Quote:
Fred Little wrote:
With all due respect, I don't believe that you can draw that conclusion, or any conclusion about what the writer knows or can manifest on the basis of the article as presented.
As a former aikido practitioner who studied with all of those individuals over a couple of decades, I would have to say that she has presented, quite accurately, key examples of the typical verbal explanations those teachers provide to instruct their students in what they are doing, how they are doing it, and what points students need to focus on to produce the same results.
If your point is that these explanations don't go very far in transmitting what these four practitioners are doing, I think your issue is with the pedagogy of the individuals whose routine instructional utterances she has accurately captured, and not with Ania.
Best,
Fred
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Hi, The reason why I think she doesn't know is 'common themes' she suggest is very superficial.
•Importance of relaxation, creating openness and connectivity in one's body
=> Why relax? Many others also keep on saying about it.
•developing mindfulness of our own movement and sensitivity to partners responses
=> This makes nage to apply techniques more easily.
•developing ki or intent
=> how? Sounds like 'You have to learn how to ride a bicycle to ride a bicycle.'
•combination of strong intent and openness in the first moment of interaction, or even before
=> This makes nage to apply techniques more easily.
•no pushing into the point of contact
=> When I see the demo, the shihans like Ikeda push into the point of contact to get kuzushi.
•emphasis on the Aiki principle over the technique
=> I can do 'emphasis'. Any 9th kyu can do it too.
•seeing unity as physical, mental and spiritual
=> what the 'spritual'?
•getting away from a mindset of winning
=> I can say. Any 9th kyu can do it too.
•the path to manifesting Aiki through both uke and nage practice
=> I can say. Any 9th kyu can do it too.
•freedom of movement through Aiki principle
=> I can say. Any 9th kyu can do it too.
There should be something that only who can do it can write or assert. It's missing in her article.
Jaemin