginning of this video. There seems to be a genuine exercise going on here rather than seeing this as the totality of reality.

My criticism of some parts of this video again comes from adhering to this model to much. At a few moments there is some artificial posture breaking that could be corrected by stepping. Also there are a few moments of timing breaking - speeding up, that I think should be avoided. Overall though I really enjoy this video. I love the emphasis on balance breaking.



This next film I like. They move interesting. They give problems to each other. I really like some of the problems, yet they are unattached enough to technique that they do not have to chase it to conclusion. They go static, then they move. Their work is still in the realm of drill, but it is successful free play and drill that makes it dynamic, and makes the art form still work.



And finally my award for the greatest demonstration of push hands I have seen is from Master Ma Yu Liang. Softness and controlled technique is the game. There is some fine tune kuzushi, balance breaking, that is masterful. He respects the safety of his partners. I really hope I am doing work this subtle and nice in my lifetime. It is not bad for a 93 year old.

The Bad

Patrick Swayze being Tai Chi bouncer in Roadhouse

Today I would like to look at what I see as some bad habits in the practice and methodologies in push hands practice. Again, I respect the art and artists. In today's blog there are actually some good practice going on, but I feel there are bad habits that could easily be corrected to make a more thoughtful and successful practice.

So that is what i would like to illustrate BAD habits as I see them.

In the first film we see what looks like a very advanced teacher of Tai Chi. He establishes a pace, speed and flow. All very nice. Suddenly without warning he accelerates, breaking rhythm, increasing speed and intensity. Frank he turns a soft art practice into an external force generation art, rather than a sensitivity art. "Bursting" or sudden timing changes can for sure be an effective combat strategy, but honestly I feel it is very elementary strategy for push hands practice.

Often we feel this in our randori in the Tomiki system, someones desire to win overtakes the intent of the game. Speed replaces sensitivity, strength replaces skill. In my humble opinion it is a bad habit that we all do in all kinds of martial practice, and one I would guard against.



Here is another classic bad habit we also see in Tomiki Aikido randori. Playing beyond skill level - fear of loss, over desire to win and control. Suddenly when it becomes time to win, we throw out everything we have studied years to gain, and simply start wrestling.

I have found intention is helpful here. Is your intention to simply win, or is it to train in your art form ?

When I find these games arising - a good player can say "Hey we are playing above our skill level. We are no longer hitting technique and we are violating the principles of our art form. While this may be fun, once we tire out we need to slow down and soften up and really examine our form here".



In this next film we see some very good players. They are moving around scoring great and interesting techniques...etc. The bad habit I wanted to address is not their application, they are great!! - it is the rules of their exercise. Fixed step push hands is a bad idea. Ok, it has it narrow place, but overall (from my ignorant outside perspective) tai chi students have an overall over attachment to "rooting" and this method of push hands training.

Guess what guys? It is ok to move your feet. It sure as hell is more important to move you feet than get in the habit of letting your structure and posture buckle as you struggle to keep footing.

I have have been working with Tai Chi training methods in the aikido and judo dojo for a while now. Without giving my guys too many instructions I found it impossible to get some sticky hands and push hands techniques on them, because they simply moved. Interesting and enlightening it was. It is not some great victory to make someone take a step - it is just the beginning of the chain of events that makes technique happen. It is not technique itself! The very reason these fixed steps techniques get so dynamic is because of the body struggling to correct the structure, but it is robbed of the most basic tool to do so; stepping. If you can't tell I am a big fanning of movement in the martial arts and I personally never stop moving my feet once the game begins.

Fixed step should be seen as a simple game. It could be quick warm up maybe. I would be highly suspicious of my practice if this was the highest level of push hands I studied.



Tommorow I will have an example of some very good fixed step pratice and some moving step practice as well. I would like to thank the artists in the videos for sticking out their necks and letting us all learn from their study of the way!

The Ugly

Here is the beginning of a couple days at looking at push hands videos I am calling the good, bad and ugly. I mean no disrespect to the people and art forms that will be shown here. After all we are all students walking the path. I feel some people's practice gets clouded with some thinking errors, or some people do not look deep enough to find the correct mechanisms. Poor methods are adopted and sometimes a cult like following happens around people and flawed exercises.

I would happily train with all of these people in the videos, so we could all grow together. I am always open to being proved wrong.

In order to understand better what push hands is...let us first see what it is not IMHO.


Ok. Hmmm. This is Professor Huang Zhen Huan, the founder of unidao tai chi. I don't really know what's going on here. I get the feeling watching this video he is trying to pinch their nipples, and they are tired of it so they jumping out of the way. Perhaps they are playing a martial game that translates poorly to video. I do know the apparent cause and effect is questionable in this display.



Now we join a Buddhist compound ran by Lama Dondrup Dorje also known as Dr. Yeung. From my perspective they simply checked out the realm of reality long ago. They are doing hypnosis show like martial arts, that are surprisingly common in the martial arts world. (FYI - I used to tour with a big name hypnotist, and have done a few small shows myself) I find this film fascinating, and an excellent example of what legitimate marital arts is NOT. Wait till about a minute and a half in before it starts getting really interesting. Now perhaps they have unlocked some keys to energy work that I have never experienced before. I am genuinely open to be educated, but I highly doubt it. More power to them if they find value in their practice.



Now we go to the world of competition in push hands. Sport competition is the same plague that damaged Tomiki Ryu Aikido and Judo - again just my opinion. Principles, in sport, are sacrificed for rules and the desire to win at all costs. Artistry is killed.

I like competition. I like a good round of rough randori. Sport however makes things goofy. These guys are simply failing to do anything I would call Tai Chi at all. Its cool, I guess, but when a training method takes you so far from the ideals that you practice - you either need to reexamine the principles of the art form or the validity of your exercise. These guys are doing some wrestling but they are failing to employ the art of Tai Chi, from my outsider's perspective.

Batman trained with Osensei

Time for a goofy post.

Everyone knows Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman has a ninjitsu connection.

(Little known fact the cool mountain top ninja temple in the movie is actually based on KyuRyu AikiBudo Dojo here in Austin!)


But according to the Batman cartoon he trained with someone who looks suspiciously like Osensei. In the show they call him Sensei Yoru.



A point of interest that only a calligraphy nerd such as myself would see - The calligraphy in Sensei Yoru's dojo is Hikari "light", which happened to be Ueshiba Sensei's last piece of calligraphy before he died. (I can't find a web image of it)

Here is all of the good stuff edited into one video.



The full episode



At 3 minutes into the video, we see Bruce in a Judo match. At about 3:50 we see Sensei Yoru throw a aggressive tenkan ikkyo to a projection technique.

If you want to see the second half - click here

Interesting quote

Bruce: I have to be the best there is, no matter what it takes!
Sensei Yoru: Defeat can be more instructive than victory.

Ukemi

Here is a really important article on ukemi written by our regular contributor Nick Lowry.




The importance of uke and ukemi

As you seek to learn aikido and develop skill in timing and the details of control and off-balance,the importance of uke and of ukemi cannot be overstated.

Uke is literally the role of the "receiver" -- uke recieves off-balance -- recieves the techniques and throws and trains to implement ukemi cleanly and reflexively-- automatically without interference or exaggeration. For Ukemi to stay safe you need to give yourself over to it without internal resistance or pause --Ukemi exemplifies the principle of ju, of softness, yielding and flowing, so as to bring the forces acting upon one into harmony and avoid destruction. Great Ukemi is great surrender, but Ukemi is not defeat-- taking a fall is not a loss -- it is rather the reception of the "information" that the waza is transmitting. As uke, if we receive the technique and energy of tori cleanly we will have leg up on internalization of the same technique -- this process is like an imprint or a photographic negative. You feel the off-balance over and over acting upon you and you subconscious learns to recognize the same pattern in others -- spontaneously you can fit (tsukuri) in correct time and place -- uke builds tori form the inside out.



As Uke, we want to recieve the transmission of tori's technique with as little distortion or interference as possible. If we are resisting off-balance, fighting to maintain control, then we are making "noise" in the system which both distorts the signal we are receiving and makes flowing light easy ukemi impossible -- fighting off-balance just leads to harder and harder falls -- if we invoke the principle of "go" or hardness, rigidity, stength by trying to stop or dampen the effects of kuzushi -- usually by rigidifiying our postural muscles and making internal torque to counter the forces acting upon us -- we will have to pay the price of high intensity falls and low quality imprint. Even a highly skilled tori can't insure your safety under such conditions. Probability of injury is high because you cannot fall and try not to fall at the same time. The contradictory signals in the nervous system don't allow for both to happen. So Ukemi tends to be catastrophic.

My best advice is to give yourself freely to off-balance -- surrender posture and position easily, lightly and take all the nice easy falls you can until they become automatic and non-consciously controlled events -- only after building the internal falling automatic mechanism is it advisible to experiment with conditions of resistance and the principle of "go" and even then with caution and trepidation.

Nick Lowry - Apr 30, 2009

Joy

© 2007 David Kerkhoff


Joy

Live in joy,
In love,
Even among those who hate.

Live in joy,
In health,
Even among the afflicted.

Live in joy,
In peace,
Even among the troubled.

Live in joy,
Without possessions,
Like the shining ones.

The winner sows hatred
Because the loser suffers.
Let go of winning and losing
And find joy.

There is no fire like passion,
No crime like hatred,
No sorrow like separation,
No sickness like hunger,
And no joy like the joy of freedom.

Health, contentment and trust
Are your greatest possessions,
And freedom your greatest joy.

Look within.
Be still.
Free from fear and attachment,
Know the sweet joy of the way.

How joyful to look upon the awakened
And to keep company with the wise.

How long the road to the man
Who travels with a fool.
But whoever follow those who follow the way
Discovers his family, and is filled with joy.

Follow then the shining ones,
The wise, the awakened, the loving,
For they know how to work and forbear.

Follow them
As the moon follows the path of the stars.


Dhammapada - Sayings of Buddha - Translated by T. Byrom

The Tower

The tarot deck is about the story of a fool. In fact the fool represents us, walking ignorant and blind down the path of life.

In the story the Fool comes upon a Tower, fantastic, magnificent, and familiar. In fact, The Fool, himself, helped build this Tower back when the most important thing to him was making his mark on the world and proving himself better than other men. This tower reminds me of the ego and pride of young martial artists trying to prove their metal - and of some old teachers that become deluded with their own ideas, cult of personality and ideas of control.



Some say the Tower is a card about war, a war between the structures of lies and the lightning flash of truth. The Tower, as Wang points out, stands for "false concepts and institutions that we take for real." When the Querent gets this card, they can expect to be shaken up, to be blinded by a shocking revelation. It sometimes takes that to see a truth that one refuses to see. Or to bring down beliefs that are so well constructed. What's most important to remember is that the tearing down of this structure, however painful, makes room for something new to be built.

Some of the Tower's positive ideas

having a revelation
suddenly realizing the truth
exposing what was hidden
having a burst of insight
seeing through illusions
getting the answer
seeing everything in a flash

I find in my practice it is a constant search for truth. I search for truth in myself, in the faces and words of my students and teachers. The art form itself is questioned and redrawn as my understanding grows and my previous ideas shattered.

Build your towers and cast them down.



many words borrowed from aeclectic.net