Positive Aikido

About the Book

Positive Aikido is available on bookshelves around the globe. This book, an in-depth look at our school's special brand of technique, strategy, philosophy as well as unique history, took about 15 years to compile, but will soon be offered in print by the world's leading on-demand publisher. Trafford Holdings Ltd is privately-held corporation, registered in British Columbia, Canada. There are over 120 shareholders, including many authors and all the permanent employees. It was incorporated in 1991. In late 1995, Trafford opened its doors and website. They are the first company in the world to offer an "on-demand publishing service," and they are the best. The production of "Positive Aikido" has gone through numerous stages. The hand-drawings describing each of the positive techniques in traditional Aikido were begun in 1987 with the intention of providing new students with a reference guide - at the time to be photocopied for students in the U.S. and later possibly for the U.K. students as well. That plan, however, never took hold as more and more drawings were produced. The drawings of the first four groupings were finished in 1991 and in 1993, the second four groupings were added, along with some transcripts from a recorded converstaion between Sensei Ellis and Rogers on a long roadtrip between Dallas, Texas and Alamogordo, New Mexico. Rogers made his 1st Dan during that trip, and Positive Aikido picked up a lot of its histories and background information. Still, it was no more than a shep of papers cobbled together from various sources. In 1999, however, with the advent of digital photgraphy, Rogers decided to augment the drawings with some digital photos and possibly put together a proper booklet for students in all the Ellis Schools. The photos, however, required some supporting text - and there was a lot of other material which needed to be conveyed as well. The transcripts were rewritten and cleaned up a bit and the photos were digitally processed for the first four forms. During another visit to New Mexico, Sensei and his assistant Anita Wilson along with Sensei's son did the demonstrations needed for the last four forms. Later, the first four forms were re-shot with Sensei Rogers and one of his first U.S. students, Jeff Glaze of New Mexico. By this time, "Positive Aikido" was being developed as a book. The agent and publishers we first contacted agreed, but the material was still fairly rough. More photos were shot and extensive digital work was done on them to clarify technique. Additional sections were added to describe combat strategy and the philosophy behind "Positive Aikido". Sections on ethics and morals within the arts were developed along with material dealing with the selection of a martial art for beginners. And of course, the history section was strengthened and sharpened. Lastly, a complete reorganization of the material was accomplished with an addition of a section on pins and control and weapons (jo and sword). The finished work is comprised of more than 1000 photos, 600 hand-drawings and complex explanations and tips to make the techniques of Aikido work properly. It includes detailed writing on the "Positive" mindset as well as complete sections geared to beginners, intermediate students and advanced practitioners. Although several traditional publishers expressed interest in printing the book, and initial negotiations were entered into with one California-based company, the advent of "print-on-demand" technology and the resulting new publishing market, made for a better alternative. Of this book as it stands now, the authors say this. There are a lot of books on Martial Arts out there, and this one fits in the crowd well - but it also stands alone in the sheer comprehensiveness of the work. It is a nearly complete representation of a single school's technique - it is a historical marker - a book of strategy - an ethical guide - a technical manual - and it is a chart, graph and manifest of all the things which make martial artisits as a whole stand together as sisters and brothers with the same warrior spirit. http://www.ellisaikido@ntlworld.com Reviews Many publications on the subject of Aikido come and go. A majority all revolve around the same format or topics. It is unusual for a no holds book to be released. To have a warning printed on the first page, invites you in to read more! This book cannot be classed as a technical, although a whole chapter is dedicated to techniques. The main proportion of the book deals with personal interpretation of what Aikido means to the authors. It draws comparison with modern day Aikido, and the Aikido from the past; all it's good and bad points. There is also a strong emphasis on personal history. In so many ways, it breaks the boundaries of what a traditional Aikido book is suppose to show and say! The authors are to be congratulated for a no nonsense approach, and breaching the normal concept of what is expected from a book in this category. I'm sure it will cause a great debate among different groups, which should be encouraged. Finally, if the dialogue causes the reader to cough, splutter, or even split blood; at least the cover can be easily wiped. Mr. Nigel Jones Principal instructor for Abertillery Aikido Club under the Amateur Martial Association. Trained under Sensei Haydn Foster, & Sensei Ron Russell at the Hut Dojo. I just received my copies of "Positive Aikido" from Trafford Publishing. The cover is excellent!. I have only skimmed though it briefly, I like the way it is laid out, I am enjoying the stories and History so far. The rest of this week, I will go through the whole book and then write a review and place it on my website to let others outside of the Aikido world know where to purchase it. Thank you for being a friend and sharing your martial spirit, it is very refreshing to know a true warrior of the martial art, and one who still practice and teach the old way while embracing the modern. Continued success, and here's hope that all your First-Run books be sold completely out (smile)... Most Honorable regards, Jimm McMurray House of Discipline Martial Arts Moo Hap Sool Hapkido
World Kido federation

About the Author

Henry Ellis was born May 3, 1936 in a tough coal mining area near Rotherham South Yorkshire, United Kingdom. His childhood was hard and deprived as were most kids in those war torn years. His father, a hardened coal miner, handed down to Henry the strict no nonsense Victorian values that he himself had endured at the hands of his own brutal father. Henry knew nothing other than strict discipline in his youth - something which was to stand him in good stead in his later years. He spent two year in a special school for so called "tough kids" which would have made a "juvenile correction facility seem like a Holiday Camp."

Henry was interested in all sports and, at the age of fourteen, joined a cycling club. At 15 he entered his first Time Trial race and won three prizes, finding himself elevated to be the third rider in the club team. This was his passion until starting Judo at the now famous Hut Dojo. It was whilst practising Judo in the 1950's that he saw the "new" martial art of Aikido.

He then gave up both cycling and judo to concentrate solely on Aikido.

At the age of nineteen he was accepted into the newly formed Aikido section at the Hut Dojo. The descipline and etiquette was something that very few students could take and it was now that for the first time he was able to fall back into the strict discipline that was an every-day part of his early life.

Henry found in Aikido something that appealed to his nature. In those early days Aikido was hard and positive - hence the title of this book. Also in those days there was a true "no nonsense" approach to Aikido. This approach is still Henry's focus and he is proud to have been an important part of Aikido's early development within the United Kingdom.

When initially approached to cooperate in this book, he immediately stated that the book must be honest and practical with no references to floating around the planets and other mystical and magical nonsense.

Whilst Henry believes that the heavy hand of his father shaped his childhood the rest of his life was moulded by his respect for his teacher Kenshiro Abbe Sensei.

Derek Eastman was born 1943 in West London. Although Derek was too young to remember the war, he clearly remembers the difficult post war years and the devastation of London. Even though life was hard, he recalls that he had a happy childhood. His family later moved to the London suburb of Southall where Derek took an interest in all sports, in particular track and field for which he represented both school and county. On leaving school he became an apprentice mechanical engineer, and bought his first motor bike. At the age of sixteen he joined his friends and their "motor bike gang", they would often visit Windsor and join in the fights with the Queens guards which in those days was the norm.

Derek was very game, but often came off the worse for wear. He decided to toughen himself up and join the Hut Dojo which he had often passed on the road. He visited the Hut and it was here that he met his teacher Henry Ellis. In 1968 Derek had two dojo's and as a member of the Martial Art Commission he needed a name for his dojo's. He approached Henry Ellis and asked if he could use his name for his organisation as Mr. Williams had used Abbe sensei's name for the Abbe School of Budo". Mr. Ellis agreed and they joined their schools together to form the "Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido."

Dave Rogers was born in 1966 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. He grew up in Seekonk, Massachussettes, the proud son of truck driver and former Navy enlisted man, Ed Rogers and his wife, Beverly.

While not sports-oriented, Rogers surprised his parents by joining an American Kenpo Karate class led by Donald Hume in 1980. Upon graduation from High School, he then promptly joined the U.S. Air Force, and was soon stationed at RAF Greenham Common, Berkshire, United Kingdom. It was here Rogers and his long-time friend Al Montemar moined the Basingstoke Aikido Club where they met their teachers, Senseis Henry Ellis, Derek Eastman, Keith Webb and David Warne.

Practices in the 80s with this group were fierce, but the two Americans stayed until the base closed in 1990 with the advent of a treaty with and eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.

Rogers promised to open a club in the U.S., and the first Ellis School in America opened its doors in Alamogordo, NM just a few months into 1990.

Although serving in many different capacities over the years including with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Unit in Somalia, 1993; a 5-year stint as a daily newspaper reporter and editor; and several years as a graphic artist for the State of New Mexixo, Rogers has always maintained the U.S. branch of the shcool. in 1999, he finished a manuscript which was originally intended as an informative brochure for the U.S. branch of the Aikido School. In 2000, it became obvious that the brochure was now a book, and Rogers contacted his teachers to ask for their help.

This book, Positive Aikido, is the result.