Masa Kokoro Aikido of Calgary » Student Comments

“If you are willing to learn, he is willing to teach”

Masa Kokoro — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:47:16 +0000

I have been practicing Aikido since 1988 in Guelph, Ottawa and Calgary. The past five years or so I have been practicing with Ben Sensei and my only regret practicing at Masa Kokoro is that I didn’t find Ben Sensei sooner.

I never fail to be impressed with Ben Sensei’s skill and insight and the man is incurably good humoured! There hasn’t been a practice where Ben Sensei was in a grumpy mood or not in the mood to teach. He is always respectful of students, no matter what their level of skill, and he is always respectful of other teachers.

The effectiveness of a technique is foremost in Ben Sensei’s mind. He encourages his students to practice at other dojos so they can see a technique performed slightly differently or with a different emphasis. You have to make a technique your own. You may be taller, shorter, stronger, weaker or differ physically in other ways from the person demonstrating a technique. You may have to subtly alter the technique to make it work for you. The final arbiter on whether you are doing a technique correctly is whether it is effective for you; can you actually throw this person whether he wants to fall or not… Ben Sensei is always willing to spend time with you to perfect a technique. If you are willing to learn, he is willing to teach.

It has been a pleasure to practice with Ben Sensei. I hope to practice with him for many years to come. Thank you Ben Sensei.

Rudy Gelderblom

“bright outlook and happy disposition”

Masa Kokoro — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 01:16:20 +0000

I first met Ben Sensei in 2007 when he occasionally taught at the Calgary Aikikai. His enthusiasm and expertise left a lasting impression on me, so much so that I joined SAIT Aikido. Ben always focuses on the positive and instils a “can do” attitude among his students. This applies to life’s challenges too and I always find myself reacting in a positive way, or trying to, when things get difficult. He continually emphasizes the practical aspects of Aikido, protecting vulnerable areas and pointing out aspects of the techniques that increase effectiveness. Another compelling characteristic is his bright outlook and happy disposition – life is too short not to be! Lest we forget, we should savour the time on the mat and enjoy the journey.

Weapons training with Sensei was certainly an eye-opener for me. I’ve been practicing now for about five years (in US, Indonesia, Japan & Canada) and instantly Ben Sensei made me aware of shortcomings of my technique, areas where I was vulnerable, the importance of timing and real intent. It helped me focus and strive to improve areas of weakness. It guided me back in the right direction.

For those of us who have had the privilege of training with Ben Sensei, I am sure we have all benefited in some way from his teachings, whether it be technical and/or philosophical. If you haven’t trained with Ben yet, please consider it an opportunity not to be missed!

Congratulations Sensei on your well-deserved promotion to 4th Dan.

- Andy Morton

“Ben Lim Sensei has done an incredible job…”

Masa Kokoro — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 01:00:32 +0000

If I could offer anything it would be that Ben Lim Sensei has done an incredible job introducing me to the engaging world of martial arts and Aikido. His knowledge of both Karate and Aikido are very thorough and he promotes an enjoyable and fun approach to training that also stresses elements of self determination and discipline. Ben Sensei’s focus on self improvement lay the foundation for building one’s confidence and spirit in Aikido and in life. His associations with other dojos in Calgary make for very well rounded approach to Aikido as he encourages training with other Senseis and at various seminars and workshops. Overall my experiences at Masa Kokoro with Ben Lim Sensei have been very rewarding.

- Marc Schaller