Martial Arts History of Jack Bieler



1985
Dallas, Texas
USA

Began Aikido training in Dallas under Jerry Scott, who studied with Karl Geis sensei in Houston, and Tim Larson, a student of Steve Duncan and JW Bode. Attended Fugakukai Winter Clinic at which Inoue Takeshi sensei taught Go Kata.

Began long-term study with Karl Geis shihan, at semiannual week-long Houston seminars, weekend clinics in Oklahoma City, and weekend visits to Houston.

Karl Geis (カルガィス先生)

Teachers who influenced me included Wilburne MacNease sensei and Henry Copelend sensei. Training partners to whom I am especially indebted include Will Gable, Brian Sullivan, and Terry Gibbs.

Mac Henry

1986
Houston, Texas
USA

Started practice of Fugakukai Jodo (kihon and seitei kata), with instruction from Karl Geis, L.F. Wilkinson sensei and Chris Thygusen sensei. Nick Lowry sensei in particular provided invaluable insight and direction.

Nick

Summer 1988
Houston, Texas
USA

Attended Aikido and Tai Chi seminar taught by Miyake Tsunako shihan, on her return from the Chinese mainland. This included short and long standard forms, plus staff and cane forms.

Miyake sensei (三宅綱子先生)

1991
Dallas, Texas
USA

Started the Dallas Aikido Club at Dealy Recreation center, which later moved to Campbell Green. My first students included Mark Morgan, whose dedication and enjoyment have always inspired me, and my solid and unpretentious friend Gerry Brown.

Briefly studied "modified Yang-Wu style" Tai Chi, as part of massage therapy certification.

Summer 1992
Houston, Texas
USA

Attended Jodo seminar taught by Miyake Tsunako sensei, with assistant Oe Yoko sensei. Miyake sensei covered warmups, kihon and seitei kata 1-8, and presented the Chudan kata of SMR.

1992-1996
Dallas, Texas
USA

Studied Judo with Kim Moser (now Mesa) sensei and Sheridan Simmond. Won second place in Nage no kata competition. Attended Judo seminars with Karl Geis, and Kata seminar taught by Fukuda Keiko sensei in 1995.

Kim

1997
Denton, Texas
USA

Founded the Denton Aikido Club, at the Gold Horse Dojo of the Kundalini Yoga Ashram in Denton TX. Walter Lee, Steven Brown, Robert Ridout and Sam Tipton were my first students there. Later began teaching Jodo at the old Dojo on Locust Street, at Sam and Walter's insistence.

Began practicing Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu Iaido under John Ray sensei on 9/6/1997.

Fort Worth Japanese Gardens, Fall Festival 2004

John Ray sensei (ジョンレイ先生)

Summer 1997
Houston, Oklahoma City, Bedford
USA

Attended several Judo seminars on Kodokan Goshinjutsu -- two with Miyake Tsunako sensei and one with "Ace" Sukigara sensei.

1998-2001
Catoctin, MD and Guelph, Ontario
USA and Canada

Began studying classical Jodo. Attended three Nihon Jodokai seminars with Kaminoda Tsunemori sensei and Rick Polland sensei, and one Guelph School of Sword Arts.

2000-now
Denton, Texas
USA

Joined The Dojo of Traditional Japanese Martial Arts as partner to John Ray, teaching Tomiki-ryu Aikido and Jodo in Denton, Texas.

1999, 2001, 2008, 2010
Chiba City, Yotsukaido, Kisarazu
Japan

Visited Yamashita Dojo and dojos of Tanida Hiroshi sensei and Kogushi Osamu sensei for Iaido training.

Yamashita sensei
Tanida sensei
Kogushi sensei
山下先生
谷田先生
小串先生
Nov 2004, 2006, 2008, Sep 2010, Nov 2011, Feb 2013, Nov 2013, 2015, 2018
Kashima, Japan
Aug 2007
Washington, DC, USA

Attended several Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo gasshuku with the Nihon Jodokai under Kaminoda Tsunemori sensei and Osato Kohei sensei, with instruction from Abe Osamu sensei and Yamaguchi Mitsuri sensei. Formed study group known as Texas Jodokai, dedicated to practice and promote the Jodo of Kaminoda sensei.

Presented with Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo Okuiri-sho from Kaminoda Tsunemori sensei in Kashima, Japan, November 2011.

Kaminoda sensei (神之田常盛先生)

June 2007
Houston
USA

Attended seminar on Kodokan Goshinjutsu taught by Miyake Tsunako sensei and Karl Geis sensei.

As of 24 June 2007, parted from the Fugakukai International Aikido Association. I am grateful to Karl Geis for the many years of instruction, to Miyake sensei for the brief but delightful and enlightening moments over the years, and to all the friends I have known and trained with. May their paths prosper.

May 2006, Oct 2009 and Feb 2012
Denton TX
Dec 2008
Washington DC
US Jodo Gasshuku, Jul 2009, Aug 2010, 2014, 2015
Milwaukee WI and Washington DC
Nov 2016 and Mar 2017
Houston TX

Attended Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo Intensives with Corey Comstock, Dan Pearson and Rich Friman of the Nihon Jodokai.
Washington DC Cherry Blossom Festival 2006
Kashima Shinbuden Taikai 2008
Dan and Corey
Dan and Rich

December 2008

The Denton Aikido Club joined its friends in the KazeUta Budokai, under the stewardship of Nick Lowry sensei.

March 2012

Presented with Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo Shomokuroku from Kaminoda Tsunemori sensei.

February 2018, February 2019, July 2019, October 2019, September 2021

Began study of Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu, studying under Roy Goldberg 7d Dairi Kyouju (Kodokai/DTRAJJ). Previously briefly introduced to Daito-ryu by (2013, 2015) Eric Pearson 1d Jun Kyoju Dairi (Matsuda line), and (2014) Howard Popkin 4d Kyouju Dairi (Roppokai/Ginjukai).

2019-02-16 Goldberg Seminar minus Hung


Current Ranks
2006 富木流合氣道 七段 風歌武道会
Tomiki-ryu Aikido Nanadan (7th degree) KazeUta Budokai
2012 神道夢想流杖道 初目錢 日本杖道会
Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo Shomokuroku Nihon Jodokai
制定杖道 六段 富嶽會
Seitei Jodo (2004) Rokudan (6th degree) Fugakukai
2018 無雙直傳英信流居合兵法 七段教士 英信流正統会
Eishin-ryu Iaido Nanadan (7th degree) Kyoshi Eishin-ryu Seitokai
居合道 五段 全日本居合道連盟
Iaido (2017) Godan (5th degree) Zen Nihon Iaido Renmei (ZNIR)
2008 講道館柔道 初段 風歌武道会
Kodokan Judo Shodan (1st degree) KazeUta Budokai
柔道 四段 米国柔道協会
Judo (2006) Yondan (4th degree) USJA
2019 大東流合氣柔術 六級 大東流合氣柔術
Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Rokkyu (6th kyu) Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu

Jack Bieler is a computer programmer, training developer, manager and consultant. He has a Bachelor's degree in English Composition and Language, and is also a licensed massage therapist. He has been an audiovisual technician, stage hand, wine salesman and fry cook, and an unrequited writer.


Articles

Practical Examples of Aikido In My Experience (1993)

T'ai-chi Ch'uan and Aikido (1995)

Ritual In the Martial Arts (2002)

On My Own In Japan (2002)

Muddling the Myth: The Mishandled Hero Story in Return of the Jedi (2002)

Effects of Federal District Court Politics on Fair Housing Decisions (2005)


If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please email me at jjbieler@airmail.net