Thunder rolled in the Southeastern Kinesiology and Health Studies Building on Sept. 8, as shihan Eric Templet was tested for his eighth-level black belt in front of an audience of students and friends. Templet is a kinesiology instructor at Southeastern and the head of the Shindoryu Aikijutsu Association martial arts club.
Templet performed an hour-long demonstration of the techniques and styles used in shindo ryu aikijutsu before an audience of class members and other students who wished to attend the event. This included displaying mastery in both basic and advanced techniques in weaponry and sparring.
“I have been training for 28 years, and this test was the culmination of thousands of hours of sweat and effort,” said Templet. “It’s funny, I look back on all this time and I am amazed at how much I still lack and what I want to do in the future. I look forward to every class.”
“It was pretty inspiring,” said Chris Helluin, one of Templet’s students. “It made me want to try that much harder to be an exceptional martial artist.”
Templet was not the only one displaying his skill. Most of the techniques in aikijutsu require another person to attack. This person is called an uke. The test for Templet required a total of six to participate throughout the hour.
“I think contributing to shihan’s test is something to be proud of,” said Aeriel Robinson, a white belt student in the club. “To help their teacher pass a test this important must have been a great honor for them.”
But audience members could not help but feel sorry for the instructors who fell victim to Templet’s displays of skill. Sensei Beau Kennedy, a yondan (fourth-degree black belt) and primary club instructor, took the brunt of techniques performed. By the end of the test, the physical exhaustion of both men was evident.
“The test was exhausting, but it was an honor for me to participate in it as shihan’s primary uke,” says Kennedy. “He did an amazing job.”
There were a total of three black belt instructors and three brown belt students who assisted in the hour-long test. On more than one occasion, this meant Templet was sparring against three or more attackers at one time.
“Shihan gave a superb performance,” said Jake Logan, a brown belt student and one of the test participants. “Proving that regardless of age, size, gender or physical might, proper technique will always win.”
Aikijutsu, which means “the art of harmonizing energy,” is a style of martial arts that has been around for many centuries but was not made public until the early nineteenth century. It was a style used by the samurai shogunate of Japan until the late 1800s and is a militaristic style of martial arts.
The name shindoryu literally means “style of the new way” and is a style developed by Templet that combines aikijutsu with other arts such as aikido and jujitsu.
Templet has been teaching this style of martial arts to students at Southeastern in kinesiology classes as well as in the club since 1999. He plans on teaching both for as long as possible and is looking forward to bringing up a new generation of martial artists.
“The real honor for me is not that I achieved anything for myself,” says Templet, “It’s that I get to work with people who I love to be around… to see how hard work and effort shape young people.”
Templet’s passion for the art is not only evident in his actions, but is also reflected in his students.
“Shihan has always been teaching and encouraging us to do our best,” says Kelli Donnell, one of the green belt students. “Seeing him move up to hachidan was something that encouraged me. It really make me want to work hard and do my best.”
The Shindoryu Aikijutsu Association meets every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Kinesiology Building at Southeastern. For more information on the organization, visit their Web site at www.shindoryu.com