Frequently Asked Questions
Historically, Aiki-Jujutsu was one of the major
unarmed martial arts of the Samurai in feudal Japan. It is an
advanced form of Jujutsu and is over 800 years old. Aiki-Jujutsu
is
the father of modern day Aikido.
What is the "Senso-Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu"?
"Senso-Ryu" is the name of our
style. It translates to "War Style". Senso-Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu is an
extremely effective modern system of self defense loosely based on
the art of the Samurai taught in a traditional manner.
The 3 main arts taught at the Sensokan Dojo are:
Jujutsu - Basic striking,
grappling and throws.
Kenjutsu - Sword & bokuto work.
Aiki-Jujutsu
- Advance form of
Jujutsu dealing with the control techniques and application of
"Aiki" principles.
Broken down into categories:
Hard Technique -
A series of techniques designed to
inflict injury or death to an opponent utilizing various strikes,
kicks, throws, etc.
Soft Technique -
A series of techniques designed to
inflict pain in order to immobilize an opponent or neutralize an
opponents attack without permanent injury.
Projections -
Projections or "throws" primarily used to
redirect an opponents attack either onto the ground or into another
attacker using their strength against them.
Weapons Training -
Training
with classical weapons such as the Katana (sword) and the Bokuto
(wooden sword) for the development of balance and control as
well as the forging of courage.
We also train in defense against knife, gun,
club, etc.
Control Techniques
- The control techniques are the highest level of techniques taught at the Sensokan. They deal with
the internal and external physics of controlling one's opponent
in single or multiple attack situations through leading, target replacement, pins, etc., Meditation plays a key
role in mastering the control techniques.
Meditation - Meditation is perhaps the
most important aspect of our art.
Without an internal training such as meditation, martial
arts are nothing more than
aerobics. Meditation allows us to remain relatively calm in stressful or
dangerous situations, thus allowing the techniques and principles
that we have learned to "come out" when needed. Without this
internal training, the average person, when confronted with serious
violence, will freeze in fear regardless
of any previous martial art training.
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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.
How long does it take to get a black belt?
This is a common question. In our system, if a student attends 2 classes a week (2 hour
classes each), the black belt can be attained in approximately 4 years. The black
belt, while representing a certain level of proficiency in our system is
only the beginning of advanced training. It is not the end of training by any means.
Is Aiki-Jujutsu similar to Aikido?
It is similar in technique but quite different in application. Our style of Aiki-Jujutsu strictly focuses on self-defense.
Can you learn a martial art from a video?
No, you cannot lean martial arts from a video. To
properly learn a martial art, one must seek out a teacher and a
dojo. Video can be useful in learning things like history,
etiquette, terminology, etc. but actual training must be done with
other students under the supervision of a teacher.
Which is the correct spelling, Aiki-Jujutsu or
Aiki-Jujitsu?
The romanji spelling is based on pronunciation.
The closest romanji spelling would then be "Aiki-Jujutsu" with a "u".
Where is the Sensokan Dojo Indianapolis located?
The dojo is located on private
property in Hanulak Sensei's home. This allows for private training without the public
interruptions commonly found in a commercial setting. This is the
traditional way of teaching and training and how Aiki-Jujutsu has been taught for generations.
Now keep in mind, this is not some "make-shift"
gym thrown together in a garage. This is a traditional Japanese style dojo
created with an unparalleled attention to detail. The dojo is state of the art with the finest
tatami mats on top of 2 layers of polyurethane to provide extra
protection. The wooden walls are specially designed so they "give"
instead of break further preventing injury.
There is a bathroom/changing area and the
dojo office for private teacher/student conferences.
It has been said by many that the Sensokan Dojo Indianapolis is one of the most beautiful yet practical home dojos in the world.
How can I join the Sensokan Dojo?
We encourage those who are interested in the art to email us at sensokan@comcast.net to set up an appointment to interview with the Sensei.
Please visit the contact
page for further information.
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