Robert Bryner Sensei at Cleveland Aikikai
April 6-8, 2001

Contributed by Jim Klar*

It was truly an honor for the members of Cleveland Aikikai to host a weekend seminar with Robert Bryner Sensei.

As a practitioner of various styles of Japanese and Chinese martial arts for over 40 years, Bryner Sensei currently holds the ranks of 6th dan in Aikido and 7th dan in Ryu Te, 3rd dan in Aikido Toho Iai, 3rd dan in Kinokenkyukai Aikido and 1st dan in Judo. Because he blends these skills into a unique approach to every martial encounter, a weekend of instruction from with Bryner Sensei is like no other.

His most recent Aikido influence is Shoji Nishio Sensei. Reflecting his own, as well as Nishio Sensei's training in several complementary arts, his movements are very light and quick. His approach to distance, angles and timing outline a system where, although he is quite capable of striking uke several times in different places (as he willingly demonstrates), uke is always unable to reach nage no matter how long his or her arms may be.

Also like Nishio Sensei, Bryner Sensei demonstrated many Aikido techniques with empty hand, followed by the same techniques with staff and sword. This sort of instruction leads to a deeper understanding of how Aikido evolved from the lethal martial skills of the samurai to the enlightened, art of peace it is today. It informs us that although our training may make it possible to maim or even kill an attacker, we make a conscious decision at each step of the process to forgive and spare uke from death or injury. Bryner Sensei explained how Nishio Sensei calls this, "Giving you your life back," which infers that anyone foolish enough to attack in the first place surrenders their own.

During the course of the seminar, we also incorporated training drills from other martial arts into Aikido applications. In particular, we practiced the "4 Count Exercise" outlined fully in Bryner Sensei's training videos "Shugyo: Supplemental Training Methods for Aikido Volumes I & II" - available through his website shown below. This exercise leads to a blurring of lines between uke & nage, greater flexibility, reaction time and use of peripheral vision. Once practitioners are adequately familiar with the flowing strike/deflect/counter strike sequence, this practice allows for application of Aikido technique by either partner to arise organically and spontaneously from the physical "dialogue" as it takes place.

At its highest level, I personally experienced this type of training as an opportunity for either partner to truly manifest the principle of Takemusu Aiki at any time. At a less lofty level, it demands continuous focus, diffused awareness and is actually a heck of a lot of fun.

Bryner Sensei's evolution as martial artist who continuously explores new training methods, expanding boundaries and modes of thinking about daily training as well as the arts in general shows that he is a true seeker. And any serious student can benefit immensely from such a teacher who is always striving to better himself, as well as assist others on their own path.

To learn more about Bryner sensei, his dojo and videos, please click on http://www.thedojousa.com.