testimonials Archives - ki fusion Aikido

testimonialsPeter Lindsay – 4th Dan

Started at Tenshin Dojo under Steven Seagal

Former Mr. Universe Body Building Champion

Having trained in Aikido for the last 24 years not to mention the other forms of Martial Arts that I have tried, I have always sought out the best teachers, including my acting coaches and bodybuilding champions. Steven Seagal Sensei and Matsouka Haruo Sensei were my first teachers in Aikido, and they truly embodied and taught me the physical attributes of this marvelous Martial Art. When in Japan I had the privilege to be taught the spiritual and Ki aspect from my Master Abe Sensei. I have to say without a doubt that Mal McRae in my honest opinion embodies both, and is one of the great teachers of our time and I need not look any further.

Mal McRae’s Aikido works and as Steven Seagal Sensei says, if it doesn’t take up dance lessons. I am humbled by his dynamic Aikido and incredible ki power. I highly recommend Mal McRae Sensei to any Martial Artist who is serious about his Art. Mal McRae has taken my Aikido to a different level completely. All I have to say is leave your ego at the door.

Yours in Aiki,
Peter Lindsay

testimonialsJohn Gill

28 Times World Self-Defence Champion Hapkido/Taekwondo

I have been involved in the Martial Arts for over 39 years, and in this time Aikido Master Mal McRae is one of the best I have seen in this industry. His movement and techniques are of high ability and his understanding of his internal ki is rare to see as effortless power. I believe ki energy is a vital part of self-defence and complements non aggressive techniques that we both will be promoting to Martial Art instructors and students. Mal and I have joined together to offer workshops combining the best of Aikido, Hapkido and Taekwondo and I am very much looking forward to working with an outstanding Aikido teacher.

Yours in Martial Arts,
John Gill

testimonialsMiley – 5th Kyu

I was amazed the first time I attended the class, and I still am, by how Mal sensei demonstrates the techniques with ki. They seem to be the same Aikido techniques I’ve learned elsewhere, but they are based on a different principle that makes them much more powerful and effective. The fact that soft ki can actually overcome hard physical power in the Aikido we practice here is not just amazing to watch but also really fascinating to experience ourselves through training. Everyone here is friendly and incredibly encouraging. I feel very lucky to be part of Ki Fusion Aikido.

testimonialsRuss Grosvenor

5th Dan Goju-Ryu Karate

1st Dan ki fusion Aikido

1st Degree Black Belt Krav Maga

Having started learning Goju karate some 30 years ago I was convinced karate was the way to go and had serious doubts as to the practicality of the aikido that I had witnessed. That was before my introduction to ki fusion Aikido and Mal McRae Sensei. Mal Sensei turned my understanding of the martial arts on its head. No longer were strength and speed important. Moves in the karate kata representing locks, holds and throws that were obscure suddenly became crystal clear under Mal Sensei’s instruction. My understanding of ‘ki’ in karate was expanded substantially as I was exposed to the power of the ‘soft ki’ taught in ki fusion Aikido.

I have been cross training under Mal Sensei for nearly seven years now and can say that it has been an experience that needs to be felt to be believed. Without doubt, ki fusion Aikido is the thinking martial artist’s martial art.

testimonialsRhett Curran – 1st Kyu

Aikido is amazing. The concept of using ki instead of muscle and power is something I had not considered before starting my aikido journey. In reality, we use ki every day, but when confronted in an agressive manner, our default instinct is to react with strength. ki Fusion Aikido teaches me the way to use softness and ki when confronted.

testimonialsTimothy A – 4th Kyu

Timothy A – 5th Kyu

Ki fusion Aikido has taught me a lot of things, but the most important to me so far has been the art of Ukemi – the art of receiving a technique, or how to roll, or how to receive a grapple. I did not know how important they were before going into Aikido, and they’re very important. I’ve done a few martial arts before I practiced Aikido. These include such martial arts as: Karate, Judo, and even Jujutsu. None of them delved into how to receive a technique. The most we did was learning how to roll, but we didn’t roll that often. Furthermore, we never learnt how to land from a throw or roll from a throw, or land from a take down.

With Ki Fusion Aikido, not only do we learn how to roll properly, but we do rolling almost every lesson, and we get taught correctly how to receive techniques, and we’re taught how to properly receive grapples, and how to roll out of a throw, and how to properly receive a takedown.

testimonialsGareth Lim – Nidan

I started training under Sensei Mal back in 2008 to see what Aikido was all about. I’d heard some mixed feedback about Aikido as a martial art, so I decided to try it out for myself.

I’m glad to say I’m still training under Sensei Mal to this day as he is the real deal. His Aikido is effortless, powerful, and effective. My journey in learning Ki Fusion aikido started from looking to learn it for its martial applications but I keep going to learn how the “Aiki” aspect helps us in everyday life.

testimonialsIgor Ternovsky – Shodan

After many years studying with Sensei McRae I’m still enjoying every class (no, not a masochist). Mal’s soft Ki must be seen to be believed, the demonstrations still look like magic. He can execute any technique effortlessly against full resistance, fast or in slow motion.
Mal teaches and demonstrates that we must be relaxed and non-aggressive for aikido to work. It is a great lesson that I started to apply in everyday life, making a conscious effort to relax under pressure.

testimonialsChris – 2nd Kyu

1st Kyu Iwama Style Aikido, 2nd Kyu Ki Fusion Aikido

I first developed a fascination with Martial Arts at a young age as my older brother was a Karate instructor. I thereafter commenced my own journey into training in self-defense with Kickboxing and traditional Boxing during my late teens through to my mid 20’s.
Whilst I enjoyed the physicality of these practices, I felt that something was missing from my training. At that point, I looked for a practice that was more attuned to my beliefs and own philosophies. Once I reached middle age, I was introduced to Aikido and started training with my son at a local club.
After having trained with the organization for a few years, the club was disbanded. At that point I briefly commenced another Martial Art, and it was there that I was introduced to Sensei McRae and his Ki Fusion Aikido during a Seminar he was facilitating.
Seeing Sensei McRae in action, I knew straight away that he would be my future instructor. I then joined Ki Fusion Aikido without delay and have been training with Sensei McRae now for many years and I honestly have never looked back.
It is difficult to put into words and until you experience Sensei McRae’s mastery of the Art first-hand, one cannot truly appreciate the power of Ki and how it can be channeled so effortlessly and accurately to achieve a desired result. We all possess this life force within us but merely need to cultivate and unlock it, to appreciate its full and far- reaching potential.
This can be achieved through the practice of the techniques that Sensei McRae seamlessly demonstrates and instructs during his class.
Whether you are looking for a practice in self-defense, self-development / improvement, or simply an all body integrated exercise routine, I would highly recommend Ki Fusion Aikido and Sensei McRae as an instructor. He is in my opinion the most skilled, patient and dedicated exponent in his field, who has selflessly devoted his life to the Art of Aikido and to his students.
The practice of Ki Fusion Aikido with Sensei McRae has benefitted the quality of my life in so many ways and has increased my general health tremendously both from a physical and mental standpoint. You always leave class feeling a sense of calm and positivity which seemingly flows into other areas of your life naturally.
It is against this background that I would strongly encourage you to try out a class for yourself as I am sure you be amazed by what you experience. You won’t regret it!

testimonialsMatt Lim – Shodan

When I first started aikido, it was a real eye opener for me as it convinced me about how effective this martial art is without using a lot of physical strength that is ever present in most other martial arts.

Mal has shown how soft you need to be as well as how devastating aikido is at a high level

I have not looked back since and I would encourage anybody with a martial art background or an interest in martial arts to give it a try. You will be amazed.

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