Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

AikiWeb Poll for the week of June 11, 2006:

Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?

• I don't do aikido
• Forceful
• Subtle
  

Here are the current results.

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

I imagine a side effect of this poll will show us here the great difference of our ages.

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

28- subtle...forceful sounds...simplistic to me. I'd certainly like powerful Aikido, but subtle seems more refined than forceful.

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

50 and getting subtler ;)

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

The question is a bit fuzzy since "forceful" and "subtle" are not opposites but rather moments united in a single technique.

Ed Shockley

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

Subtle, Forceful implies resistance and muscle.

Even giving a comitted attack doesn't mean the uke is being forceful.

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

On the mat I want it to feel like being cuddled to the ground, if felt at all.
In a dark alley I would rather it felt like getting hit with a ton of bricks. Which, essentially, it would be.

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

Amen ;)

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

Amen again.

If only we could have that ton of bricks dangling over the attacker just when we need it!!

dave

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

I see a lot of one voted for in the poll and a lot of the other felt on the mat. Curious.....

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

Eric, it is an aspirational poll, hence the inconsistency ;)

regards,

Mark

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

Given that this poll is directed at a population of people who practice an art where the most commonly named technique is based on timing (kokyunage), the results are not surprising. Rather like asking a chocolate lover what is their favorite flavor.

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

Even if the end result were the same: that the attacker was controlled completely?

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

My personal goal is for "gentle yet effective" aikido on the mat.

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

Matthew- If I believed I could Control an attacker I would have a different answer. Maybe in 20 years or so when I am a 70 year old sandan, but I am trying to be realistic here. If I can hurt them enough to discourage them, it gives me time to start running.

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

M Gano

I'm fond of weird analogies: the judo school I went to in college did about half Ni Waza, or ground technique (sounds cooler in Japanese, doesn't it?). The Kodokan trained Shihan had a bumb hip, so he played more on the mat with us, or On us I should say. He weighed only about 185, but was solid at 50 + years old. He had a way of laying on us softly, but focusing what felt like 500 pounds on us.

Darndest thing. He was using no effort, but we had to tap out from pain, or being unable to breathe, if we could muster the strength to tap!

Total control; subtle effort.

dave

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

I never thought subtile would exclude forcefull. For me it sounds like trying to seperate gentle and firm which I believe to be intertwined as well.

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

I'm not sure. It ranges from somewhere between "brick wall" and "empty jacket" - so I've been told.

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

I basically agree with you. I was just posing a hypothetical idea.
Take care,
Matt

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

I'm surprised no one has said something like, "I'd like it to BE subtle, but to FEEL forceful to others..."

OR

I'd like it to BE forceful, but to FEEL subtle to others..."

hmmm I'm gonna ponder those for a bit...

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

..like an immovable force yet a defense that leaves the aggressor unharmed.

Re: Poll: Which would you rather have your aikido feel like to others?
 

ah, the age question always arises. How fast can you run when you are 70, 80? I have done randori practices where nage focuses on being 80 years old, and the 3 attackers are in their 20s. It ties in with something the late Terry Dobson sensei taught in a seminar. The theme was: "the uke brings your death."