Check Out Asim Hanif’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Asim Hanif.

Hi Asim, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’m currently ranked at 5dan (5th level black belt) in Aikido. I also attained the rank of 3dan in Karate. I got my start in martial arts before the age of 10. I trained in boxing and judo first then in my early 20’s focused on karate. In the early 90’s I began my kickboxing career which led to 2 lightweight titles. As my career was winding down I began studying aikido. From my very first aikido class I was hooked and it became my primary focus. I consider myself extremely fortunate in that my teacher’s are all very well regarded in the aikido world and I feel an incredible sense of duty to pass on the teachings I’ve acquired. It’s my way of giving back. I’ve now been studying martial arts for over 50 years and I still consider myself very much a student.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It most certainly has not been all smooth but dealing with adversity is part of becoming a martial artist. Struggles have included injuries, Covid which shut everything down, there have been relocations which meant re-establishing my dojo several times, and just regular stuff that life throws at you.
There were times when I couldn’t get to the dojo so I had to find alternatives to continue progressing. Sometimes those alternatives were not aikido but something that complimented my aikido such as tai chi or yoga.
The main thing I learned is the importance of finding ways to train outside of the dojo. In this day and age no one is a full time martial artist. We spend more time outside of the dojo so the training must be incorporated into everyday living; the way we walk, the way we breathe, the way we move through life. Everything can be a training opportunity while at the same time attending to the priorities of life.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As I stated in my introduction my passion is the practice of aikido. There are a lot of misconceptions about aikido mainly because there is no standard way to practice aikido. It largely falls on the individual instructor and their background.
My brand of aikido has been influenced by my previous experiences as well as the experiences of my teachers. It is a very organic process that hopefully continues to develop.
Aikido is different than other Japanese martial arts in that it is non competitive and places a very high value on spiritual development. Although the techniques originated from traditional jujitsu, aikido instead transformed some of the more lethal techniques into a system which places more emphasis on body mechanics and moving meditation. In this sense aikido is more akin to tai chi or yoga.
As a practitioner I am known for my internal power development or what one might call “soft power”. It’s the ability to generate power through relaxation. That said on a personal note I am most proud that I have been able to establish a community of people with different backgrounds, political views, etc that can all bond under the same roof. We train together, we’ve seen our children grow up in the dojo, we support each other through good times and rough times. It continues to be a wonderful journey.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I would say the most important things to have when starting out are an open mind and patience with yourself. The general public has largely been miseducated with regards to aikido. Americans got introduced to aikido through the Steven Seagal movies in the 90’s and now John Wick, Walking Dead and other shows. What most people don’t realize is the amount of training and long term commitment it takes to achieve a moderate degree of competence in the art. It is not a quick art to learn, it doesn’t hand out a bunch of belts, and progress can seem exceedingly slow.
I like to use the analogy that aikido training is like putting a penny in a jar for every training session. Not a dime, not a nickel. A penny. You make very little progress each time you train but over the long haul it adds up so be patient. There is no material goal in aikido. You come in and train for your own self accomplishment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Valleyaikidoaz.com
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/valleyaikidoaz

Image Credits
Linda Chubbs