User:Graham3269/Renzu Kwai Aikido Club, Sidcup

This article should be retained because it records the fact that Tomiki Aikido has been practiced in England since the 1960's, and the Renzu Kwai Aikido Club was the first such club set up. There are not contact details, and the article does not promote the club but records it's existance as a founder of the practice of Tomiki Aikido in England. This is an integral part of the history of Aikido in general and Tomiki Aikido in particular in England.

The Renzu Kwai Aikido Club, Sidcup
The Renzu Kwai Aikido club has been in existence for over 30 years and as such is the oldest Tomiki Aikido Club in Britain. It was a founding member of the Tomiki Aikido International Network, the British Aikido Association, and the British Aikido Board. The Renzu Kwai Aikido Club has a world wide reputation for the high standards of it’s Aikido. It has produced more black belts than any other club in Britain.

Aikido
Aikido is a self defence based martial art. It uses the attackers own momentum against them. It was founded in the early 20th century by Morehi Ueshiba. One of Ueshiba’s students was Professor Kenji Tomiki. Professor Tomiki was a high ranking Judo player before he was introduced to Aikido.

Tomiki
The style of Aikido practiced by the Renzu Kwai Aikido Club at Sidcup was designed by Professor Tomiki to allow him to teach Aikido to students with no previous martial arts experience. The system uses the formal presentation of a series of techniques to give a student a framework upon which to base their learning of Aikido. This makes Professor Tomiki’s style of Aikido ideal for students with no experience of martial arts. His other great innovation was the introduction of a competition element into the practice of Aikido. All of the techniques can be modified for use in free play and self defence.

Instructors
The club's Chief instructor is Bill Lawrence. Bill is a 5th dan Tomiki Aikido- JAA; 6th dan Tomiki Aikido-BAA. Also 1st dan judo. He began aikido c. 1959 under Senta YAMADA, and later studied under Riki KOGURE, Tsunemitsu Naito, Takeshi INOUE, and Hideo OHBA. He is a founder member of the BRITISH AIKIDO ASSOCIATION, and presently its Honorary President. He hosted Ohba Sensei during his three-month visit in 1976. He is the Chief instructor of the Renzu Kwai Aikido Club. Renzu Kwai Aikido Club in Sidcup. Other instructors are Lesley Hepden 6th dan Tomiki Aikido who is also the General Secretary of the British Aikido Association (also the Uke in Dr Li Ah Loi's famous books), and Andy Stiggear 5th dan Tomiki Aikido. Bill Lawrence passed away july 3rd 2014, at the age of 95, he was an 8th dan (HON),



Graham Watson 14:09, 8 September 2007 (UTC)