The Bird That Couldn't Fly
 

There is a story of one famous tai chi master who had acquired a high degree of instantaneous resilience in his body. A small bird resting in his palm was unable to take off because of the complete lack of resistance in the hand.
(Chungliang Al Huang)
http://dynamicbalancingtaichi.blogspot.com/

Re: The Bird That Couldn't Fly
 

I like that parable because it highlights the focus on sensitivity in the martial arts.

One could just hold teh bird down forcefully, or heck, cut off the bird's feet and have them as drumsticks. Or, one could sense and receive the bird's own movement and take it from there.

Re: The Bird That Couldn't Fly
 

Snore...
Ricky that's a pretty well known story. Maybe it might be better to post it, along with what you think was trying to be demonstrated in the story.
Otherwise it just gets relegated along with one of thos e "And Ueshiba dissapeared from in front of us...only to appear behind us with a nekkid Jessica Alba!:D "
Actually, the stories wouldnt be so bad if they had a twist like that in them now and then :)

Re: The Bird That Couldn't Fly
 

Now THAT would be a skill worth developing... but I digress...

Re: The Bird That Couldn't Fly
 

Now, see, I was taught that it was Jessica Biel...
Obviously, you know nothing of aiki!

Back to our regularly scheduled tired, old martial arts myths (Shaolin in the hizzeeee!)

Re: The Bird That Couldn't Fly
 

Heh, I'm training to do that and get both Alba and Biel.

Why settle for one? ;)

Re: The Bird That Couldn't Fly
 

I am sorry Robert, but I do not post with your viewing satisfaction in mind. Feel free to place me on ignore.
And why you guys gotta be tankin on the Shaolin myths. I was raised on Kung Fu. Sheesh, can't a monk get any respect?:D

Re: The Bird That Couldn't Fly
 

Hmmm ... well, a bird uses the force of a push to launch itself into the air. As the bird drops weight and bends it's knees (do birds have knees?), it creates a force vector from the ground under it's feet (do they have feet?) and pushes in a resistant manner upwards to temporarily overcome gravity. Therefore, the bird is not doing aikido as it is using resistance in its movements.

Now, let's take the person holding the bird. The bird must use force to achieve liftoff. If the person is highly sensitive, then he can feel the minute adjustments in the bird's demeanor and pick up the intent before the bird ever moves. Then, at the point of movement, the person uses his rotational wrist to send micro adjustments to his hand. He also uses his body's rotational movement to slightly drop his center such that the bird can now no longer gain a force resistant push against the hand. Even though the bird pushes with all its strength, the rotational micro movements of the man counter the bird. The man and the bird have harmonized. Therefore the man is doing aikido.

Mark (snarkily satirical)