Kalasarpa Martial Art: Aiki Martial Art & Jiu-Jitsu Training in New York City

Kalasarpa Martial Art
Gregory Soon
Aikido | Jiu-Jitsu Training in New York City

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KALASARPA MARTIAL ART is an Independent Dojo which sets forth to share a Fresh Ideology and Approach to the Philosophy of Aiki.
How We Are Different

2010 Class Locations | Class Schedule
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Our Mission Statement

How We Are Different:

Soon

There's a Lot of Debate on What's Aikido, My Perspective... Please Also Read My Mission Statement.

I am sending this because I see a need to be clearer in what it is I teach as opposed to a traditional Aikikai dojo. My philosophy is never to fight, but when you have no other choice, to be prepared to defend yourself. The Aikido I teach helps this and helps develop clearer thinking when you are faced with a choice to fight or not to fight.

Aikikai dojos promote loyalty to an organization that governs the business of selling ranking within the organization and its affiliates. The quality of the instruction is iffy at best. The dojo I once belonged to, on any given night, will have a random black-belt instruct a class if the Sensei is not there - and usually the Senseis are traveling to teach seminars (where they make their income). There is no uniformity in the quality of the instruction, everything is geared towards members coming in to get their daily membership requirements met, so they can eventually pay the organization to test. No one ever fails a test either.

My views:
Aikido at the root, is Jiu-Jitsu. The founder of Aikido Morihei Ueshiba trained in various schools of traditional Jiu-Jitsu before he created his art that he named Aikido. Before it was called Aikido, it was called Daito-ryu Aiki-jujitsu, Aiki-Budo (pre-WWII), then finally Aikido (post WWII).

If you Remove Aikido Philosophy from the Physical Training, it is pure Jiu-Jitsu that is Absolutely Effective as a Fighting Style. In Fact It Is Absolutely a Devastating Fighting Style That Goes Beyond Striking, Beyond Kicking.

It Involves Take-Downs, Trapping, Throws, Defenses Against Grappling/Striking/Kicking, Locking of the Wrists, Elbows, Shoulders, Neck, and other parts of the body.

And It is Not Sport Oriented Where You Have to Learn a Set of Rules. It is basically Educated Fighting for Pure Self-Defense.

Lastly, Aikido is a very specific Training Method/System. We Don't Train like people in a Boxing Gym Train, we don't train how a Karate class trains, The Unique-ness of Aikido Training is its partner-based exercises that require people to work together to learn the techniques. It's a difficult method to learn, which is why I believe people gravitate towards easier ways to learn to fight (striking & kicking).

Why don't "Aikido" stylists compete in sport competitions? Because of the philosophy of Aikido. Usually if an Aikido participant did enter a competition, he would probably be taking in a background of other sport fighting styles such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, etc.

When I went to train in Judo and Wing Chun Kung Fu, I never tried mixing styles. When I trainined in Judo, I only did Judo. When I trained in Wing Chun, I only did Wing Chun. Now that I am teaching classes I freely use the techniques, concepts and methods I learned from the various styles I have studied in the past. But at the Root everything teach is Aikido.

I make it clear that when I am teaching a technique from a self-defense/fighting perspective, it is a Jiu-Jitsu technique.

The philosophy of Aikido is to end a conflict without resorting to violence; how does one do this? I think it's a progression of mellowing out your general out-look on life as you grow and experience and become older. The training eventually takes the desire to fight out of you because before you enter a conflict, you will take the time to see what the potential outcomes are. And in any physical fight, the outcomes are usually not very good (even when you win).

~ Gregory Soon, January 13, 2010

Testimonials:

Soon

"Gregory is an excellent instructor, working with individuals of all ages and physical types with instruction tailored to each individual's abilities. His mastery of the craft is amazing and he successfully conveys his enthusiasm to his students."
Top qualities: Expert, Good Value, Creative
P. Hardy, New York, NY, November 23, 2009
(from LinkIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/soonaiki)

"I have always respected the philosophy of self-defense by turning an opponents negative energy against them. This is a useful concept in the struggles of daily life and I have always wanted to develop those skills.
Since I began taking Greg Soon's Aikido classes, I feel I am on the right path. The skills that Greg can teach will be invaluable in developing a centered approach to life. To be able to fall down and get up again is not only a good workout in itself, but a good analog to life's challenges and living a productive life.
I highly recommend Greg's class. He is an extremely knowledgeable and centered teacher that has allowed me to refine and test my abilities both physically and spiritually."
L. Saffioti, Kew Gardens, NY

"Greg is a great martial arts teacher. I really enjoy training with him. He is patient, easygoing and has a good sense of humor; but he’s also specific with his instruction and serious in his aims. Taking his classes has definitely been worth my time because he teaches practical techniques of self-defense, drawing from a variety of martial arts, focusing on techniques that will actually help a person defend themselves on the street rather than spending time on antiquated traditional styles. At the same time, he integrates this with a lightly held, but deeply felt, spiritual understanding of how to use energy and intention—which has helped me to discover that I am much more powerful than I had realized before."
S. O'Conner, Inwood, NY

"About doing Front Rolls at Gregory's classes. They look so easy but one doesn't always do them right the first time. It takes training. You'll know it when you do them right. It gives you a sense of empowerment and you want to try to see if you can do it again... that goes for any martial arts technique."
R. Lieu, New York, NY

Gregory is a Current Member of the Following Alliances:
Asian American Arts Alliance:

http://aaartsalliance.org/artists/soongregory-kijja/
"Asian American Arts Alliance is dedicated to strengthening Asian American artists and arts/cultural groups in New York City through funding, promotion and community building."

ACSM Alliance of Health and Fitness Professionals:

http://www.acsm.org/