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Pacific Aikido Federation - Winter Camp in the redwoods with Shiohira shihan, 2/13-2/15, Occidental CA
View Full Version : If you could only teach one thing.
Pacific Aikido Federation - Winter Camp in the redwoods with Shiohira shihan, 2/13-2/15, Occidental CA
ChrisHein
05-05-2005, 02:07 PM
When teaching Aikido there are lots of place's we can put our emphasis like: Martial ability, ability to read/send intention, Technique, Discipline, Tradition, Self development, etc. etc.
What is your emphasis, and why.
For me I think it's Martial ability. Because:
A) Most people coming to a martial arts school are looking for that.
B) I think that everything else is a bi-product of martial ability, the more you cultivate it, the more you will develop in the other fields naturally.
-Chris Hein
What is your emphasis, and why.
For me I think it's Martial ability. Because:
A) Most people coming to a martial arts school are looking for that.
B) I think that everything else is a bi-product of martial ability, the more you cultivate it, the more you will develop in the other fields naturally.
-Chris Hein
MikeLogan
05-05-2005, 04:17 PM
It's seems you've managed to open and close a thread all rather succinctly, in just one post! Martial ability is pretty much the umbrella over that list, and some of them are somewhat synononomous to the aforementioned. What if you asked which technique, or which item of kihon? I for one would like to improve my footwork. I'm a bit long of limb, and as this weeks poll asks, I sometimes to often attempt techniques with my feet planted. I'm learning, but I'd like to focus on it.
Any drills out there that have helped other people gain more fleetness of foot?
michael.
Any drills out there that have helped other people gain more fleetness of foot?
michael.
Brian Vickery
05-05-2005, 04:25 PM
When teaching Aikido there are lots of place's we can put our emphasis like: Martial ability, ability to read/send intention, Technique, Discipline, Tradition, Self development, etc. etc.
What is your emphasis, and why.
...I emphasize 'AWARENESS' ...it's the most important aspect of any type of self defense, whether you're studying martial arts, firearm use, or just plain old personal protection. Being aware will keep you safe, lack of it negates any weapon you have or any martial art training you've done.
...but if you're talking about what I emphazie in the dojo after the awareness issue has been addressed, it's 'tai sabaki'!
Regards,
What is your emphasis, and why.
...I emphasize 'AWARENESS' ...it's the most important aspect of any type of self defense, whether you're studying martial arts, firearm use, or just plain old personal protection. Being aware will keep you safe, lack of it negates any weapon you have or any martial art training you've done.
...but if you're talking about what I emphazie in the dojo after the awareness issue has been addressed, it's 'tai sabaki'!
Regards,
ChrisHein
05-05-2005, 04:49 PM
I have had some teachers tell me they enphasis all kids of things, many haven't been Martial. Mike I think you and I are just like minded!
-Chris
-Chris
Brian Vickery
05-05-2005, 05:05 PM
I have had some teachers tell me they emphasize all kinds of things, many haven't been Martial.
So, what do you mean by 'Martial'? ...and how do you teach students to be 'Martial'?
...I'm just curious!
Regards,
So, what do you mean by 'Martial'? ...and how do you teach students to be 'Martial'?
...I'm just curious!
Regards,
Greg Jennings
05-05-2005, 05:18 PM
I'd probably teach them aikido and let them find their own way....
Regards,
Regards,
ChrisHein
05-05-2005, 05:22 PM
"So, what do you mean by 'Martial'? ...and how do you teach students to be 'Martial'?
Well I teach everything from the prspective of useing it to fight anouther person.
-Chris
Well I teach everything from the prspective of useing it to fight anouther person.
-Chris
takusan
05-05-2005, 05:33 PM
Well, there you go then.
I'm in agreement with you Chris - with out hesitation.
Like one of the other responses however, now define what our individual appreciation of what 'martial' is.
I'm sure that there is some mileage available in that!!! :D
I'm in agreement with you Chris - with out hesitation.
Like one of the other responses however, now define what our individual appreciation of what 'martial' is.
I'm sure that there is some mileage available in that!!! :D
Brian Vickery
05-05-2005, 05:41 PM
Well I teach everything from the prspective of useing it to fight anouther person.
....Hmm! ...I have to say, if a student is looking for that emphasis, I refer them to the local Krav Maga school. Learning how to 'fight' isn't an emphasis at my dojo.
...to each his own!
....Hmm! ...I have to say, if a student is looking for that emphasis, I refer them to the local Krav Maga school. Learning how to 'fight' isn't an emphasis at my dojo.
...to each his own!
Janet Rosen
05-05-2005, 06:19 PM
Learning how to fight another person is exactly what I thought aikido was teaching us not to do (sigh)
Nick Simpson
05-05-2005, 06:46 PM
Different people practise different aikido.
Well put Chris, martial ability or a martial mindset is very important. Key, whatever you want to call it (in my opinion at least).
Aside from that, Ukemi is my favourite topic. I feel that many people ignore ukemi and only learn the little that they need to get through basic techniques (ok, mainly low kyu grades but I have seen some yudansha with poor ukemi). By ukemi I also mean attacking and all that goes with it, not just breakfalls. I think too many people focus on technique and being a "good" nage. Too me this is flawed and maybe selfish and possibly ego-tistical. It just leads to a decline in ukemi across the board and possible injury in later life. It deprives the aikido community of good uke/training partners/skills. I feel strongly about this.
Also, maybe it would be nice to be able to teach people to love training, but this is probably one of the things that you cant teach...
Well put Chris, martial ability or a martial mindset is very important. Key, whatever you want to call it (in my opinion at least).
Aside from that, Ukemi is my favourite topic. I feel that many people ignore ukemi and only learn the little that they need to get through basic techniques (ok, mainly low kyu grades but I have seen some yudansha with poor ukemi). By ukemi I also mean attacking and all that goes with it, not just breakfalls. I think too many people focus on technique and being a "good" nage. Too me this is flawed and maybe selfish and possibly ego-tistical. It just leads to a decline in ukemi across the board and possible injury in later life. It deprives the aikido community of good uke/training partners/skills. I feel strongly about this.
Also, maybe it would be nice to be able to teach people to love training, but this is probably one of the things that you cant teach...
ChrisHein
05-05-2005, 07:21 PM
One of my teachers said that Ukemi is the most practical thing taught in Aikido. The reasoning being that you dont' have to be fighting to fall down, people do it all the time. I think lots of people lack to teach complete ukemi. I had someone else's students come to my class the other day, I started to explain the reasoning behind what Uke was doing in the practice. They were shocked and said no one had ever told them that there was a reasoning to what Uke was doing. Nice point Nick!!
-Chris
-Chris
maikerus
05-05-2005, 08:24 PM
"So, what do you mean by 'Martial'? ...and how do you teach students to be 'Martial'?
Well I teach everything from the prspective of useing it to fight anouther person.
Rather limiting, isn't it?
--Michael
Well I teach everything from the prspective of useing it to fight anouther person.
Rather limiting, isn't it?
--Michael
takusan
05-05-2005, 08:55 PM
Hang on guys,
I thought the thread was what would you teach if you had to choose a single thing.
Limited.?
Of coarse its limited. Its just one aspect. :freaky:
Aikido is many things to many people.
I ask my students, to try and strip away ALL the layers of aikido and reduce it to a single idea, or word.
Just to see their thoughts on the subject.
Seldom do I get the answer I want.
But then I didn't ask them to tell me what I think it is.
Just for the exercise, I reduce it to - martial.
I used to reduce it to - art
Do you think my aikido is different because of the word I chose?
Yup, you bet ya.
We have all been thrown or controlled in a manner that left us wondering how the heck that happened.
Great isn't it?
That to me is the ultimate -martial - technique.
NOT the - well I really showed them - violent BS.
So, martial is the lowest common denominator AND the highest.
I thought the thread was what would you teach if you had to choose a single thing.
Limited.?
Of coarse its limited. Its just one aspect. :freaky:
Aikido is many things to many people.
I ask my students, to try and strip away ALL the layers of aikido and reduce it to a single idea, or word.
Just to see their thoughts on the subject.
Seldom do I get the answer I want.
But then I didn't ask them to tell me what I think it is.
Just for the exercise, I reduce it to - martial.
I used to reduce it to - art
Do you think my aikido is different because of the word I chose?
Yup, you bet ya.
We have all been thrown or controlled in a manner that left us wondering how the heck that happened.
Great isn't it?
That to me is the ultimate -martial - technique.
NOT the - well I really showed them - violent BS.
So, martial is the lowest common denominator AND the highest.
eyrie
05-05-2005, 08:59 PM
I agree with Nick. Ukemi is really all anyone needs to learn in aikido. It is the secret of all aikido technique. A good nage is also a good uke.
Pity, most people who learn aikido, only want to know how to throw people. But what they don't realise is that everything comes from mastery of ukemi.
So, I only do teach one thing - ukemi. Lots and lots of ukemi. As my teacher and his teacher before.
Pity, most people who learn aikido, only want to know how to throw people. But what they don't realise is that everything comes from mastery of ukemi.
So, I only do teach one thing - ukemi. Lots and lots of ukemi. As my teacher and his teacher before.
maikerus
05-05-2005, 09:28 PM
Hang on guys,
I thought the thread was what would you teach if you had to choose a single thing.
Limited.?
Of coarse its limited. Its just one aspect. :freaky:
David,
Good point. This thread is about teaching a single thing.
My comment was meant to mean that that aspect of "martial" limited it to be a fight with another person, whereas I believe there is much more within that word. As you pointed out in your post.
Amazing how much gets lost in translation here with people's biases popping up all over the place.
If I had to teach a single thing it would boil down to "spirit" and "drive", both of which are important if fighting a single person, a group of people, or even yourself.
Spirit allows you overcome difficult obstacles.
Spirit allows you to persevere in the face of difficult challenges.
Spirit allows you to never give up.
Spirit allows you to to dig as deep within your body and soul as you can in any situation requiring that.
As far as I am concerned, Aikido technique and the ability to "fight someone" is a simple by-product of training your spirit. The Aikido we study is just one method of training our spirit and the techniques we gain are just a by-product of that training.
Its often been said that its not the art/budo/fighting method but the person that makes the difference in a fight.
This would, to me, be equivelant to saying it's the person's spirit that is important...not the art. So that's what I teach...with Aikido being the chosen tool.
My few yen...
--Michael
I thought the thread was what would you teach if you had to choose a single thing.
Limited.?
Of coarse its limited. Its just one aspect. :freaky:
David,
Good point. This thread is about teaching a single thing.
My comment was meant to mean that that aspect of "martial" limited it to be a fight with another person, whereas I believe there is much more within that word. As you pointed out in your post.
Amazing how much gets lost in translation here with people's biases popping up all over the place.
If I had to teach a single thing it would boil down to "spirit" and "drive", both of which are important if fighting a single person, a group of people, or even yourself.
Spirit allows you overcome difficult obstacles.
Spirit allows you to persevere in the face of difficult challenges.
Spirit allows you to never give up.
Spirit allows you to to dig as deep within your body and soul as you can in any situation requiring that.
As far as I am concerned, Aikido technique and the ability to "fight someone" is a simple by-product of training your spirit. The Aikido we study is just one method of training our spirit and the techniques we gain are just a by-product of that training.
Its often been said that its not the art/budo/fighting method but the person that makes the difference in a fight.
This would, to me, be equivelant to saying it's the person's spirit that is important...not the art. So that's what I teach...with Aikido being the chosen tool.
My few yen...
--Michael
Jeanne Shepard
05-05-2005, 10:52 PM
Lately at my dojo we've been focusing on relaxed connection. Everything seems to flow from that.
Jeanne :p
Jeanne :p
ChrisHein
05-05-2005, 11:27 PM
Thanx David.
-Chris Hein
-Chris Hein
takusan
05-05-2005, 11:36 PM
Ooooh yeah , spirit.
To Michael Stuempel,
that would be second on my list.
Hell put it first.
I'm nothing if not flexible.
To Michael Stuempel,
that would be second on my list.
Hell put it first.
I'm nothing if not flexible.
maikerus
05-06-2005, 12:41 AM
Ooooh yeah , spirit.
To Michael Stuempel,
that would be second on my list.
Hell put it first.
I'm nothing if not flexible.
I was talking to a couple of Australian Judo Olympians a month or so ago. They had the same thought...that it was the spirit of the competitor that made them strive for victory and to become part of the olympic team and to win in competition...
So it appears you are in good company. Congratulations.
--Michael
To Michael Stuempel,
that would be second on my list.
Hell put it first.
I'm nothing if not flexible.
I was talking to a couple of Australian Judo Olympians a month or so ago. They had the same thought...that it was the spirit of the competitor that made them strive for victory and to become part of the olympic team and to win in competition...
So it appears you are in good company. Congratulations.
--Michael
samurai_kenshin
05-07-2005, 03:22 PM
here's a song for my answer:
If I couldn't teach all,
If I could only teach just that one thing,
Just that one thing,
It would probably beeeee,
good usage of kiiiii,
just that one thing,
just that one thing.
What I mean by kiiiiii,
is awareness of bodyyyy,
and your center,
and your center.
that could go on forever, but i'll stop there.
If I couldn't teach all,
If I could only teach just that one thing,
Just that one thing,
It would probably beeeee,
good usage of kiiiii,
just that one thing,
just that one thing.
What I mean by kiiiiii,
is awareness of bodyyyy,
and your center,
and your center.
that could go on forever, but i'll stop there.
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