Self-defense taught in seminar

Aikido club stresses speed, balance to overcome opponent

By Lay Tang
Staff Writer

The USC Aikido Club brought together martial artists from across the country for the Aikido Training Seminar held Saturday and Sunday in the Physical Education Building.
The purpose of the seminar was to teach and refine self-defense methods as well as to promote Aikido.
Aikido is an ancient Japanese art of self-defense that involves throwing, locking and neutralizing an opponent without striking a blow. Aikido requires little physical strength--speed, balance and quick thinking are critical to overcome an opponent.
The national event, which was sponsored by the USC Discretionary Board, aimed to make Aikido more available to the public and the university community, said Theresa Axenson, president of the club.
"(The seminar) provides the opportunity for students and faculty to be able to learn some type of self-defense," Axenson said.
Preparation for the club's first national training seminar began last semester. Axenson did much of the work in obtaining the facilities and forming a specific group of senseis to instruct the seminar.
"(The senseis) are very accomplished martial artists," Axenson said. "I invited them on their reputation."
Senseis Kerry and Dave Nettles traveled from Denver to contribute their knowledge and skills to the seminar. Dave Nettles, who taught most of the seminar, is a full-time instructor of the Japan Aikido Association-USA.
Most of the senseis agreed that they participated in the seminar because they hoped to perfect Aikido techniques.
"My purpose is to have (the entire United States) doing techniques the same way," Nettles said.
Bob Dziubla, the chief instructor of Aikido classes at USC, viewed the seminar as good preparation for the 1997 World Championship in Japan in October.
"It is a duty and a pleasure to be able to get together with other Aikido players from other parts of the U.S. to refine techniques," said Dziubla, a gold medalist at the 1993 World Championship.
The demonstrations were not limited to only Aikido, but also included Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu.
"I wanted to demonstrate the art of Tae Kwon Do just for the people who have no exposure to it," said Jason Poston, a first-year law student at USC. "I want to help make the martial arts grow and prosper in a healthy way."
Participants of the event ranged in training from beginner to advanced skills and had various reasons for attending the training seminar.
"I'm hoping to obtain some basic martial arts skills, to get some exercise and to have fun," said Mike Hua, a sophomore majoring in business.
"I started Aikido less than one year ago," said Albert Tsai, a sophomore studying psychology at UC Berkeley. "I came to watch the masters and see how they play Aikido. I want to really learn and fine tune techniques."
The USC Aikido Club, which is an affiliate of Japan Aikido Association-USA, was started nine years ago by Dziubla.
Members of the USC Aikido Club said they welcome new members. Classes are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 to 10 p.m. in Room 201 of the Physical Education Building.