Taido and Martial Art Links
This is not the “Ultimate Taido Links Page.” I don’t have the patience to link to every Taido website I can find – especially since so few of them have any useful information. Though several of the links below are not explicitly about Taido, all of them will point you to information that has the potential to change the way you think about and practice Taido.
Taido Information
Alvar’s old taido.net has been rebuilt and re-purposed as the World Taido Federation homepage. I’ll be helping out with that site, which will be the official hub for Taido associations around the world.
International Discussion Forum
The World Taido Forum is hosted by Australian Taido and should interest most students. It’s a very friendly and open forum, so I encourage everyone to participate in the exchange of experiences. I hope (and I know the Aussie Taido team does too) that participation in discussion of Taido ideas and events can lead to improved relations and a stronger international Taido community. These things can be significantly beneficial to you (yes, you!), but they won’t happen unless you (yes, you!) contribute.
I practice with this guy. There’s no English content, but random clicking will avail you of tons of videos of various techniques and hokei. They are low quality, but they are sometimes helpful. With some lucky surfing, you can treat yourself to the soothing sounds of Mr. Manji’s kiai as well as the infamous Taido song. This is one of the oldest Taido pages on the ‘net and a direct inspiration for Taido/Blog.
So there’s people doing Taido in England. Unfortunately, ETA doesn’t have any ranking instructors, but they are some good people with a passion for Taido, so I’ve got high hopes that British Taido will flourish in the future. At any rate, there are some pretty interesting articles on their site that you should probably read.
There’s a good number of Taido videos on YouTube, so make sure you check them out.
Dojo Websites
This is the dojo I currently train at most frequently. The blog functions primarily as a training log. More info about Toyonaka Taido here.
This is Negishi’s dojo where I practiced and taught Taido from 2003 to 2006. There isn’t any English content, but there are lots of photo updates on the blog. The people in Yokohama will always be a part of some of my greatest Taido memories.
Taido Associations and Dojo Directories
Australia
Denmark
England
Finland
France
Japan
- Main Page
- Dojo Directory in Japanese
- Dojo Directory in English (Somewhat out of date)
The Netherlands
Portugal
Sweden
United States
General Martial Art Links
Kaikudo is a new martial art put together by former Taidoka, John Okochi and Michael Issa. They have built their system around T’ai Chi Chuan, Taido, Aikido, and a few other things. As one would expect, the training is eclectic. Before returning to Japan, I spent several months practicing Kaikudo as the foundations were being laid. Over the next few years, this is going to grow into something very special.
Rob Redmond has resurrected his URL. Though he has told us that the new 24fc won’t become another million-word free karate encyclopedia, he is posting plenty of interesting content relating to practicing the martial arts. Rob has mellowed since going on hiatus, but his insights will likely still prove both controversial and beneficial to all who take the time to consider their implications.
John Keeling has been teaching Shotokan for a very long time. A graduate of the Japan Karate Association’s legendary instructors’ course, Keeling is also a prolific writer of articles relating to all aspects of martial arts practice (an article each month since 1998). You should read everything in his archive – really. I also heard a rumor that he can sell you a real nice karategi.
Training and Health Links
This site is dedicated to Scott Sonnon’s Circular Strength Training methodologies and associated products. Sonnon’s art is a model of evolution through practice and collaboration. In fact, many of the stated ideals of RMAX closely resemble fundamental goals of Taido. RMAX produces an excellent selection of training tools and videos.
Brad Appleton has done all the digging and research for you. Here is the information you should digest regarding improving your flexibility. Any instructor without a base level of education with regards to training methods is negligent at the very least. If you do not understand the information that Appleton has compiled here, you have no business giving anyone instruction in sports conditioning.
Body Weight Culture is a community of people fanatical about improving their physical performance using only body-weight exercises. These guys can get in a workout anytime, anywhere. If you’ve been slacking off because you don’t have the time/space/whatever to stay active, you need to click this link. Check out the videos for loads of inspiration and new methods of self-torture.
This is a site about serious training. While I personally don’t agree with bodybuilding as a sport or lifestyle, this site has plenty to offer anyone interested in improving their physical condition or performance in their chosen sport (Taido, of course). The workout principles and diet advice presented here comes straight from some of the best sports coaches and trainers in the world. Naturally, you don’t have to shave off your body hair or get a fake tan to benefit from this info if you use a little common sense.
