Quote:
Erick Mead wrote:
In fairness to the Prof. he is talking about the details and nature of the history of the founder and the art -- NOT the training. In any event it has seemed that your criticisms have relied on questions about practice AT HOMBU, as much as they are about the overseas training, or so it has seemed to me.
As to the latter point, that can be taken up easily. Some of the Founder's deshi specifically desired to come HERE to train and teach somewhat independently (at some measure of initial disapproval of Hombu) -- notably (and vastly different in personal style) both Saotome and Chiba. Chiba I have trained with personally, and with senior students of Saotome, but never with himself. I believe Jim Sorrentino, one of those latter, has offered for you to come compare notes. He's very nice; I've even visited once at the Ballston dojo at Aikido of No.Va, though I doubt he would remember or recall me. You can get there within a block's walk by Metro, so you can get there completely by train from Boston. I think its three hour train ride, if I recall. Could be a day trip.  .  |
Erick
You're kidding right? Day late and a dollar short. And you missed the point.
FWIW I have trained with several Shihan from the aikikai. I found them to be no trouble whatsoever and could stop them easily, and that was almost sixteen years ago when I was just starting to get this stuff. On the whole It was exactly why I left Aikido. They were stiff, and easy to connect to an control. I figured "If this is the best ya got...then see ya." I was taken aback that this supposedly soft art, was no where near what I considered to be soft. they were shoulder stiff, frame extenders. The lessor lights, were...lesser than them. I am sure you're convinced that there is something for -me- to gain by "comparing notes" in VA. -I was suggesting something far more substantial. If there was an ura to be had -as suggested - in some senior, internally developed researcher in Aikido- I would welcome a chance to test it and feel it up close and personal. All due respect-I'm not going to find anything like that in VA. They are just now starting down a road I started down almost twenty years ago. And I wish them well.
I was thinking of Japan and some senior researcher who would like to demonstrate his internals from within aikido and play; minus, politics, ego and the protectionist baggage you often run into. I would rather hook up with a guy like that, bent on perfecting himself and testing theories and personal study of what he was taught or gained later. That is more my style. That's the kind of guy I would want to "compare notes with", Erick. To prove out the depth, or at least potentials of internal skills possibly hidden in the art of Aikido.