YOU ARE THE MOST SENIOR FEMALE (IN RANK) PRACTISING AT THE WHITE ROSE AIKIKAI WITH OVER TWENTY FIVE YEARS CONTINUOUS PRACTISE HOW HAS YOUR AIKIDO CHANGED OVER THE YEARS AND DO YOU FEEL AIKIDO IS TAUGHT DIFFERENTLY FROM WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED.

Janet Hajdysz:

My aikido has changed over the years by becoming much more relaxed . Going back in the early days of training we seemed to use more strength and aggression.over the years you start to relax and you develop your centre this comes with a lot of practise. The more relaxed you are with the techniques the more powerful you are over uke.
Aikido is not as strict today as it was when I first started . Nobody could speak on the mat as much . We used to get a visiting Japanese sensei over to teach quite regularly he was very strict. The gradings were different as well , whoever was grading had to receive the techniques using one uke. Today aikido training is more relaxed we still train hard but you also need a good atmosphere and a sense of humour. There is no point in tra! ining if it is serious all the time you need to enjoy it as well.
DO YOU FEEL YOU GET THE SAME RESPECT FROM THE STUDENTS WHEN TEACHING AS THE MALE INSTRUCTORS .

Janet Hajdysz:

Regarding getting the same respect from students when teaching as the male instructors, Sometimes when we have been on courses and I have been asked to teach for half an hour Iget some funny looks off students from different clubs, as though to say what does she think she is doing but I just get on with it. I tend to get more problems from some women than men when I teach some women do not like to be taught by another woman.
When I sometimes teach at the friday class , I get quite a lot of tsick but it is all in good spirits, I have to tell sensei
mick to shut up sometimes when I am teaching , he keeps butting in well thats husbands for you ( ha ,ha )

DO YOU FEEL AIKIDO IS REALLY EFFECTIVE AGAINST A LARGER STRONGER OPPONENT .

Janet Hajdysz:

Aikido has nothing to do with strength as long as you divert that persons energy no matter how big they ar! e and to break their centre so they become weaker, and if one technique does not work there is always something else you can do. Like stick your finger in their eye.
BOTH YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND MICK CAME TO THE WHITE ROSE FROM B.A.F. MANY YEARS AGO WERE YOU HAPPY TO CHANGE ASSOCIATIONS OR DID YOU COME BECAUSE YOUR HUSBAND DID AND ARE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR CHOICE .

Janet Hajdysz:

Mick and myself were happy to change from the BAF to the white rose years ago because the BAF were getting too political, a lot of arguments in meetings and people teaching the class who did not have the knowledge and experience, also there was not a good atmosphere. We are both very happy with our decision to come to the white rose, we respect Shane and his teachings. Shane is the head of the association and that suits us both fine. Sensei Riley is our favorite sensei (creep , creep).

DID THE AIKIDO DIFFER MUCH AT THE WHITE ROSE FROM THE B.A.F?

Janet Hajdysz:

The aikido is much better at the white rose than the BAF the training is more versatile with lots of variations in the techniques. The BAF always stuck to the same techniques they would not look at techniques practically, very textbook style of training.