Left Brain, Right Brain

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[j0nharris]

Try this out:

While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make
clockwise circles.
Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand.
Your foot will change direction and there's nothing you can do about it.

A number of Aikidoka I know -- includine me -- says that it doesn't work on them. Why do you think that is? Centering? Softness?
Or because we've had our brains addled from all the ukemi? :D

Perhaps we should include this as part of all yudansha testing from now on?

-jon

[Robert Jackson]

It's a cordanation, Kind of like patting and head and rubbin your stomach than switching. It work on me until I read the comment "Your forr will change direction" After that I was able to consiously control it. It's just a matter of coordination.

[Noel]

I'm left-handed. I tried it on the right and did a backward 6 unconsciously. Left side could do both with no problem. Coordination and practice, IMO

[batemanb]

First attempt the foot changed direction instantly. Next time I focused on it and was able to draw without the foot changing. I think if you practice this there will come a time when you won't need to concentrate so much.

Tried it with the left side too, it was fine first time, my foot didn't change direction until I started thinking about it.