Seattle, WA: Denny Dwyer - The Striking and Grappling Art of "Way of the Sphere™"

**aikidoheiwa** · Posted On: 3/31/2008 2:08am

Hi all,
Had this gal come into our school the other day. She is interested in Aikido. (Yeah, I know...let's not start that bashing right now please,)
Her previous experience was under "Grandmaster" Denny Dwyer, whose background seems to be an unclear lineage that got him to 9th Dan and starting what he trademarks as "the Strikiing and Grappling Art of WAY OF THE SPHERE."

His site is : naturallawlifecenter.com/martialarts.html

Seems heavily texty and really full of.....bunk.

Lots of other info beyond his "martial arts" in there too, like life improvement seminars, hypnosis, tarot, and all sorts of healing etc...
(Why is it that Self-Help "gurus" always tell you how to make money and improve your live in so many ways EXCEPT the way THEY did it; Telling people to get thier lives together!)

Anyhow, Does anyone know of this guy? Anyone know WHOM he ACTUALLY trained under?
He claims to be a Martial Arts Hall Of Fame inductee too, which is usually the FIRST thing to make me say O.M.G.!!!
Anyhow, I think he might be a dude that needs to be exposed, but maybe not, What 'Cha All think?

Later,
W.H.

**Steve** · Posted On: 3/31/2008 2:34am

I clicked on the "Coaching" link that is on his website and got this (of course thinking it was about coaching fighters):

About Coaching

Business and Life Coaching

The Natural Law Life Center provides excellent service in coaching and mentorship to individuals in life and in business. Denny Dwyer has been coaching businesses and individuals to success for over 40 years.

Demonstrations and lectures available. Coaching sessions can be performed easily over the telephone.

For more information or to arrange a FREE consultation, call Denny Dwyer at 206-235-2114 or email us at info@naturallawlifecenter.com.

That and how "martial arts" is listed at the bottom right above "psychic studies."

Dude's total bullshit.

**DSL** · Posted On: 3/31/2008 2:41am

You might ask Charlie Pierson up there in Lynnwood, he runs (or ran?) Lockflow.com

**daGorilla** · Posted On: 3/31/2008 10:28am

Originally Posted by DSL

You might ask Charlie Pierson up there in Lynnwood, he runs (or ran?) Lockflow.com

I live in this neck of the woods --

but seriously, the Web site is so rife with BS that anyone with an ounce of common sense/rationality should be able to see this is someone to steer clear of.

Even if he's 100% sincere in his beliefs, it's clear he doesn't have anything to offer a serious martial artist. There's other Aikido in this area that can be had (although I don't know if it's good/bad/etc).

**DuckofDeath** · Posted On: 3/31/2008 10:44am

http://naturallawlifecenter.com/martialarts.html

**edtang** · Posted On: 3/31/2008 11:17am

Originally Posted by daGorilla

I live in this neck of the woods --

but seriously, the Web site is so rife with BS that anyone with an ounce of common sense/rationality should be able to see this is someone to steer clear of.

Even if he's 100% sincere in his beliefs, it's clear he doesn't have anything to offer a serious martial artist. There's other Aikido in this area that can be had (although I don't know if it's good/bad/etc).

God, I just did a google search the other day, there is a lot of Aikido to be had in Seattle. Some good (serious) teachers too, if you're into that sort of thing.

Being surrounded by yuppie/hippie friends here in Seattle though, the gentleman in question wouldn't bother me at all if he didn't advertise himself as a "ninth degree blackbelt" and "hall of famer" (what hall of fame is that??), or advertise "self defense" (because if his system isn't good, it isn't ethical IMO to even advertise that).

**aikidoheiwa** · Posted On: 4/01/2008 1:09pm

I have no agenda myself with the guy, in fact had never heard of him until this lady came into our school interested to train in aikido. She HAD been one of his students. she was bragging on it subtly though, so I assume that she bought into his equian feces. Anyhow, I thought I would see if anyone else knew about him.
His martial arts stuff seems to have NO declarations of pedigree or background, just that he has been doing it a long time and that he says hes a "hall of Fame" guy and a 9th Dan. (both of those reek.)
I agree on the ethics point though; nobody should sell Self-Defense if the techniques might get someone hurt or worse.
For example;
I visited a Chin-Na group in Redmond, WA last night. Everyone training in their street clothes. One fella in a cop's (batman) utility belt loaded with toys, but no gun. They trained, as the instructor said, "for realistic scenarios and no uniforms, or barefoot or traditional dojo behavior, because on the street you won't have time to put on a gi before defending yourself." Fair enough. The techniques look fine and technically useful, as long as your assailant knows little about his or her own body. I bring this up, because the players there are strongly believing in their self-defense skills, but I am not sure how well prepared they really are. Not bad, would likely work in many situations, but I believe that the students and most likely the teachers would have a hard time accessing thier skills against a tough and confidently skilled aggressor.
Anyhow, this Dwyer fellow seems to have a LOT of words to say, and little evidence otherwise of his skills. Why are there NO PICTURES? None that I found.
Later gents.
W.H.