http://www.sportgorilla.com/directory.phpSportGorilla.com - The Social Utility Site Connecting SportI have known Sensei Eastman for some 12 years and during those years I have heard so many stories about both Sensei Eastman and Sensei Ellis and their dedication to the early promotion of UK Aikido, some of the history highlights their hard training and appreciation of a true martial art, yet there are many amusing anecdotes.Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:21:39 +0000http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2483&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20the%20biography%20of%20sensei%20derek%20eastman&view=1712http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2483&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20the%20biography%20of%20sensei%20derek%20eastman&view=1712At first sight of the above title I am sure that a lot of Aikidoist's will be angry, they will assume that this is yet another attack on the credibility of Aikido by other martial artist's.Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:20:14 +0000http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2484&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20is%20aikido%20a%20martial%20art?&view=1711http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2484&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20is%20aikido%20a%20martial%20art?&view=1711I attempted to establish the hard style of Aikido that was first introduced to the West in the 1950's. I would like to emphasize the fact that I get no satisfaction from publicly criticizing Aikido and I get a great deal less satisfaction when I see Aikido being brought into ridicule.Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:17:49 +0000http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2484&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20is%20aikido%20a%20martial%20art?&view=1710http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2484&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20is%20aikido%20a%20martial%20art?&view=1710I was born in West London in 1963, my father was very involved in the martial arts and a dan grade in Karate he was also a dealer in ancient Japanese arms and armour, although my father has an antiques shop in London's Bond Street, my home was more like a samurai warriors dressing room, with original suits of Japanese armour complete with very frighting face masks that would frighten the life out of my friends when ever they came to visit, there were also very many valuable swords yari and naginata spears.Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:59:22 +0000http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2487&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20women%20in%20the%20martial%20arts&view=1705http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2487&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20women%20in%20the%20martial%20arts&view=1705In articles parts one and two I have covered the introduction of Aikido to the West, and the impact on other Martial Artists, Aikido progressed and developed in the UK by visiting existing dojos of all the various Martial Arts and offering to demonstrate and teach for free in the hope of starting a small class in the more receptive dojos, as one can imagine this was no easy task as more often than not our efforts were not an open invitation to most dojos.Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:45:12 +0000http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2484&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20is%20aikido%20a%20martial%20art?&view=1694http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2484&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20is%20aikido%20a%20martial%20art?&view=1694Q-DW: With all the years of hard training and instruction going up through the kyu grades what was the final path to your first dan ?Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:41:49 +0000http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2483&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20the%20biography%20of%20sensei%20derek%20eastman&view=1693http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2483&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20the%20biography%20of%20sensei%20derek%20eastman&view=1693Interview with Sensei Henry Ellis a pioneer of British Aikido from 1957.Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:32:47 +0000http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2480&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20positive%20aikido&view=1689http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2480&sn=%20aikido&cn=%20positive%20aikido&view=1689The Aikido Controversy is now a part of British Aikido History. It was a long and difficult fight to protect the true history of British Aikido from the false claims of Mr Jack Poole and The British Aikido Board. Sport England totally exonerated Henry Ellis. The BAB were instructed to give Henry Ellis a full public apology after admitting that Mr Poole had received an award to APPEASE him. The BAB also admitted that Mr Poole could only substanciate his history from 1968.Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:31:34 +0000http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2479&sn=%20Aikido&cn=%20the%20great%20british%20aikido%20controversy&view=1688http://www.sportgorilla.com/index.php?s=2477&c=2479&sn=%20Aikido&cn=%20the%20great%20british%20aikido%20controversy&view=1688