A martial artist since 1964, Tony Annesi holds black belts in judo, aiki-ju-jutsu, karate, and has studied numerous other arts. As early as 1977, Annesi received the title of Ichiban Deshi no Soke (#1 student of the stylistic leader) in aiki-ju-jutsu from Albert C. Church, Jr. In 1984, the Goshin-kai International, a French federation, and the International Brotherhood of Martial Artists, a German-based organization, both decorated Annesi for his dedication to the martial arts. In the same year, Annesi was appointed soke-dai (inheritor designate) of the Kamishin-ryu martial arts, a position he resigned in 1988 due to a conflict in leadership styles. In 1989, he founded BUSHIDO-KAI KENKYUKAI, a federation for the development of innovative traditional martial arts and shortly thereafter founded BUSHIDO-KAI BUDOYA to help broaden the martial education of practitioners worldwide.
In addition to writing the regular column The Dojo Files for Inside Karate Magazine, Annesi has written articles for Self-Defense World, Inside Kung-fu, Black Belt, and The International Fighter. Shihan-renshi (master instructor) Annesi has taught martial arts for over 30 years and is featured in Corcoran and Karkas's landmark reference, Martial Arts: History, Traditions, People.
Saturday large seminar: Kake-uke (hook-block) from Karate to Aiki
Learn how a block you already know can be used in various ways to produce results you never expected. Most systems perform something akin to a kempo/karate hook block. Few systems use it more than to deflect on oncoming punch.
In this seminar, Shihan Annesi will take you through various versions of the hook block, use it in a conventional way against a straight punch, and then combine it with a second hook block to produce in in-close fighting combination. From here, Shihan Annesi will analyze the movement for hidden locks and strikes.
The result will be a mini-kata that can be used by any style, hard or soft, full of self-defense applications.
Sat. upper level seminar:
From Maximal to Medial to Minimal: Understanding <<Invisible Aiki>>
Subtlety is the trademark of minimal motion aiki. This seminar will help you understand how advanced aiki, in all its subtlety, has roots in techniques familiar to many aiki and ju-jutsu systems.
Shihan Annesi will start you with simple <<structuring>> of your own body so that you can withstand on oncoming strike, then move you into transferring that apparent rigidity to the opponent. Once the opponent is momentarily stiff, subtle movements will produce big results. You as the <<tori>> will be able to relax and perform small, precise movements to stiffen, lock, block or throw the <<uke>>.
Advanced Aiki is not easy to learn and is seldom taught to the public without preliminary training. This seminar will begin the instruction so that the student will be able to perform successfully to a fundamental level and will be able to see the effectiveness that advance levels hold.
Sunday Weapon defense:
Aiki Blade Defenses from the Samurai to the Street
A defense against a katana (samurai sword) is not the same as a defense against a contemporary knife-wielding thug. Each style of defense is unique to its time, but both were only to be used in dire circumstances. Heroics against a blade is foolhardy but inability to defend against knife threats, at the very least, is necessary for self-protection on today’s streets.
This seminar will not make you an invulnerable target unable to be cut, but it will give you some essentials to face the blade if dire circumstance present themselves.
