TrueAiki Seminars with Allen Dean Beebe

Allen Dean Beebe has been teaching for over three decades in the U.S.A. He has been teaching in Europe for fifteen years. He teaches people from a wide variety of martial arts backgrounds, body workers, dancers, etc. Participants range from heads of world-wide martial arts organizations and Shihans (master teachers), to first timers. The seminar atmosphere is laid back and friendly while retaining purposeful focus and rigor. The main emphasis is upon measurable progress for all participants. Most participants keep coming back and quickly form a family of friends.

2023 Seminars (so far):

1/28-1/29 TrueAiki Seminar in Zwolle, Netherlands

7/1-7/2 TrueAiki Seminar in San Sebastián, Spain

7/8-7/9 TrueAiki Seminar in Amsterdam, Netherlands

7/14-7/16 TrueAiki Seminar in Mainz, Germany

Seminar Feedback:

DS ~ Over the years, I have participated in seminars taught by world-class martial artists such as: Koichi Tohei, William Cheung, Remy Presas, Dan Inosanto, Al Dacascos, Jesse Glover, , Emin Bostepe, George Xu and Master Chai Sirisute (AJARN CHAI). Recently I encountered another teacher that I would consider “world-class”. His name is Allen Beebe. Allen is an Aikido teacher, but his teachings and principles are universal in the martial arts. He has extensive knowledge of body mechanics and can pinpoint where the student needs improvement. He teaches exercises that improve stability and the relaxed application of force. If you have the opportunity to attend one of Allen’s seminars, I would highly recommend it.

Joseba Rodríguez Wing Chun and Escrima Sifu Contact Portugalete Gym ~ AIKI AS SEEN BY WING CHUN My first contact with Aiki was in a Dan Harden seminar. After reading a lot about the elusive quality of Aiki, I wanted to check and feel in person if all what I have read was true. The seminar ended with me questioning everything I knew and surprised by what I had experienced. The name Aiki generates confusion and there is a natural tendency to think that it is only related with the practitioners of Aikido and Aiki JuJutsu. This idea is not correct. This ancient knowledge was once known by different war traditions throughout the world and has practically been forgotten today. Aiki is a name to designate a series of skills that your body develops as it is changing, because you can not have aiki if you do not change your body. To change the body it is necessary to work hard, diligently and continuously. However, in order to advance with greater security it is essential to know what to do and what not to do. Since I started in Aiki I have faithfully followed the blog (trueaiki.com) and the YouTube channel of Allen, a gold mine of information and a beacon that illuminates the diffuse path to follow. This has been my first seminar with Allen Beebe. Allen is well versed in Japanese culture and martial arts. He is also a Dan Harden student and has a solid knowledge of Aiki. He is a kind and accessible person, who patiently explains the different exercises he is showing and answers to the avalanche of questions that arise. The seminar, composed of 4 sessions spread over the mornings and afternoons of Saturday and Sunday, included solo exercises and partner practice.I have been a teacher of Wing Chun and Escrima for more than 20 years. I’ve been practicing martial arts all my life. Today I practice daily to acquire the skill of Aiki. Regardless of the martial art practiced, Aiki does not leave anyone indifferent. Aiki is not about techniques; it is a way to optimize body mechanics. Next year we will train with Allen again. Donosti is not only a city known world-wide for its beauty, tradition and cuisine, it is also one of the few cities where you can train Aiki.

Juan Luis Durán Benjumeda~ In wonderful spring weather, the first seminar of Allen Beebe in Mainz (Germany), took place during the first weekend of April 2017. Allen is a good-natured man, accessible, and reluctant to any type of protocol or hierarchy. This, combined with his enormous teaching skill, makes him an excellent transmitter of knowledge. His goal was, in his own words, that each and every one of us would end the seminar achieving the keys needed to begin to develop Aiki. And, as he confirmed to us, his expectations were exceeded.The size of the group, the desire to work, and the positive curious attitude of the audience created an incredible learning atmosphere. Thanks to this participative atmosphere and the numerous questions formulated by the seminar attendees, there was no doubt unresolved. Along with the theoretical basis, Allen provided us with numerous solo exercises and ways of testing them with a partner, including among them the first Tandoku Dosa and the first technique of Rinjiro Shirata’s teaching system. An Aiki Body is a tensegrity structure, which is dynamically stable because all its parts move in unison in three axes, that is to say, creating spirals. This spiral movement creates tangents to any force we encounter, making us control them without resisting or avoiding. In order to create such a structure, we use gravity and normal force. It is a process of reprogramming our neuromuscular inertia, learning to do less, learning to not use concentric muscle contraction, and to not to go against these opposite forces. Actually, the theory is simple. The real question to be answered is whether we will have the courage and perseverance to make it ours, to commit ourselves to forge an Aiki body.I would like to praise the presence of many veteran Aikido practitioners who had no problem leaving all their conceptions aside to learn as if it were their first day. Allen told us that the heart of Shirata’s teachings is humility as the first necessary step for learning, and the participants demonstrated that virtue. Finally, I want to express thanks to the Aikido group of Mainz ’ s University and its instructors and friends, Bardo and Till, for their help with the preparation of the seminar and generosity to opening their doors to us. I hope that next year we will see each other again.

Ander (Chen Taichi) ~ I just wanted to say thank you for the seminar. It was very inspiring to train with you and to learn –although superficially– your basic exercises.