Martial Arts & Self Defense Senior Instructor - Neil Chandler Senior Instructor Chandler has over 30 years of experience in the Martial Arts and 10 years in the fitness industry. He is a certified black belt instructor in several martial arts, a Beyond Fitness nutritional coach and an IFPA certified fitness trainer. He is also a certified mirco fit fitness assessment technician in addition to being the fitness director at Anastasia Athletic Club for the last 5 years. Mr. Chandler began golden glove boxing at the age of 8 and karate at the age of 10. He discovered an immediate attraction to the contact and hard physical training that has lasted throughout his career.
Since then, he has traveled around visiting Dojos throughout the United States, Canada and Japan improving and adding to his martial skills. He was a member of the International Jujutsu Federation of Japan for 10 years earning black belts in Kobudo and Bujutsu.
Mr. Chandler was a personal student of Ninjutsu Grandmaster Shoto Tanemura learning traditional Jujutsu and Ninjutsu as well as special police techniques and many weapon styles. He received instructor credentials and his martial arts name Byakko (White Tiger) from the Grandmaster. The Grandmaster taught him that martial arts are more a matter of the heart and spirit (Ki) than techniques.
Mr. Chandler’s love for Aikido and its founder Morihei Ueshiba was passed on to him by his stepfather, who began training while stationed at a military base in Japan during and after the Korean War. In addition to his training with his stepfather, Mr. Chandler has spent many years researching the philosophies and techniques of the founder, and the history of Aikido and Aikibudo. He is a practitioner of Kotodama and Mantrayana, as well as other spiritual exercises including Shugyo and Misogi. He has traveled to many sacred sites for intense training and meditations, including a visit to Mt. Futara in Nikko while in Japan. For 12 years, Mr. Chandler has taught many prominent individuals including special police and military units, pilots, martial artists, psychologists as well as the general public.
He continues to train by attending seminars and visiting the home dojos in Japan.
His goal is to follow and share the path of harmony. Tanren-Ho-
Tanren is the process of forging & folding metal. The steel was purified by fire and water as it was folded and pounded, folded and pounded again and again until all the impurities were refined away. The steel was alive and glowing with the fire that forged it Each blade was an individual with a different personality and look. This process went into producing the ancient samurai sword blades of Japan and was performed by a Shinto Priest dressed in white to represent purity.
Tanren-Ho means forging and developing the individual through hard training (shugyo) in much the same way as turning steel into a sword that is free from impurities, that mirrors compassion and honesty. Strong, and Sharp; yet flexible. These are the qualities to which the aikido practitioner aspires.
Aikido
Ai – Harmony/Unity/Bringing Together.
Ki – Universal as well as individual life energy.
Do – Way/Path/Method.
Kobudo - Way of the Ancient Martial Arts
Tanren–Ho Aikido Kobudo –
When placed together these words mean, “a method or path to achieving perfect harmony and balance through hard training (shugyo) based on ancient martial art methods. This training creates unity with universal and our own individual life energy; thus achieving a state of loving protection for our self as well as all things in the universe. The techniques of Tanren-Ho and Aikido are the same. These techniques of self-protection, discipline and personal, spiritual mental and physical development are distilled from ancient martial arts and their training methods, which have survived throughout the centuries. Founded as a separate martial art by the great Master Morihei Ueshiba, these techniques are practiced today to help raise humanity to its highest state, thus achieving peace and creating a world worth living in, for ourselves and generations to come. Aikido was founded as a new Japanese martial art in the 1920s by the great master Morihei Ueshiba. It combines the best of all the ancient forms of martial arts (Bujutsu) with unique features all its own. Aikido employs circular or pivoting rather than linear movements to blend with the opponent’s force and momentum to overcome an attacker. The techniques of Aikido transcend differences in size and strength. Ueshiba taught that “today’s victor will be defeated tomorrow, that the strong man will ultimately meet someone stronger and that the pursuit of brute force will end in frustration; and no matter how fast one may be, there are limitations to physical capabilities”. Upon witnessing a demonstration, the founder of Judo called Aikido “The ultimate martial art.” The basic importance of Aikido is to learn self-defense, become physically fit, and flexible. Within the techniques, and raining methods of Aikido there are deeper meanings and philosophies, if practiced properly Aikido can be an instrument by which one’s body, mind, spirit, and emotions can evolve and unify into one serene entity learning to live in harmony with themselves and with one another. The strength and cardiovascular conditioning regimen of Aikido is one of the best in the world. Tuesday and Thursday
8:00 PM – 9:45 PM
Saturday
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Members - $45/ per month
Non-members – $55/ per month
Strength * Determination * Self Control * Courtesy * Self Discipline |
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