Become a master in martial arts


 

Women in the Martial Arts - Anita Wilson

Women  In  The  Martial  Artsby  Anita Wilsonso many students from so many countries,
UK-France-Germany-Italy-India-Austria are
1st  Lady  Assistant  to  Sensei  Henry Ellisjust some that I can recall. Sensei Ellis was
asked to take the first class of
Ellis  Schools  of  Traditional  Aikidoapproximately 50 dan grades from various
martial arts. Sensei had me demonstrate 100
Anita Wilson was graded to Shodan by Jiropress-ups on the backs of my wrists with
Nakazono Sensie the second son of thefingers pointing both inwards and outwards.
legendary Budo master who had graded herWhen I had finished and was in the raised
teacher  Henry  Ellis  in  1963.position Sensei sat on my back (he did not
warn me of this) and carried on with his
I was born in West London in 1963, my fatherlecture. Sensei suggested that those who
was very involved in the martial arts and awanted to should try this exercise. It was
dan grade in Karate he was also a dealer inamazing to see all these black belts
ancient Japanese arms and armour, although mystruggling. Later I had a little crowd around
father has an antiques shop in London's Bondme wanting to inspect my wrists, I explained
Street, my home was more like a samuraithat this exercise is standard for both
warriors dressing room, with original suitsseniors  and  juniors  in  our  schools.
of Japanese armour complete with very
frighting face masks that would frighten theI was now feeling a little more confident
life out of my friends when ever they came towhen Sensei pointed out that there were six
visit, there were also very many valuableyoung dan grades who had arrived late and
swords  yari  and  naginata  spears.were respectfully waiting for permission to
come onto the mat. Sensei asked me to show
The  Mastersthem what we had been teaching so far, they
were all wearing black gi's and when I
My father would travel around the worldapproached and invited them on the mat, they
searching for the best quality weapons, whatscowled as if to say "hey, we have not
intrigued me the most as a child was alltraveled all the way from London to be taught
these strange visitors that would come to myby a women" as I showed the first technique
home, the famous Otani family were regular"nikkyo" a wrist locking action, the first
visitors with Sensei Matsuro Otani 7th danguy tried to resist me, I applied the
Judo the UK National Coach, Kenshiro Abbetechnique as shown to me so many times by
Sensei, Tomio Otani Sensei the UK NationalSensei and almost put him through the mat. I
Coach for Kendo, his visitors were like thethought he would be upset with me, but as he
who's who of martial arts, as recently as twogot up he asked "How did you do that?". He
weeks ago I was pleased to meet with Senseithen wanted me to do the technique on all the
Kazuo Chiba 8th dan when he came to see myothers, now I had their attention and they
father.were a great bunch of guy's. I really enjoyed
teaching them. At the end of the seminar, as
Introduction  to  Aikidowe were leaving the hall to head for the car
park, these six guy's were waiting in a line
As a child I did a little Karate with myand bowed to me simultaneously with a smile
father but nothing serious until 1992 when Iand said to Sensei Ellis " You have a strong
went to the local Aikido dojo in Bracknell,lady assistant there ,sensei" Sensei replied
Berkshire, UK. All those years with my father" That is why she is my assistant". That was
and his Japanese weapons must have had amy first seminar and one that I will never
latent but profound effect on me, as Iforget.
watched Sensei Ellis teaching his Positive
Style of Traditional Aikido I knew there andI have been involved in many other seminars
then  that  this  was the martial art for me.with my Sensei and they were always good, but
I was never so overawed as I was at my first
The  Hard  Training  Beginsone, or so I thought. Then Sensei Ellis asked
if I would like to visit New Mexico in the
When I started Aikido I made a point ofUSA for a seminar. The seminar was to be held
training with the men and they treated me asin Alamogordo NM, where Sensei's USA
one of them. With regular practice Irepresentative in the US lives and works at
progressed. I had now developed the hardthe Space Museum. Sensei visits New Mexico
training bug and started courses in physicalevery year and we have another Ellis dan
training and amateur weight lifting, after agrade in Texas, Al Montemar. I had always
few years of hard work I became a fullywanted to visit the US and jumped at the
qualified fitness instructor-personal traineropportunity. We made the trip into a vacation
and amateur weight lifting coach, the highfor friends and family. We taught members of
light of all this effort was when Senseithe USAF and German Air Force at Holloman
Ellis promoted me to assistant coach of theAFB, which included a guided tour of the base
Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido (ESTA)and various fighter aircraft, including the
two years later he promoted me to first ladyStealth bomber. Sensei Rogers is an
assistant to himself, there had never everinstructor who teaches students from the
been a lady assistant in all the long historyUSAF, Highway Patrol, police and some members
of the ESTA, Sensei put me on a three monthof  the  United  States  Marshals.
trial  and  8  year  on  I  am  still  here.
While in the US, I also visited the Grand
In 1994 I received my coaching certificateCanyon and Phoenix. I intend to move to
from the British Aikido Board (BAB) which isPhoenix to live within the next two to three
the governing body for Aikido in the UK. Onceyears. Sensei Ellis has a book on aikido
I became assistant to Sensei Ellis I becamecoming out next spring in the US titled
involved in assisting in teaching both men"Positive Aikido" which I am pleased to be
and women and also helping with thefeatured in, Sensei Rogers is a journalist by
children's  classes.profession and has worked on this book for
the past two years and it will be published
The  First  Seminarin the US. There are several publishers
interested in the book so we are all very
Sensei Ellis asked if I would like to takeexcited about this latest project. I hope to
part in a very large and important seminar inbe visiting the US again next year and I hope
Liverpool in the North of England, Senseito  be  there  for the launching of the book.
Ellis is not one of those teachers who has a
pet uke follow him around to fly all over theFor the martial artists out there I would
mat at a touch or a glance, he prefers to trylike to add one more comment about the
to involve all the students who attend hisproposed book. Where as most Aikido books
seminars if possible, knowing this I feltspend a great deal of time harmonizing with
very privileged but nervous when Sensei toldthe planets and the universe, there will be
me there would be about 700 students fromnone of that in this book, Sensei always
various martial arts, I think the phrasetells students to come out of the clouds and
"Being thrown in at the deep end" isget back on the tatami because "This is where
applicable  here.it all happens" and he also often says "
leave the dancing to Fred Astair" (who is
On arrival at the venue I was amazed to seeFred Astair?).



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