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.
From my first visit Sensei Mal completely captivated my interest into this martial art. Being somewhat skeptical from what I had seen online about Aikido and its effectiveness, Sensei Mal quickly demonstrated how effective Ki is along with its importance. To me the Ki aspect in Aikido is something not just to be seen to believe but more importantly something to experience to believe.
Thank you to Sensei Mal and all the students at Ki Fusion for making me feel welcome. I always look forward and enjoy coming in to learn and be inspired every week.
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.
Mal is a genuine, gentle and exceptional leader who does not put himself on a pedestal. Being originally from Japan, I knew some philosophy about Aikido but Mal has taken this to another level and shows us "Ki" in action.
I have trained in Hapkido for over a decade. During this time I was aware of the concepts of Ki energy and its applications in Martial Arts but it was not until meeting and training with Mal Sensei that I became aware of the full and very realistic and practical application of Ki. In over two years I have found Mal Sensei to be a very gracious and patient teacher.
The skills and knowledge which I have learned and continue to develop in using Ki with Aikido principles has directly translated to improving my Hapkido. The principles to which Mal Sensei has introduced me apply not only to the similarities between Aikido and Hapkido but to all areas of training: locking, throwing, kicking, striking and grappling as well as the mental and spiritual aspects of Martial Arts training.
10th Degree Black Belt Zen-Do-Kai Karate 8th Degree Kru Kick Boxing 4th Dan ki fusion Aikido 1st Degree Black Belt BJJ Trains in Systema and Krav Maga
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.
In Ki Fusion Aikido, I've learned about the importance of "ki" and how to cultivate it.
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.
1st Kyu Iwama Style Aikido, 1st 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!
