Angry White Pyjamas

"Angry White Pyjamas" is a book written by Robert Twigger about his time in a one-year intensive program of studying Yoshinkan aikido.

ummary

The book is set in Tokyo in the mid-1990s. Twigger is living with two friends in a tiny apartment near central Tokyo. They all decide to enrol at the Yoshinkan Hombu Dojo in order to get fit and break out of their sedentary life-style.

Soon after beginning regular training, Twigger decides that the only way you can truly experience aikido is to do the Yoshinkan Senshusei course, a gruelling 11-month program to train up instructors of Yoshinkan aikido. The course consists of four hours of training, five days a week, in addition to dojo-cleaning duties, special training weekends and demonstrations.

Twigger spends the majority of his time describing the rigor and sometimes agony of the very intensive course. He refers to doing kneeling techniques, or suwari-waza, until his knees bled, only to practice the next day and in so doing tear open the scabs. He describes techniques being performed with such vigor and intensity that smashing one's head into the mat was a frequent occurrence.

Other experiences on the course include "hajime" sessions where one technique is performed repeatedly, without a break, sometimes for up to half-an-hour or more. During these sessions, trainees sometimes pass out or vomit, especially in the summer months. Instructors sometimes dish out punishments to trainees if they feel they are not pushing themselves enough, including rounds of push-ups, sit-ups and bunny hops.

Other people featured in the book include several top Yoshinkan instructors, including Chida, Shioda and Chino senseis, as well as Robert Mustard sensei, the chief foreign instructor. Teachers are sometimes portrayed as being quite cold and occasionally brutal and unsympathetic to the students, whom they are trying to push to greater and greater efforts in order to build their technique and "spirit".

In addition, Twigger describes other aspects of Tokyo and his life there, including his relationship with his girlfriend and her family, his work at a Japanese high-school as an English teacher, and stories of living with his two flatmates. He also gives thoughts and observations about Japan and the Japanese culture.

Criticism

Twigger has been condemned by many martial artists for his tone and substance alike in this book. In a particularly controversial passage, he remarks that he was overjoyed to hear that Gozo Shioda-sensei had died, because it meant a week's break from training. Especially from the stoic viewpoint of much of budo philosophy, his continual complaining about hardship, while clearly motivated by genuine difficulty, is also suspect. Twigger clearly knew what he was getting himself into by signing up for such an intensive course, critics argue, and it reflects poorly on his character that he would then write a book essentially "whining" about how hard it was.

Some people have also complained about what they feel are personal comments and negative portrayals of other senshusei students, and of some of the teachers as well.

However most people just think its funny, as it was no doubt intended. Those who criticise have themselves been criticised for having no sense of humour whatsoever. It could also be noted that, as a writer, the author may have a particular slant. It is clear that the book does not intend to be taken completely seriously.

Praise

Others have credited Twigger for his frank honesty in the way he describes the course and people at the dojo. As opposed to writing a "clean" version to keep people happy, he describes the course as he honestly felt about it, i.e. a very difficult, frustrating, and demoralizing experience. Some have also said that the book has generated more interest in the Yoshinkan aikido and the senshusei course, and inspired some people to train in Yoshinkan aikido.